Overview

• Bowman made the remarks on CNN during a panel about alleged Islamophobic attacks against New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
• He argued that encountering the N-word daily leads to stress that fuels greater incidences of heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes in Black communities.
• The discussion grew tense when Bowman confronted former Trump White House official Marc Short and then received sympathetic comments from ex–California Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado.
• A 2023 U.S. Health Department study shows Black high school students are 50% more likely to be obese and Black adults 30% more likely compared with non-Hispanic white peers.
• Bowman left Congress in January after losing the 2024 Democratic primary to George Latimer.