Rama Duwaji: An Artist Bridging Cultures and Championing Social Justice
Following Zohran Mamdani’s election as mayor of New York City, attention has turned to his wife, Rama Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist. Duwaji has largely kept a private life while creating political work that centers on Arab identity and social justice. As Mamdani prepares to assume office, this article explores Duwaji’s background, artistic endeavors, and the intersection of her work with her personal values.
Background and Education
Rama Sawaf Duwaji was born on June 30, 1997, in Houston to Syrian parents. Duwaji, 28, spent part of her childhood in Dubai. She received formal art training in college, earning a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University’s arts program in 2019. She later moved to New York in 2021 to attend the School of Visual Arts, where she earned a master’s degree in Illustration as Visual Essay, per the New York Times.
Artistic Career and Style
Duwaji is an American animator, illustrator, and ceramist. Her projects and commissions have appeared in outlets such as The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Cut, and BBC. She’s also produced works for clients like Apple, Spotify, and the Tate Modern. Duwaji works across illustration, animation, and ceramics.
Duwaji's illustrations often explore Arab culture and focus on social justice in the Middle East, particularly women's rights, but also depict scenes of daily life in those countries.
Duwaji’s art often touches on topics like the humanitarian crises affecting the Middle East. In recent years, she’s produced pieces about the Palestinian experience amid the conflict with Israel. In 2023, for instance, she created a comic-style illustrative storyboard for a Washington Post feature about a Palestinian woman named Reem Ahmed who survived an Israeli strike after being trapped under rubble for 12 hours.
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Themes and Inspirations
Duwaji’s work and social commentary often intersect with political themes. Her art often works to challenge Western beauty standards.
When asked about her creative inspirations, Duwaji mentioned cave formations, after she visited some amazing caves in Beirut and fell in love with the endless lines and shapes the rocks make. Some top favorites at the moment are Carson Ellis, Rithika Merchant, Betsy Walton, Ronan Bouroullec, Rachel Levit Ruiz, and always, Lucian Freud.
"Razor Burn"
So my first little graphic novel ever, Razor Burn, was actually birthed in a semester long project in an art class about mental health, physical health, and societal issues. I decided to make an accessible graphic novel for young teens of color about the pressure of Western beauty standards, and the prevalence of mental health issues such as body dysmorphia, anxiety, and depression. The comic was based off the experiences of myself and many friends/family around me. It is a silent novel with no words, just images, (hopefully) making the book more accessible for people of different languages, socioeconomic, and education levels. It sounds cliche, but through the protagonist’s struggles with her body/facial hair, foreign features, and her experiences in a white majority school, I wanted anyone reading it, who might’ve felt bizarre and alone struggling with body image or mental health, to realize that hundreds and thousands of women have gone through the exact thing and came out thriving and confident despite it.
Personal Life and Relationship with Zohran Mamdani
Mamdani and Duwaji met on the dating app Hinge in 2021, were publicly engaged in late 2024, and held a City Hall civil ceremony in February 2025. She met Zohran Mamdani on Hinge, a dating app, and they married in 2025. Mamdani has publicly thanked Duwaji for her support on the campaign trail and in his victory remarks, affectionately called her the Arabic term “hayati,” meaning “my life.” He added, “There is no one I would rather have by my side in this moment, and in every moment.”
Public Profile and Social Media Presence
Duwaji has largely avoided the spotlight and maintained a modest public presence. Duwaji has kept a low public profile while stepping into a more visible role. She keeps a low profile on social media and mostly posts about art inspiration and her commissioned works. “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-both online and in person-happens organically,” she told Yung.
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Duwaji's Perspective on Art and its Purpose
citizen,” she told the publication. and Palestine and Syria as much as I can.” She told YUNG magazine, "I used to want my work to move everyone.
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