While she stood center stage with her husband on election night, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, has largely shied away from politics and from the public spotlight.

But now, at 28 years old, she’s poised to become one of the youngest first ladies of New York City.

What You Need To Know

  • Rama Duwaji is hardly a household name, but she’s about to become New York City’s first lady

  • She’s a 28-year-old artist thrust into the international spotlight after marrying Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani earlier this year

  • Duwaji did not actively campaign for her husband, and there are questions about whether she’ll continue to stay in the background when Mamdani is mayor

During his election night speech, Mamdani acknowledged the role Duwaji has played in his life, saying, “There is no one I would rather have by my side in this moment, and in every moment.”

Born in Houston, Texas, to Syrian parents, Duwaji spent part of her childhood in Dubai, before eventually returning to the United States and graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University.

After moving to New York City, she completed a master’s degree at the School of Visual Arts and has grown her career in art.

Duwaji’s animations have been featured in documentaries and in music videos. Her illustrations have lined the pages of The New Yorker and Vogue.

In an April interview with Yung Magazine, Duwaji described the motivation behind her work, saying, “with so many people being pushed out and silenced by fear, all I can do is use my voice to speak out about what’s happening in the U.S. and Palestine and Syria as much as I can.”

Duwaji also shares her art with her 1.4 million followers on the social media platform Instagram.

As a couple, Mamdani and Duwaji have largely kept their love story private.

With Duwaji poised to step into the informal role of first lady next year, Quinnipiac University Professor Lisa Burns points out, “One of the most interesting things about being a first lady is there is no job description anywhere.”

Burs has watched first spouses married to politicians in the spotlight chart their own path.

“I think the first ladies we’ve seen over the years that have been most successful are the ones who have really stayed true to themselves. They figured out sort of where they’re comfortable, what they really enjoy doing,” she said.