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Indian American actors aid Mamdani's small business World Cup drive
The city also witnessed the third annual NYC Small Business Month Expo on May 28
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Jeffin T. Kaleekal - Mon, 01, Jun 2026
- 04:27 EDT
- 36
(from left) Saagar Shaikh, Asif Ali, Zohran Mamdani and Poorna Jagannathan / Zohran Mamdani via X
Indian American actors Poorna Jagannathan and Asif Ali and Pakistani American actor Saagar Shaikh joined New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a new video marking the end of Small Business Month, helping deliver the administration's message to the city's 180,000 small-business entrepreneurs.
May marked Small Business Month around the country, and as it neared its end, Mamdani teamed up with NYC Council Member Shanel Thomas-Henry, the chair of the Small Business Committee, to spotlight what lies ahead and how far the administration has come.
The three actors were tasked with simplifying Mamdani's message with a humorous twist.
As part of NYC Small Business Month, Mamdani and SBS announced citywide outreach efforts to prepare local businesses for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Mamdani said, "For this year's World Cup, we're providing help to get your business game-ready for the surge in foot traffic."
He continued, "A lot of tourists are coming. You might as well get paid. Small Business Month is wrapping up, but we're working to ensure that we support our neighborhood businesses year-round."
Also Read: Obama dubs Mamdani an ‘extraordinary talent’
The initiative also promotes the NYC World Cup 2026 Business Tool Kit, which aims to help local businesses prepare for increased tourism and customer traffic during the tournament.
Mamdani noted, "Neighborhood entrepreneurs deserve a city government that actually helps them."
He continued, "In our first 100 days, we've helped small businesses save nearly $6 million in fines and fees, appointed a small-business commissioner who actually knows your struggle, and began with the first-ever mom-and-pop jar to help the smallest of small businesses."
Mamdani also spotlighted the key undertaking by his administration throughout the budget and said, "We're growing our Business Express Service Team to provide more one-on-one service assistance, dealing with investigations, inspections, any of the processes."
He added, "We're also building on free legal services to help small-business tenants with commercial lease issues."
Mamdani had been advocating for small businesses since the beginning of his campaign; since assuming office, he has worked to cut red tape, reduce fines and fees, expand access to financing, and help small businesses save more than $6 million through the NYC Business Express Service Team (NYC BEST), according to data published by his office.
The city also witnessed the third annual NYC Small Business Month Expo on May 28, connecting small-business owners directly with city agencies, industry experts and resource providers.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
May is NYC Small Business Month, but supporting our neighborhood businesses is a year-round commitment.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) May 31, 2026
That's why I met up with @cmshanelth, who has been fighting to make it easier to start, grow and operate in NYC, and we brought in some extra help: Poorna Jagannathan, Asif… pic.twitter.com/o2NriN9X2b
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