Rama Duwaji, a 27-year-old Syrian-American illustrator and animator, has drawn attention following her husband Zohran Mamdani's surprise primary win over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the race for New York City Mayor.

Though the final result will be confirmed through ranked-choice voting on July 1, Mamdani's lead has already made headlines. And with it, people are now noticing the artist who stood quietly by his side.

A rising artist with a powerful voice

Duwaji, born in Damascus, Syria, is now based in Brooklyn, New York. She is known for creating art that blends emotion and politics. Her work often explores themes like identity, sisterhood and resistance, especially from a pro-Palestinian perspective. Her art has been featured by top global platforms including:

• The New Yorker
• The Washington Post
• Apple
• Spotify
• VICE
• BBC
• Tate Modern (London)

In addition to illustration and animation, she also works with ceramics, making hand-painted blue-and-white plates.

Belief in art as political expression

In a recent interview, Rama Duwaji said she believes art can and should reflect the world around us.“I always quote Nina Simone: 'An artist's duty as far as I'm concerned is to reflect the times," she said.“Even creating art as a refuge from the horrors we see is political to me,” she told the Associated Press.

On Primary Election Day (June 24), Duwaji posted a short and sweet caption on Instagram: 'couldn't possibly be prouder'. She shared a voting selfie and a video of jovial Zohran Mamdani.

A post shared by RAMA DUWAJI (@ramaduwaji)

She added that while not every artist must make political work, she personally uses her voice to speak out against injustice through her creations.

A modern love story

Zohran Mamdani shared that he met Rama on the Hinge dating app. Their connection grew, and they celebrated their engagement last year in Dubai, where her family lives.

A few weeks ago, Mamdani posted photos from their civil wedding in New York City. One photo, taken inside a Union Square subway train, showed the couple smiling with a flower bouquet, surrounded by commuters unaware of the special moment.

A moment of gratitude on election night

When Mamdani claimed victory in the Democratic primary, Rama stood beside him. In his speech, he paused to say:

“I must thank my incredible wife. Rama, thank you.” He then kissed her hand in front of cheering supporters. Facing online abuse and defending love.

The couple has also had to deal with online abuse and political trolling. 

A post shared by Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@zohrankmamdani)

Mamdani wrote about the attacks in a heartfelt social media post:

“I usually brush off death threats or calls for me to be deported. But it's different when it's about those you love.”

He added:“Rama isn't just my wife. She's an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms. You can critique my views, but not my family.”

Support from Mira Nair

On election day, filmmaker Mira Nair, who is Mamdani's mother, shared a public message for her daughter-in-law, celebrating the power of art and women like Rama Duwaji.

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