Rama Duwaji, Zohran Mamdani's wife, Captivates With Art, Advocacy in NYC Mayoral Race

Duwaji is a Syrian-born award winning illustrator and animator based in New York City. Born in Houston, Texas, she completed a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University, and then earned a master's degree in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Duwaji’s work, known for its evocative style and soft, expressive lines, examines the nuances of sisterhood and communal experiences, and has been featured in notable publications and organizations such as BBC, The New Yorker, Apple, Spotify, and VICE amongst others.

Her art strikingly depicts Arabic motifs, Middle Eastern identity and social injustice, often taking on political themes, and denouncing American imperialism and the Israeli war crimes. In an April interview, the illustrator quoted Nina Simone, stating, “An artist's duty as far as I'm concerned is to reflect the times.” In reference to her work, she added, "I believe everyone has a responsibility to speak out against injustice, and art has such an ability to spread it. I don't think everybody has to make political work, but art is inherently political in how it's made, funded, and shared. Even creating art as a refuge from the horrors we see is political to me. It's a reaction to the world around us."

Apart from the digital medium, Duwaji is also a skilled ceramic artist, often combining pottery and illustration to create uniquely illustrated plates. She has also held workshops for illustration, animation, and ceramic art.

Duwaji and Mamdani met on the dating app Hinge, and tied the knot earlier this year at the New York City Clerk’s office. Duwaji, who has been relatively absent during her husband’s campaigns, a decision uncommon for mayoral candidates who usually show off their spouses, was finally “hard-launched” when Mamdani posted their wedding pictures on Instagram in May. The sweet caption read, “Rama isn't just my wife; she's an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms.” She made her first public appearance alongside her husband after he won as the primacy democratic candidate in the NY election, following which she posted a carousel on Instagram supporting Mamdani, and captioning it “couldn’t possibly be prouder”.

In response to right-wing critics about the mayoral candidate allegedly hiding his wife, Mamdani stated, “If you take a look at Twitter today, or any day for that matter, you know how vicious politics can be. I usually brush it off, whether it's death threats or calls for me to be deported. But it's different when it's about those you love.... You can critique my views, but not my family.”