As the United States turns its attention to New York City’s Democratic candidate for mayor Zohran Mamdani, many are eager to learn more about his wife, Rama Duwaji.
Duwaji is an artist of Syrian descent whose work has been featured by acclaimed outlets such as The New Yorker, The Washington Post, BBC, Apple, Spotify, VICE, and the Tate Modern in London. Now based in Brooklyn, Duwaji creates art that centers on political and feminist themes.
Her digital illustrations—prominently showcased on Instagram—often reflect her political beliefs. Among her recent work, Duwaji criticized the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University protester detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on March 8, 2025. She has also spoken out against police violence toward pro-Palestinian demonstrators and spotlighted human interest stories, including intimate portraits of bakers in Gaza.
The couple made headlines six weeks ago when Mamdani shared their wedding photos from earlier this year, displaying them across New York City, including in the subway system, as a public stand against online harassment.
“Rama isn’t just my wife,” Mamdani said. “She’s an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms. You can critique my views, but not my family.”
The pair met on a dating app in New York City and married in December 2024, according to reports. Following Mamdani’s victory in the Democratic primary yesterday, Duwaji posted a black-and-white photo strip of the couple with a simple caption: “Couldn’t possibly be prouder.”
