Who is New York’s first lady Rama Duwaji? Know all details here
Who is New York’s first lady Rama Duwaji? Know all details hereRama Duwaji will be the first ever youngest first lady of New York City-thrust into the spotlight as her husband Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist became New York’s, mayor on Tuesday November 4 2025.
New York’s next first lady was spotlighted at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater, where she stepped to join her husband’s electoral winning speech for becoming New York\“s 111th mayor. Advertisement
During his victory speech on Tuesday night, Mamdani offered a special dedication to his wife.
“And to my incredible wife, Rama, hayati,” he said, using the Arabic term for “my life.” “There is no one I would rather share this moment and every moment with,” said Mamdani. /wp-content/uploads/2025/11/101790601594601259.jpg\“She’s an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms.You can critique my views, but not my family\“, says newly elected mayor Zohran Mamdani
Duwaji is a New York-based artist with Syrian roots whose work often explores Middle Eastern themes.
Her work has also been showcased on BBC News, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vice and London\“s Tate Modern museum.
Unlike the first lady of the United States, the New York City mayor’s spouse does not typically play an active role in city leadership.
The 28-year-old Syrian American artist always avoided political spotlights, preferring her own creative path.
Newly elected mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rama had been married for a few months, and the couple first met on the dating app Hinge.
Announcing their wedding earlier this year, Mamdani wrote in a post, “Rama isn\“t just my wife; she\“s an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms.”
Rama Sawaf Duwaji was born in June 1997 in Houston, Texas, and her parents were Syrian immigrants from Damascus.
She is an animator and illustrator, while her dad is a software developer and her mom is a doctor.
At the early age of 9, her family moved to Dubai, where she attended high school.
She started her college in the Middle East at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar, and continued her undergraduate studies in Richmond, Virginia.
In 2019, she moved back to Dubai. In 2021, after just 2 years, she moved to New York City and attended the School of Visual Arts to pursue an MFA in illustration.
Gen Z\“s first lady in New York thinks art is an essential tool for life, but she does not care whether it resonates with others, as her art mainly focuses on her own life experiences.
“These days, I focus on making art about my experiences and the things I care about and the community that forms from conversations about my work.”
“I make my work for people who care about the things I care about,“ said Rama.
“If it happens to engage someone or loop them into a conversation about politics or community, they might not have thought of being a part of it; it is a bonus instead of the actual goal of making art,“ she added.
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