Zohran Mamdani emerged victorious in the recent New York City Mayoral election, securing over a million votes. At 34 years old, he becomes the youngest mayor in the city’s history and the first Muslim and South Asian to hold the position.
Set to assume office in January, Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, is a talented illustrator who is poised to become the city’s inaugural Gen Z First Lady at just 28 years old. Raised in Dubai and of Syrian-American heritage, she joined her husband on stage at Brooklyn’s Paramount Theatre following his win, exuding elegance in a black lace dress, drawing comparisons to the iconic Audrey Hepburn.
The couple’s love story began on the dating app Hinge in 2021, leading to their engagement in October 2024 and a Nikkah ceremony in Dubai in December of the same year, followed by a civil ceremony at Lower Manhattan’s City Hall in February.
Mamdani, the son of renowned filmmaker Mira Nair and Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani, proposed policies during his campaign such as free public transportation, rent freezes, a reduction in law enforcement presence, and increased taxes for the affluent and large corporations. In a bold statement to his supporters in Brooklyn, Mamdani declared, “I am Muslim. I am a democratic socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologize for any of this.”
Directing his words to former President Donald Trump, Mamdani challenged him to “turn the volume up,” asserting that New York City could lead the way in resisting Trump’s influence. The crowd enthusiastically cheered Mamdani’s impassioned speech as they celebrated his groundbreaking victory.
The couple is expected to relocate to Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the Mayor, in the upcoming year. This historic building, dating back to 1799, stands as one of the oldest surviving wooden structures in Manhattan.
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