When Zohran Mamdani was announced as New York City’s next mayor on Tuesday night, he made history — not only as the city’s first Muslim mayor, but also as the youngest person to hold the office in more than a hundred years.
But just beside him, smiling as the room erupted, was someone making history in her own right — his wife, 28-year-old artist Rama Duwaji.
While Mamdani’s rise in politics has been widely covered, their love story feels straight out of a film — beginning not at City Hall, but on a dating app.
A Match on Hinge
The two met on Hinge in 2021, shortly after Mamdani had joined the New York State Assembly. Rama, a Syrian-American illustrator in Brooklyn, didn’t know much about local politics, and Mamdani wasn’t trying to spotlight his work.
Their first date was simple: coffee at Qahwah House and a walk through McCarren Park. On date two, he showed her around Astoria — the very neighborhood that would soon help elect him mayor.
By October 2024, they were engaged.
“Couldn’t possibly be prouder,” Rama captioned their engagement photos on Instagram.
A few days later, Mamdani launched his mayoral campaign. Their nikah ceremony was held on a rooftop in Dubai that December — white roses, greenery, and the Burj Khalifa as the backdrop.
A New York City Civil Ceremony
Two months later, they completed their civil marriage at the City Clerk’s Office. Mamdani later shared photos, including a quiet moment of the couple on the subway — Rama in a white dress and black boots, bouquet in hand, blending into the everyday New York scene.
He wrote, in part:
“You can criticize me and my politics — but not my family. Rama is not just my wife; she’s an extraordinary artist who deserves to be known on her own terms.”
Who Is Rama Duwaji?
Rama was born in Houston, raised in Dubai, and later studied illustration at Virginia Commonwealth University before earning her master’s at the School of Visual Arts in New York.
Her artwork — featured in Vogue, The Cut, The New Yorker, and BBC — often explores themes of identity, womanhood, and displacement. On Instagram, her pieces frequently highlight Middle Eastern women, Gaza, and the Palestinian cause.
“With so many voices being pushed out, the least I can do is use mine,” she has said.
Alongside her digital art, she also crafts her own ceramics — especially hand-painted blue-and-white plates.
Though Rama stayed out of traditional campaign roles — no speeches, no interviews — her influence was everywhere. She helped create Mamdani’s visual campaign identity: the bold Metrocard yellow, Mets blue, and firehouse red that covered posters across the city.
“She shaped how we presented the message,” a staffer shared. “Even if she wasn’t in front of the camera.”
The First Gen Z First Lady of NYC
Now, the couple will move into Gracie Mansion. Rama Duwaji will become New York’s First Lady — and the first Gen Z woman to ever hold the title.
Online, the excitement was instant:
“The first Gen Z First Lady of New York!”
“A new era for the city.”
“They’re already making history together.”
Whether she chooses to stay low-profile or step into advocacy, one thing is clear: she is redefining what it means to stand beside a political leader today.
Together, Zohran Mamdani and Rama Duwaji represent a new kind of power couple — one rooted in creativity, conviction, community, and love.