Rama Duwaji

Some Lesser Known Facts About Rama Duwaji

• Rama Duwaji often made art in 6th standard when she got bored with studies.

• She later decided to pursue her graduation in the arts as she had no other career choice.

  

• She moved to the USA from Dubai in 2021 after the first phase of COVID-19. 1

  

• She’s an animator and illustrator who has worked with Spotify, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, BBC, Apple, and the Tate Modern.

• She uses drawn portraiture and movement to “examine the nuances of sisterhood and communal experiences.” She also creates hand-built ceramics and teaches workshops.

  

• In 2022, her works appeared in the BBC World Service documentary “Who killed my grandfather” which investigated the assassination of a Yemeni politician in 1974.

• She first met her husband, Zohran Mamdani, on the dating app Hinge, and they dated for almost 2 years.

• After their marriage in a civil ceremony at the New York City Clerk’s Office, they also held a private niqqah in Dubai, where her family is based.

  

• Her husband was criticised by many people for hiding their marriage, after which he posted photos from their marriage on 12 May 2025.

• After winning the primary election, Mamdani brought her to the stage where he kissed her hand and said, “I must thank my incredible wife, Rama, thank you.”

  

• She also expressed pride and replied that she “couldn’t possibly be prouder” of his achievements.

  

• While she doesn’t necessarily try to portray her political views in her art, she is a believer in reflecting the current times through her art and has designed pro-Palestine artworks.

• She has exhibited at notable galleries like P21 Gallery (London) and SVA’s Chelsea Gallery (New York), and participated in artist residencies including Beirut’s Haven for Artists.

• She’s also taught workshops in collaboration with Tasmeem Design Biennial, It’s Nice That, and facilitated ceramic illustration classes

• She is influenced by Greta Thunberg for her work in climate change, mental health activist, Lauren Ash, co-founder of a page and podcast called Black Girl in Om, and Ashley Lukashevsky, an amazing illustrator and designer.

• Her first little graphic was Razor Burn, a semester-long project in an art class about mental health, physical health, and societal issues.