Zohran Mamdani’s inauguration as New York’s mayor drew widespread attention, but just as much curiosity centered on his wife, Rama Duwaji, the enigmatic woman married to the city’s coolest new politician.
Now, one may have noticed that Duwaji’s demeanor, especially her dressing and fashion, also whipped up quite a bit of chatter, considering that she chose to loan her outfit for the inaugural day as well as for the swearing-in ceremony.
For a fact, her expensive $630 chunky thrifted boots did spark up whispered conversations within even the elite fashion circle. Surprisingly, beyond the political fame that she’s automatically been bestowed with, Rama prefers to be recognized otherwise.
The 28-year-old is a talented animator, illustrator and ceramist, all of which have added quite a few hyphens besides her name. That’s exactly why she’s still having a difficult time dealing with the new labels that have come her way.
Speaking with The Cut in December 2025, Rama Duwaji echoed similar feelings and ended up calling herself a ‘forever girlfriend’ to New York’s first Muslim, Asian-American mayor. In her words, “I never necessarily dreamed or had a very idealistic scenario of what marriage would be. Even the word wife feels very intense. I just feel like a forever girlfriend.”
Let’s keep checking though….. that he does keep it.
Repost @NYJewishWeek
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife Rama Duwaji have officially moved from their one-bedroom in Astoria to Gracie Mansion on the Upper East Side, the ultra-wealthy neighborhood that largely opposed him in… pic.twitter.com/DOy6fT5u2E
— TheJewishAlly (@TheJewishAlly) January 14, 2026
Well, for someone who finds it difficult to digest being called a politician’s wife, Rama Duwaji is equally alienated to being dished as the ‘First Lady of New York’. She claimed it was too official for someone like her.
Obviously, Duwaji feels there is no hard and fast rule that brackets a political spouse, and so she would always choose to do whatever she wanted to. She added, “I think there are different ways to be First Lady, especially in New York.”
Rama Duwaji is clear about her non-conformed approach to redefining the role of a political spouse. She isn’t here to overrule her own talents. But it did not refrain her from being actively involved and present in her husband’s big day as well as his entire mayoral campaign.
Albeit, it all unfolded behind the scenes, her social media post did justice against the naysayers, where she happily revealed being a part of everything. While she did put her work on the back burner until Mamdani’s big win, Duwaji promised to return soon enough and with more power.
Speaking about her expertise as an artist, Duwaji always proclaimed art to be a medium that expresses so much more than just on paper. Her artwork has evidently helped bring up impactful stories to life, and also used to explore ideas of nostalgia, identity and even defy conventional beauty standards.
Enough time has passed for me to come here and declare I have a massive crush on Rama Duwaji
New Yorkers your First Lady is wow
— Cherry the Freakoshi 🍒 (@cherrytalksmuch) January 14, 2026
In interviews, Duwaji discussed art as a potent tool for activism, equating its power to political work because it responds directly to the world.
Speaking with Yung Magazine, she had said, “I believe everyone has a responsibility to speak out against injustice, and art has such an ability to spread it. I don’t think everybody has to make political work, but art is inherently political in how it’s made, funded, and shared. Even creating art as a refuge from the horrors we see is political to me. It’s a reaction to the world around us.”
All in all, in spite of the constant political gaze and scrutiny over her every little move, Rama Duwaji is walking in ease, managing multiple labels and thriving within her own world.
