When New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani talks about his wife, Rama Duwaji, he often calls her “the most creative person I know.” Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist based in Brooklyn, has become a quiet yet compelling presence in the city’s cultural and political landscape — balancing a thriving career in visual arts with her new role as the city’s first lady in waiting.
A multicultural background with roots in art
Born in Texas in 1997 to Syrian parents, Duwaji spent her childhood between the US and the Middle East, including time in Dubai before settling in New York in 2021. She works in illustration, animation, and ceramics; her practice is preoccupied with identity, migration, and belonging. Her work has been featured in The New Yorker, The Washington Post, BBC, and Apple for synthesizing cultural narratives into minimalist design.
Meeting through modern love
In an era where political romances seldom originate on the internet, Mamdani and Duwaji met on Hinge back in 2022. They found common ground over shared ideals of politics and deep respect for creative expression. Mamdani, then an emerging force in progressive New York politics, would later joke, "I found my wife on Hinge-so I can confirm the apps work." The couple wed in a civil ceremony at the New York City Clerk's Office in early 2025 after a quiet engagement the previous year.
The artist with a cause
Duwaji describes her work as "art about what I care about," steering clear of commercial trends. Her portfolio includes personal illustrations reflecting womanhood, displacement, and the Syrian diaspora. In interviews she has stated that she seeks to "create beauty out of memory and loss." In addition to digital art, she creates hand-built ceramics and has been in several solo shows around New York.
A thoughtful partner in public life
The quietest of operators, Duwaji's impact on Mamdani's campaign was nonetheless observable-from the aesthetic of his posters to his earthy tone of speech. During his victory speech after the primary, Mamdani publicly thanked her, kissing her hand to the delight of the cheering crowd. Supporters remarked on the unusual tenderness of the gesture for a campaign that built its brand on progressive hardness.
Redefining the political spouse
Unlike many political spouses before her, Duwaji has continued to nurture her independent career and artistic practice. Yet her multicultural background and creative sensibility lend an added dimension to Mamdani's public image—reflecting the diversity and cultural interconnection that define New York today.
As Mamdani gets ready for public office, the story of Rama Duwaji-a Syrian-American artist who met a future mayor through a dating app-reminds that even in politics, art and love can find common ground.
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