As New York City celebrates its newest mayor, another figure has quietly drawn public fascination — his artist wife, whose quiet creativity and guarded privacy have now become part of the city’s biggest story.
Against all odds and expectations, 34-year-old democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani has emerged as the Big Apple’s next mayor — a result that has rewritten the city’s political script and caught even seasoned observers off guard.
Zohran Mamdani attends a campaign event in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on November 1, 2025. | Source: Getty Images
Zohran Mamdani attends a campaign event in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on November 1, 2025. | Source: Getty Images
As the celebration around his victory settled, another story began quietly unfolding — that of his wife, Brooklyn artist Rama Duwaji, whose gentle expressions had suddenly met the glare of the metropolis’s spotlight.
Once a freelance illustrator navigating post-college life, Duwaji met Mamdani in 2021 on the dating app Hinge — a modern fairytale beginning that blossomed into a whirlwind romance. They tied the knot at the City Clerk’s office in early 2025.
A Private Muse in the Public Eye
In a profoundly personal Instagram post on May 12, 2025, Mamdani poured his heart out:
“Three months ago, I married the love of my life, Rama, at the City Clerk’s office. Now, right-wing trolls are trying to make this race — which should be about you — about her. Rama isn’t just my wife, she’s an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms.”
Despite becoming a subject of widespread fascination since Mamdani’s campaign took off, Duwaji has been noticeably absent from the limelight. According to The New York Times, she declined all press after the primary election, sharing that the sudden flood of attention was overwhelming.
To her close circle, however, Duwaji is already a beloved icon. Photographer Hasnain Bhatti, 32, didn’t mince words, saying, “She’s our modern day Princess Diana.”
Rama Duwaji is at a polling station in Astoria, Queens, on Election Day in New York City on November 4, 2025. | Source: Getty Images
Rama Duwaji is at a polling station in Astoria, Queens, on Election Day in New York City on November 4, 2025. | Source: Getty Images
Her Syrian Roots, Her Art, Her Voice
Born in the United States, Duwaji has frequently discussed the complexity of her Syrian American identity. On a podcast, she revealed, “I was born in the States and lived here till I was nine.” She added that before the war in Syria, she would sometimes deny that part of herself, telling people she was only American.
Professionally, Duwaji has carved a name for herself as a Syrian illustrator and animator whose work digs into themes of sisterhood and community. Working from her Brooklyn studio, she has built an impressive portfolio that spans The New Yorker, The Washington Post, BBC, Apple, Spotify, VICE, and Tate Modern.
One of Rama Duwaji’s art, as seen from a post dated June 12, 2025. | Source: Instagram/ramaduwaji
One of Rama Duwaji’s art, as seen from a post dated June 12, 2025. | Source: Instagram/ramaduwaji
She has also lent her expertise to the next generation of creators, teaching illustration and animation workshops with It’s Nice That, a London-based digital media platform and creative publisher, in 2021. Although most of her work is digital, Duwaji also handcrafts ceramic pieces — a physical outlet for her artistic vision, blending pottery with her love for illustration.
In 2024, Duwaji earned her MFA in Illustration as a Visual Essay from the School of Visual Arts, where her thesis project, “Sahtain!” — Arabic for “bon appétit” — transformed the act of cooking together into a vivid meditation on memory, belonging, and joy.
Riccardo Vecchio, chair of her graduate program, offered high praise for her dedication. “Very focused on her work,” he said, noting her commitment to exploring perspectives underrepresented in Western art.
His Ugandan Roots, His Politics, His Vision
Standing beside her is an equally remarkable figure — Mamdani himself. Before stepping into City Hall, he served the 36th Assembly District — home to Astoria, Ditmars-Steinway, and Astoria Heights. Born in Kampala, Uganda, he immigrated to New York City at age seven and later became a U.S. citizen in 2018.
A graduate of the Bronx High School of Science and Bowdoin College, where he earned a degree in Africana Studies, Mamdani’s life took a decisive turn when he worked as a foreclosure prevention housing counselor, helping low-income families in Queens. That experience, he said, opened his eyes to systemic inequality — and launched his political career.
Since entering public service, Mamdani has pushed a radical message: that the market should not determine dignity. His rise has also been historic — the first South Asian man, the first Ugandan, and only the third Muslim ever elected to New York State’s Assembly.
Zohran Mamdani celebrates alongside his wife Rama Duwaji, his parents Mahmood and Mira Nair during an election night event at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater in New York on November 4, 2025. | Source: Getty Images
‘Rama Is Giving First Lady!!!’: Social Media Erupts
But as Mamdani accepted his victory, the internet’s gaze swung toward his wife — with admiration and infatuation colliding across platforms. On X, one fan posted, “Congrats to Zohran Mamdani on beating Andrew Cuomo. Rama is easily the most stunning First Lady in NYC’s history.”
Zohran Mamdani holds hands with his wife Rama Duwaji after they voted in the Queens borough of New York City on November 4, 2025. | Source: Getty Images
Another wrote, “mamdanis wife rama duwaji is so beautiful it really goes to show how being a kindhearted and friendly man will get you a beautiful and artistic wife [sic].” A third post echoed the sentiment, “Will Rama Duwaji become the most stunning First Lady in American history? Maybe.”
Zohran Mamdani and Rama Duwaji. | Source: Getty Images
Reddit wasn’t far behind. One commenter gushed, “That face card is lethal. She’s stunning,” while another declared, “She is [sic] real stunner!” Over on TikTok, the praise was even more poetic. “Wow, she give [sic] me such Princess Diana vibes. Her eyes are so expressive 💕,” one viewer wrote. Another added, “Rama is giving first lady!!! So poised! ✨♥.”
Whether she chooses to step forward into the public sphere or remain behind the scenes, Duwaji is already shaping a reimagined image of what a First Lady can be — one who embodies art, empathy, and quiet power.
