NEW YORK: After several years, New York City’s official mayoral residence, Gracie Mansion, will once again have a first lady. Rama Duwaji, the 28-year-old wife of mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, joined her husband on stage as he celebrated his victory over former governor Andrew Cuomo.
Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist and illustrator, moved to the United States in 2021 and married Mamdani in a City Hall ceremony earlier this year.
According to U.S. media, she played a significant role in shaping Mamdani’s campaign identity—designing the signature bold typography and the yellow, orange, and blue visuals that became the hallmark of his campaign.
Beyond her creative input, Duwaji is also credited with strengthening her husband’s digital branding and social media outreach. Despite her behind-the-scenes influence, she has avoided public appearances, joint interviews, or magazine features.
On her Instagram, she primarily showcases her artwork highlighting Middle Eastern women and the Palestinian struggle, with only a few posts featuring her husband, including one from the June Democratic primary.
With Mamdani’s recent victory, Duwaji has made history as the first member of Generation Z to become New York City’s first lady.
Who Is Rama Duwaji?
Rama Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist educated in Dubai, now resides in Brooklyn, New York. Her campaign biography describes her as “ethnically Syrian,” though she was born in Texas.
She met Zohran Mamdani several years ago on the dating app Hinge, and the couple held a private engagement and Nikkah ceremony in Dubai in December 2024, followed by a civil wedding at New York City Clerk’s Office earlier this year.
“Rama isn’t just my wife; she’s an extraordinary artist who deserves recognition on her own terms,” Mamdani wrote in a May 12 Instagram post, announcing their marriage.
Duwaji holds a Master of Fine Arts in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Washington Post, BBC, Apple, Spotify, VICE, and London’s Tate Modern.
Her artistic focus revolves around sisterhood, Arab identity, collective experience, and political resistance. Many of her illustrations carry pro-Palestinian messages, depicting Israeli aggression, ethnic cleansing, and U.S. complicity.
One of her viral animations, shared by Mamdani, criticized New York charities for allegedly supporting Israeli war crimes. In an interview, she quoted Nina Simone, saying, “An artist’s duty is to reflect the times.”
In addition to illustration, Duwaji also creates hand-painted blue-and-white ceramic plates. With nearly 235,000 followers on Instagram, she continues to share her art, political insights, and personal milestones with a growing global audience.
