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Zohran Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, got married in early 2025

Mamdani and Duwaji met on Hinge

After winning the 2025 New York City mayoral election, Mamdani gave his wife a shout-out, saying there was "no one" he would rather have by his side in that moment

Just a few months before being winning the 2025 New York City mayoral election, Zohran Mamdani married his wife, Rama Duwaji.

The Democratic socialist and Duwaji have been together since at least April 2022. Although Mamdani has thrust himself into the spotlight running in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, he has kept the details of his romance fairly private.

However, in May 2025, amid the election, Mamdani shared a lengthy and rare message dedicated to his wife on Instagram.

"Three months ago, I married the love of my life, Rama, at the City Clerk’s office," he wrote. "Rama isn’t just my wife, she’s an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms."

After defeating former N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and being declared the winner of the mayoral race on Nov. 4, Mamdani gave his wife another shout-out while delivering his acceptance speech.

"And to my incredible wife, Rama, hayati,” he said, using the Arabic word for "my life,' " per The New York Times. "There is no one I would rather have by my side in this moment, and in every moment."

So, who is Zohran Mamdani's wife? Here's everything to know about Rama Duwaji and her relationship with the newly elected N.Y.C. mayor.

Duwaji notes in her Instagram bio that she is from Damascus, Syria. However, according to The New York Times, a campaign spokesperson said that Duwaji is ethnically Syrian but was born in Texas.

According to her L'AiR Arts bio, she graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BFA in communication design.

As Duwaji shared in a June 2022 conversation with Yung Mea, she spent the pandemic living with her family in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, though she had a desire to move to New York, which she did around 2021.

Per her artist bio, she is now based in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Duwaji works as an illustrator and animator, per her Instagram bio.

In an April 2025 conversation with Yung Mea, Duwaji opened up about her work goals, saying, "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. I make my work for people who care about the things I care about."

She continued, "If it happens to engage someone or loop them into a conversation about politics or community they might not have thought of being a part of, it is an added bonus instead of the actual goal of making art."

In May 2025, she shared on Instagram that one of her illustrations was featured in an article in The New Yorker. Per her artist bio, her list of clients also includes The Washington Post, BBC, Apple, Spotify, VICE and the Tate Modern.

Outside of the digital art space, she also spends time creating hand-built ceramics, per her artist bio.

During a June 17 appearance on The Bulwark podcast, Mamdani revealed that he met Duwaji on Hinge, adding that there "is still hope in those dating apps."

Although they haven't revealed when they met, Mamdani posted an Instagram photo taken by Duwaji in April 2022.

Mamdani and Duwaji appeared to get engaged in October 2024, when he shared an Instagram photo of her and used both a ring emoji and the hashtag "hardlaunch" in the caption.

He captioned the post, "Light of my life. 💍," bringing in a flood of celebratory messages that seemed to congratulate him on his engagement.

As Mamdani shared on Instagram and in an April 2025 conversation with Interview Magazine, he tied the knot with Duwaji in a civil ceremony at the City Clerk's office in early 2025.

Mamdani opened up about why he "loved that building," saying, "The outside is just so beautiful and reminiscent of a different New York City, and the inside is in many ways public goods personified."

He continued, "All of these New Yorkers getting married at the same time at different ages and at different times in their lives, it’s very beautiful."

That May, one day after he shared some snapshots from the special day on Instagram, his wedding photos were on full display again.

Photographer Kara McCurdy shared a few glimpses from the photoshoot on her Instagram, writing, "A few years ago, Zohran and I went for a run to catch up after spending a few weeks apart. About a mile in, Zohran told me 'I think I’m gonna marry this woman,' and I knew he really meant it."

Mamdani's campaign team confirmed to the New York Post that the pair also hosted a larger celebration in December 2024.

“Before their civil ceremony in New York City, Zohran and his wife celebrated their engagement in Dubai last year — where her family lives — with a small, joyful ceremony surrounded by their loved ones,” the Mamdani campaign said in a statement to the outlet.

On June 24, after Cuomo conceded in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary election, Mamdani's wife was by his side as he made a victory speech.

After Mamdani made a victory speech to a crowd of supporters, he kissed his wife's hand as she joined him at the podium.

In a separate celebratory speech that evening, the pair shared another sweet moment at the podium in which Mamdani kissed her on the cheek.

That day, Duwaji shared a sweet photobooth strip of her and Mamdani on Instagram, writing, "couldn’t possibly be prouder."

The pair cast their ballots together on election day that November. Duwaji has yet to speak on Mamdani's victory in the 2025 mayoral race, though she joined her husband onstage after he was declared winner.