Zohran Mamdani and Rama Duwaji’s love story began not on a campaign trail but on Hinge in 2021. Their first date at a Yemeni café in Brooklyn and a walk through McCarren Park soon led to a partnership “rooted in love and purpose.”

By October 2024, they were engaged, with Rama writing she “couldn’t be prouder.” Their engagement and nikah took place in Dubai under “sunset skies and white roses.” Two months later, they quietly married at New York’s City Clerk’s Office. A viral subway photo showed Rama in a white dress and boots, bouquet in hand—a moment that captured New York’s heart.

When online critics attacked her, Mamdani defended her as “an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms.”

Born in Houston and raised in Dubai, Rama became a noted illustrator whose work explores “identity, womanhood, and displacement.” She also designed her husband’s campaign visuals—bold, colorful, and uniquely New York.

Now, as the city’s First Lady and the first Gen Z to hold the role, Rama Duwaji brings authenticity and artistry to City Hall. Their story—from coffee in Brooklyn to Gracie Mansion—remains one of creativity, conviction, and shared purpose.