Who Is Rama Duwaji? Zohran Mamdani’s Artist Wife Who He Met on Hinge Has Notable Clients and Her Works are Often Pro-Palestine Themed

Zohran Mamdani may not be the only radical moving into Gracie Mansion this fall. His artist wife, whose multimedia career often includes pro-Palestinian themes, will join him if he secures another win in the November general election following his Democratic primary win.

Rama Duwaji, 27, the wife of 33-year-old socialist Zohran Mamdani, shared the stage on Tuesday night after his stunning primary win — one of her few public appearances during the campaign. Duwaji had mostly stayed out of the spotlight since Mamdani launched his campaign in October, but she gained public attention in May after The New York Post reported on the couple’s intimate yet extravagant engagement celebration in Dubai.

Star in Her Own Right

Mamdani took a moment to honor his wife after his stunning victory over embattled former Governor Andrew Cuomo. “I must thank my incredible wife,” he said to applause from the watching crowd. “Rama, thank you,” he added, kissing her hand.

“Couldn’t possibly be prouder,” Duwaji wrote on Instagram after the Queens assemblyman’s groundbreaking victory — a win that, if followed by success in the general election, would make him the youngest mayor of New York City since 1914.

So, who is Duwaji?

Duwaji’s Instagram bio, where she has close to 85,000 followers, mentions that she is originally from Damascus, Syria. However, a campaign spokesperson clarified to The New York Times on Wednesday that she is “ethnically Syrian” but was actually born in Texas.

According to an earlier report by The Post, Duwaji shared with YUNG that she spent much of the Covid-19 pandemic in Dubai with her family.

She has spent the past several years working as an illustrator and animator in Brooklyn, after completing her Master of Fine Arts in Illustration at the School of Visual Arts — where tuition runs $29,000 per semester.

“Using drawn portraiture and movement, Rama examines the nuances of sisterhood and communal experiences,” according to her website.

Duwaji has worked with prominent clients such as The New Yorker, The Washington Post, the BBC, and London’s renowned Tate Modern gallery, according to the report.

Pro-Palestine Stance

Her artwork — primarily digital illustrations in a pen-and-ink style — often explores themes related to Palestine, Arab identity, and women’s issues. Her pieces feature powerful imagery, such as women in burkas trapped beneath rubble or protesters wearing keffiyehs being restrained by police.

One of her extended animations, which was also shared on her husband’s Instagram, claims that New York-based charities contribute over $60 million to support “Israeli war crimes.”

“By recognizing groups like these as charities, New York is subsidizing Israel’s illegal settlement expansion and state violence against Palestinians,” the animation says.

Other pieces highlight the plight of Palestinians, describing it as “ethnic cleansing,” or express solidarity with Mahmoud Khalil — the Columbia University student who was arrested by the Trump administration for his involvement in large-scale anti-Israel demonstrations at the Ivy League institution.

Mamdani and Duwaji first met a few years ago through the dating app Hinge, but not much is publicly known about the duo who could become the city’s next first couple—aside from a collection of affectionate photos shared on Instagram.

“Rama isn’t just my wife, she’s an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms,” Mamdani wrote on social media, sharing photos from their civil wedding at the City Clerk’s office — marking the first time he publicly acknowledged her in a significant way.

The ceremony took place several months after the couple privately celebrated their engagement and Nikkah — the Islamic marriage ritual involving the signing of a marital contract — in Dubai, Instagram posts from florist LMF Dubai reveal

According to the post, the event was hosted on December 22, 2024, atop the rooftop of Vida Creek Harbour, offering stunning views of the iconic Burj Khalifa.

“Before their civil ceremony in New York City, Zohran and his wife celebrated their engagement in Dubai last year—where her family lives—with a small, joyful ceremony surrounded by their loved ones,” the Mamdani campaign said in a statement.

Mamdani earned 43.41% of the vote in the ranked-choice election, defeating 67-year-old Andrew Cuomo, who secured 36.42% and conceded shortly after the polls closed on Tuesday.

As a result, Mamdani will face off against current Mayor Eric Adams — who is seeking re-election as an independent — and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa in the upcoming November election.

A Queens assemblyman, Mamdani was born in Uganda to a professor father and a celebrated filmmaker mother. If elected, he would become the first Muslim to hold the office of New York City mayor.