New mayor her New York is Zohran Mamdani, and naturally, all eyes are on the 33-year-old first Muslim mayor of the American metropolis and on his young wife Rama Duwaji.
Rama Duwaji, 28 years old, is an artist, originally from Syria, and the wife of new mayor of New York Zohran Mamdani. She avoids the limelight and the traditional role of “first lady”.
As of today, she is not only the wife of the new mayor of New York, Zoran Madani, but also first representative of Generation Z at Gracie Mansionthe official residence of the mayor of New York. An artist who combines political sensitivity with personal independence.
Rama Duwaji did not follow her manual “first lady in waiting”, CNN comments.
He did not make pre-election appearances alongside Zoran Madani. They did not give joint TV interviews, nor did she do glamorous photo shoots for magazines.
Even on her Instagram page, where she showcases her work as a visual artist who draws her subjects from the Middle East and Palestine, there is rarely a mention of her husband. The exception is a single post, on the day of the Democratic primary in June.
“I couldn’t be more proud,” she captioned a series of photos showing them voting and a childhood photo of Madani.
From Syria to Texas and New York
Rama Duwaji was born in Houston to a family of Syrian descent, and lived there until the age of 9, when her family moved to Dubai.
She studied Fine Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar and completed her BA in Richmond, USA. He did a master’s degree in New York.
Her work has been published in leading media such as The Cut, BBC, Vogue and The New Yorker, garnering rave reviews for the way she combines political message with artistic expression.
A love affair through the Hinge app
She met Zoran Madani in 2021 through the dating app Hinge.
Mamdani had just been elected to the New York State House, something she was unaware of at the time.
On their first date, they dined at a cafe in Brooklyn and walked in McCarren Park, and on their second date, he gave her a tour of his constituency, Astoria, Queens.
They got engaged in October 2024 and a few days later Mamdani announced his candidacy for mayor. In December they celebrated their engagement in Dubai, and in February they were married in a civil ceremony at City Hall in Manhattan.
When the media started commenting on their wedding, Mamdani posted the official photos, writing:
“Rama is not just my wife, she is an extraordinary artist who deserves to be seen on her own terms.”
Her behind-the-scenes role in Mamdani’s campaign
Duwaji may have avoided TV studios, but she was active behind the lights.
He was involved in shaping the aesthetics of the campaign – from the logo to the font – combining the colors of New York.
Mamdani, who relies heavily on his campaign on social media, acknowledges its contribution to improving his digital image.
At the same time, Rama is by his side at every critical moment: from the day of his primary vote to his victory speech, as well as his appearance on The Daily Show.
Duwaji’s views on the Middle East are clear and reflected in her works: black and white depictions of women, scenes from Gaza, the Palestinian flag.
Her positions are in line with her husband’s criticism of Israel following the October 7, 2023, attacks – a stance that has drawn sharp backlash in New York, the city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel.
In an interview with Yung magazine last April, Duwaji said:
“I create for people who care about what I care about. With so many silenced by fear, all I can do is use my voice to speak out about what is happening in Palestine, Syria and the United States.”
Duwaji, in contrast, seems to prefer silent influence. In the background, she supports, inspires and guides her husband’s image without overshadowing her artistic identity.
Recently, at an event in Brooklyn where Mamdani was participating in a painting class, he admitted with a laugh:
“I’m not good at drawing at all. The last time I picked up a brush was on a date with my wife.”
When later asked how he did, he jokingly said:
“Don’t tell Rama.” But word had already reached her—a colleague had sent him a photo of his work. Rama’s response was immediate and humorous:
“This is not a tree. It’s a triangle.”
Information from CNN