- By Shivangi Sharma
- Wed, 05 Nov 2025 03:52 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York City's mayoral election has put him in the international spotlight, setting him up to become the Big Apple's first-ever Muslim mayor. The democratic socialist, aged 34 years, won against the independent candidate and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, 67, who launched his campaign after losing the primary nomination. Even as Mamdani's win has been hailed as a political milestone, much of the distinct personality of his campaign was forged in relative obscurity by his wife, the artist Rama Duwaji.
During his victory speech, Mamdani thanked New Yorkers for embracing his progressive vision, but he also took a heartfelt moment to acknowledge his wife, Duwaji: "There is no one I would rather have by my side in this moment and in every moment." Largely eschewing the spotlight, Duwaji has been credited by those close to the campaign with curating Mamdani's visual identity, tone, and social media presence, elements that attracted a fresh wave of younger supporters.
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A Modern Love Story
The two met in 2021 through the dating app Hinge, just after Mamdani had been elected to the New York State Assembly. Their first date was at Qahwah House, a Yemeni cafe in Brooklyn, followed by a long walk in McCarren Park. It was their second date, in Queens, that gave Duwaji a glimpse into Mamdani's roots.
Engagement And Simple Wedding
The couple announced their engagement in October 2024, shortly before Mamdani declared his candidacy for mayor. They celebrated in Dubai that December before returning to New York for a minimalist courthouse ceremony at the City Clerk's Office. After posing on the venue's iconic green couches, the pair embraced subtlety over spectacle. Mamdani afterwards called the building his favourite in New York-a space that personifies public access and communal beauty.
Finding Identity Through Art
Born in Houston, Duwaji spent most of her childhood in Dubai, close to her Syrian family's cultural roots. She said she grew up denying her heritage to fit in socially. All that changed during university, though. Having transferred from the Virginia Commonwealth University campus in Qatar to the one in Richmond, she found herself surrounded by unfamiliarity, which pushed her to think of themes of identity, belonging, and displacement in her art.
