Meet Rama Duwaji, New York's next first lady? The artist has worked with Cartier, Apple and Spotify, and met her husband Zohran Mamdani on Hinge – but she's stayed out of the limelight
Andrew Cuomo conceded the race in a stunning upset. The young, progressive upstart had built a substantial lead over the more experienced but scandal-scarred former governor.
Rama Duwaji and Zohran Mamdani got married in New York earlier this year. Photo: @zohrankmamdani/Instagram
Though the race's ultimate outcome will still be decided by a ranked choice count, Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist who was virtually unknown outside political circles a year ago, was in a commanding position. In a speech to supporters, Mamdani said, 'Tonight, we made history. I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City.'
Advertisement
Rama Duwaji is an illustrator and animator. Photo: @ramaduwaji/Instagram
So who is Zohran Mamdani's wife, Rama Duwaji? Here's everything you need to know.
She's an artist
Rama Duwaji graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University and New York's School of Visual Arts. Photo: @ramaduwaji/Instagram
Duwaji graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in communication design. She also has a master's degree in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
Duwaji uses portraits and movement in her art to examine 'the nuances of sisterhood and communal experiences', according to her website. She has worked with notable clients including The New Yorker, The Washington Post, BBC, Apple, Spotify, Vice and the Tate Modern. She has also created designs for brands like Cartier. Illustration aside, Duwaji also dabbles in pottery and ceramics.
She met Zohran Mamdani on Hinge
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
4 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
With F1: The Movie on track for success, what's next for Apple's film business?
The US$145 million global opening of Apple's F1 The Movie came as a relief, both for the iPhone maker itself and cinema operators in the United States hoping for an original hit during this sequel-dominated summer of blockbusters. The expensive action sports drama , starring Brad Pitt, directed by Joseph Kosinski ( Top Gun: Maverick ) and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, was a high-stakes gamble by the California-based tech giant, which until now has enjoyed little success at cinemas. The film did better than expected in the US and Canada, generating US$57 million in ticket sales in its opening weekend, according to studio estimates. Analysts were projecting US$40 million to US$50 million, based on pre-release tracking. Warner Bros. Pictures, which is on a much-needed hot streak, distributed F1 in partnership with Apple. A still from F1: The Movie. Photo: Dawn Apollo Films Because the movie cost at least US$200 million to make after tax breaks and before marketing costs, the picture is still far from profitable.
South China Morning Post
6 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Meet SNL cast member Ego Nwodim, who accidentally got the audience to curse: the comedian just made a stylish appearance at Marc Jacobs' autumn 2025 show, and footballer Eberechi Eze is her cousin
Ego Nwodim, the 37-year-old Saturday Night Live star known for her sharp wit and vibrant comedic presence, recently made a stylish appearance at the Marc Jacobs autumn 2025 fashion show in New York City. She wore a puffy double-breasted jacket and a sculptural checkered skirt, paired with a purple handbag and black pumps with a comically elongated rectangular-toe, embodying the designer's playful and exaggerated aesthetic. Actress-comedian Ego Nwodim arrives at the Marc Jacobs fashion show at New York Public Library on June 30, in New York City. Photo: GC Images Advertisement The Nigerian-American comedian made headlines earlier this year for accidentally causing audience members to swear during a call-and-response session while playing her comedy character Miss Eggy on the Weekend Update segment of SNL in April. The incident sparked rumours of a potential review by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), but ultimately, no penalties were imposed. 'I don't believe we got fined,' she told Gold Derby in May. 'I asked Lorne [Michaels , the creator and showrunner] a couple of weeks ago and I was like, 'Did anything happen? Did we get fined?' And he was like, 'I don't think so.' And so, because he was semi-confident, I, too, am semi-confident that we didn't get fined.' She added jokingly: 'The money didn't come out of my bank account, so that's why I haven't confirmed.' Ego Nwodim during her Miss Eggy sketch, which landed her in hot water. Photo: @eggyboom/Instagram Nwodim's career took off in 2018 when she made her debut on the 44th season of SNL. To date, she has appeared on seven seasons of SNL and was promoted from featured player to repertory status by 2020. Here is everything you need to know about the actress-comedian. Ego Nwodim plays several beloved characters on SNL Nwodim is known for her comedic range. 'Lisa from Temecula' is one of her most popular characters. Lisa is a blunt, assertive, and somewhat 'off-the-wall' lawyer whose signature trait is ordering her steak 'extra well done' and vigorously shaking the table to cut it.
South China Morning Post
6 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Meet Jo Yu-ri, who plays Player 222 in Netflix's Squid Game: the 23-year-old K-pop singer is a former member of Iz*One, and rose to fame after starring in the survival show, Produce 48
Squid Game's third and final season was met with mixed reviews – but there was one scene in particular that received a lot of backlash. In the Netflix show's second episode, audiences watch Kim Jun-hee, aka Player 222 (played by 23-year-old Jo Yu-ri, also known as Yuri), giving birth in the middle of the game. Many viewers found the scene both unnecessary and unrealistic. 'How actually ridiculous is Squid Game? Like, who can give birth to a whole child in five minutes? (Not a metaphor – her water broke in the middle of a life-or-death game and she literally popped the baby out, just like that),' wrote one user on X. Despite the criticism, Yuri's emotional performance throughout the episodes highlight her promising career as an actress. Advertisement Park Sung-hoon, Kang Ae-shim, Yim Si-wan, Jo Yu-ri, Lee Byung-hun, Hwang Dong-hyuk and Lee Jung-jae attend Netflix's Squid Game Experience at Manhattan Mall on June 17, in New York City. Here is what to know about the Squid Game star – beyond her acting chops. Jo Yu-ri is also a K-pop artist Jo Yu-ri and the Iz*One members in April 2021. Photo: @official_izone/Instagram Some might recognise this rising actress from her earlier career as a member of the K-pop girl group Iz*One . She was the main vocalist of the now-disbanded group, which included other famous names like Ive's Jang Wonyoung, often referred to as the 'It' girl of K-pop's fourth generation, and Le Sserafim's Kim Chaewon. Jo Yu-ri is set to release her mini-album Episode 25 on July 14. Photo: @zo__glasss/Instagram The singer made her solo debut in 2021, shortly after Iz*One disbanded. She recently announced on Instagram that her third mini-album Episode 25 will be released on July 14, with the title track 'Farewell for Now!' She's a multi-talented musician
