A ‘Syrian’ Artist: The Confusing Identity of Mamdani’s American-Born Wife

When Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor in June, all eyes turned not only to his progressive agenda but to the woman at his side. Her name is Rama Duwaji — a 28-year-old illustrator and animator who could soon become New York’s First Lady.Ms. Duwaji’s Instagram bio, seen by her 160,000 followers, reads that she is “from Damascus,” although a campaign representative has clarified that the artist is “ethnically Syrian, but Houston-born.”So, while Ms. Duwaji may soon occupy one of the most visible civic roles in America’s largest city, many are asking why she chooses to highlight her “foreign” heritage over her American birth.A public profile built on identity, not birthplaceIn media profiles, Ms. Duwaji is routinely described as an artist “from Damascus, Syria,” “Syrian-born,” or simply “Syrian,” though campaign officials and public records list her birthplace as Texas. A profile in Time more carefully noted that she was “born in Texas to a Syrian family.” Ms. Duwaji moved to Dubai around age nine, where she finished her schooling before returning to the United States.In a 2019 interview, she discussed her shifting sense of self: “I started making work about identity, what it means to be Syrian abroad and kind of just delved into these topics that meant a lot to me.”Her résumé reflects solid American credentials — a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University and an MFA from New York’s School of Visual Arts. Her Brooklyn-based career has landed her work in the New Yorker, the Washington Post, the BBC, and Apple. Yet despite those U.S. roots, her profiles and public persona lean heavily on the language of foreign identity: “Syrian,” “Damascus,” “Arab.”Why the emphasis on heritage over hometown?Gen Z writer and cultural commentator Kara Kennedy tells The New York Sun that for many young artists, that choice is deliberate. “Because ‘Damascus’ tells a better story,” she said. “It’s global and emotionally loaded in a way ‘Houston’ isn’t. It aims to be relatable to a voter base of her husband, while concealing the real truth.”According to Ms. Kennedy, the decision may also be about image. “A Damascus-born artist fits neatly into the progressive, global narrative that wins cultural points — even if it’s technically not true,” she tells the Sun.Ms. Duwaji’s own words suggest a distancing from her birthplace. She has said that moving “to the United States” in 2016, rather than moving “back,” made her feel “definitely not really American in the typical sense,” a sentiment that pushed her to embrace her Middle Eastern roots more strongly.According to public records, Ms. Duwaji registered as a Democrat in New York in 2022 but has no record of voting.From another perspective, her choice to put “Damascus” in her bio rather than “Houston” may be a form of branding — one that resonates in elite creative circles, where heritage and global narratives carry cachet. Her website says her illustrations “examine the nuances of sisterhood and communal experiences.”“Most Americans don’t mind multiculturalism, but they do mind ambiguity — particularly when it’s done for no reason,” Ms. Kennedy said. “When someone appears to minimize their American side, people start to wonder who they’re speaking for — and why.”A personal story with political consequencesIdentity, in modern politics, is more than background — it’s a statement. And when that identity belongs to the spouse of the man likely to become New York’s next mayor, the statement carries political weight.For Mr. Mamdani’s campaign, Ms. Duwaji’s global image fits neatly within a progressive narrative of diversity and activism. Yet to others, her selective presentation feels inconsistent — or even inauthentic — for someone who could soon represent the city on a national stage.“Every day in New York, people love to separate their identities and ethnicities,” the CEO of Manhattan-based firm AMW Public Relations, Adam Weiss, tells the Sun. “There’s a parade for every heritage you can think of — some you’ve never even heard of. That’s a big thing here, especially among people on the left. They like to identify with their cultural or ethnic roots rather than simply being ‘American.’”Mr. Weiss says that tendency has cultural and political undertones. “Being American, to them, stands for capitalism, freedom, exceptionalism — all the traditional values. So instead, they emphasize where their parents are from,” he continued. Still, the question remains whether the New York electorate will care. “I think the press will have a field day,” Mr. Weiss adds. “They’ll love covering Mamdani and his wife — she’s young, she’s an artist, she’s pretty. There’ll be glowing profiles, for sure.”Yet he also predicts that the media honeymoon won’t last forever. “It’s a different city now, a different America,” he added. “We’re about to elect someone who calls himself a socialist — someone who’s been openly anti-Israel, anti-police, even anti-capitalist. It’s unheard of that in the most capitalist city in the country, that’s who’s about to become mayor.”Ms. Duwaji and the Mamdani campaign did not respond to the Sun’s request for comments.

A ‘Syrian’ Artist: The Confusing Identity of Mamdani’s American-Born Wife

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