New York City has a new mayor-elect, and with him comes a new first lady for the city that never sleeps.
On Tuesday, voters elected Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, as the next mayor, according to network projections. He appeared in Queens earlier in the day to vote alongside his wife, Rama Duwaji.
Why It Matters
Unlike the first lady of the United States, the New York City mayor’s spouse does not typically play an active role in city leadership. However, they often come under public scrutiny in the run-up to the election. For Mamdani, his newcomer status — as well as his Muslim faith — has meant extra attention has been paid to his marriage.
What We Know About Rama Duwaji
Duwaji, 28, is a Syrian-American illustrator and animator based in Brooklyn. Her Instagram page shows her artwork and things that inspire her in New York City and around the world but little personal information.
Born in Houston, Texas, Duwaji moved to Dubai when she was 9 years old, according to CNN. She attended college at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar before moving back to the United States to complete her degrees in Richmond and then New York…