Who is Rama Duwaji?
Last updated
Rama Duwaji — the Syrian-American illustrator, animator, and ceramicist born in 1997 — became New York City's first lady in January 2026 when her husband, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, took office. She's the first Gen Z and first Muslim woman in the role.
Quick facts
- Full name
- Rama Sawaf Duwaji
- Born
- June 30, 1997, Houston, Texas (Syrian heritage)
- Profession
- Illustrator, animator, and ceramicist
- Education
- BFA, VCU School of the Arts (2019); MFA, School of Visual Arts (2024)
- Married
- Civil ceremony at NYC City Hall, February 2025
- Role
- First Lady of New York City since January 2026
Why people are searching for Rama Duwaji
Mamdani's 2025 mayoral win and January 2026 inauguration put her in the spotlight, and she's kept it as the city's first Gen Z and first Muslim first lady — one who's still working as an artist.
About Rama Duwaji
Rama Sawaf Duwaji's illustrations ran in The New York Times and The Washington Post before she ever set foot in Gracie Mansion. Born June 30, 1997, in Houston, Texas, to Syrian Muslim parents from Damascus — her father a software developer, her mother a pediatrician who did humanitarian work in conflict zones — she studied at Virginia Commonwealth University's School of the Arts, beginning at its Doha campus before transferring to Richmond, and graduated cum laude with a BFA in 2019. An MFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York followed in 2024.
Her illustration and animation work explores Arab culture and social justice themes in the Middle East, and she has collaborated with brands including Spotify and Apple. She also works in ceramics; since 2023, her art has addressed the war in Gaza and the civil war in Sudan.
She met Zohran Mamdani on the dating app Hinge in 2021, when he was a New York State Assembly member — a detail Mamdani later cited on the campaign trail as proof there is 'still hope' on dating apps. They got engaged in October 2024, held a private nikah ceremony in Dubai that December, married in a civil ceremony at New York City Hall in February 2025, and celebrated in Uganda in July 2025.
When Mamdani won the 2025 mayoral election and took office, Duwaji became first lady of New York City in January 2026; the couple moved into Gracie Mansion on January 12. She is the first member of Generation Z and the first Muslim woman to hold the role, and she has largely kept working as an artist while staying selective about public appearances — the couple notably skipped the 2026 Met Gala, per CBS New York.
Frequently asked questions
How did Zohran Mamdani and Rama Duwaji meet?
On the dating app Hinge, in 2021, while Mamdani was serving in the New York State Assembly.
When did Zohran Mamdani and Rama Duwaji get married?
The engagement came in October 2024, followed by a private nikah in Dubai that December and a legal civil ceremony at New York City Hall in February 2025.
What does Rama Duwaji do for a living?
She's an illustrator, animator, and ceramicist. Her work has run in The New York Times and The Washington Post, and she's collaborated with Spotify and Apple.
Is Rama Duwaji the first lady of New York City?
Yes — since January 2026, when Mamdani took office. She's the first Gen Z member and first Muslim woman in the role, and the couple moved into Gracie Mansion on January 12, 2026.
More trending people
- Who is Angela Murray?Angela Murray, the 52-year-old Utah real estate agent who became a Big Brother 26 breakout, is back — she entered Big Brother 28 as a surprise houseguest in the July 9, 2026 CBS premiere.
- Who is Rick Devens?Rick Devens — the 42-year-old Macon, Georgia news-anchor-turned-communications-director and Survivor fan favorite — joined Big Brother 28 as a surprise houseguest in the July 9, 2026 premiere.
- Who is Dee Valladares?Dee Valladares, the 29-year-old Miami entrepreneur who won Survivor 45, entered Big Brother 28 as the secret 17th houseguest — then won the season's first Head of Household and made reality TV history.
- Who is Jason De Puy?Jason De Puy — better known as Salina EsTitties from RuPaul's Drag Race season 15 and All Stars 11 — is competing out of drag as an original houseguest on Big Brother 28 (2026). The West Hollywood performer is 35.
- Who is Ashley Trail?Ashley Trail, a 24-year-old Chicago bartender who moonlights as a Barstool Sports weather correspondent, is one of the 14 new houseguests on Big Brother 28 (2026). She grew up in Alton, Illinois.
- Who is Barrett Pfeiffer?Barrett Pfeiffer, a 27-year-old jumbotron engineer from Austin, Texas, spent years covering Big Brother on the 'Our Reality' podcast. On July 9, 2026, the self-declared superfan finally walked into the Big Brother 28 house himself.