As New York City celebrates its newest mayor, another figure has quietly drawn public fascination — his artist wife, whose quiet creativity and guarded privacy have now become part of the city’s biggest story.
Against all odds and expectations, 34-year-old democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani has emerged as the Big Apple’s next mayor — a result that has rewritten the city’s political script and caught even seasoned observers off guard.
Zohran Mamdani attends a campaign event in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on November 1, 2025. | Source: Getty Images
As the celebration around his victory settled, another story began quietly unfolding — that of his wife, Brooklyn artist Rama Duwaji, whose gentle expressions had suddenly met the glare of the metropolis’s spotlight.
Once a freelance illustrator navigating post-college life, Duwaji met Mamdani in 2021 on the dating app Hinge — a modern fairytale beginning that blossomed into a whirlwind romance. They tied the knot at the City Clerk’s office in early 2025.
A Private Muse in the Public Eye
In a profoundly personal Instagram post on May 12, 2025, Mamdani poured his heart out:
“Three months ago, I married the love of my life, Rama, at the City Clerk’s office. Now, right-wing trolls are trying to make this race — which should be about you — about her. Rama isn’t just my wife, she’s an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms.”
Despite becoming a subject of widespread fascination since Mamdani’s campaign took off, Duwaji has been noticeably absent from the limelight. According to The New York Times, she declined all press after the primary election, sharing that the sudden flood of attention was overwhelming.
To her close circle, however, Duwaji is already a beloved icon. Photographer Hasnain Bhatti, 32, didn’t mince words, saying, “She’s our modern day Princess Diana.”
Rama Duwaji is at a polling station in Astoria, Queens, on Election Day in New York City on November 4, 2025. | Source: Getty Images
Her Syrian Roots, Her Art, Her Voice
Born in the United States, Duwaji has frequently discussed the complexity of her Syrian American identity. On a podcast, she revealed, “I was born in the States and lived here till I was nine.” She added that before the war in Syria, she would sometimes deny that part of herself, telling people she was only American.
Professionally, Duwaji has carved a name for herself as a Syrian illustrator and animator whose work digs into themes of sisterhood and community. Working from her Brooklyn studio, she has built an impressive portfolio that spans The New Yorker, The Washington Post, BBC, Apple, Spotify, VICE, and Tate Modern.
One of Rama Duwaji’s art, as seen from a post dated June 12, 2025. | Source: Instagram/ramaduwaji
She has also lent her expertise to the next generation of creators, teaching illustration and animation workshops with It’s Nice That, a London-based digital media platform and creative publisher, in 2021. Although most of her work is digital, Duwaji also handcrafts ceramic pieces — a physical outlet for her artistic vision, blending pottery with her love for illustration.
In 2024, Duwaji earned her MFA in Illustration as a Visual Essay from the School of Visual Arts, where her thesis project, “Sahtain!” — Arabic for “bon appétit” — transformed the act of cooking together into a vivid meditation on memory, belonging, and joy.
Riccardo Vecchio, chair of her graduate program, offered high praise for her dedication. “Very focused on her work,” he said, noting her commitment to exploring perspectives underrepresented in Western art.
His Ugandan Roots, His Politics, His Vision
Standing beside her is an equally remarkable figure — Mamdani himself. Before stepping into City Hall, he served the 36th Assembly District — home to Astoria, Ditmars-Steinway, and Astoria Heights. Born in Kampala, Uganda, he immigrated to New York City at age seven and later became a U.S. citizen in 2018.
A graduate of the Bronx High School of Science and Bowdoin College, where he earned a degree in Africana Studies, Mamdani’s life took a decisive turn when he worked as a foreclosure prevention housing counselor, helping low-income families in Queens. That experience, he said, opened his eyes to systemic inequality — and launched his political career.
Since entering public service, Mamdani has pushed a radical message: that the market should not determine dignity. His rise has also been historic — the first South Asian man, the first Ugandan, and only the third Muslim ever elected to New York State’s Assembly.
Zohran Mamdani celebrates alongside his wife Rama Duwaji, his parents Mahmood and Mira Nair during an election night event at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater in New York on November 4, 2025. | Source: Getty Images
‘Rama Is Giving First Lady!!!’: Social Media Erupts
But as Mamdani accepted his victory, the internet’s gaze swung toward his wife — with admiration and infatuation colliding across platforms. On X, one fan posted, “Congrats to Zohran Mamdani on beating Andrew Cuomo. Rama is easily the most stunning First Lady in NYC’s history.”
Zohran Mamdani holds hands with his wife Rama Duwaji after they voted in the Queens borough of New York City on November 4, 2025. | Source: Getty Images
Another wrote, “mamdanis wife rama duwaji is so beautiful it really goes to show how being a kindhearted and friendly man will get you a beautiful and artistic wife [sic].” A third post echoed the sentiment, “Will Rama Duwaji become the most stunning First Lady in American history? Maybe.”
Zohran Mamdani and Rama Duwaji. | Source: Getty Images
Reddit wasn’t far behind. One commenter gushed, “That face card is lethal. She’s stunning,” while another declared, “She is [sic] real stunner!” Over on TikTok, the praise was even more poetic. “Wow, she give [sic] me such Princess Diana vibes. Her eyes are so expressive 💕,” one viewer wrote. Another added, “Rama is giving first lady!!! So poised! ✨♥.”
Whether she chooses to step forward into the public sphere or remain behind the scenes, Duwaji is already shaping a reimagined image of what a First Lady can be — one who embodies art, empathy, and quiet power.
Ellen Greenberg’s Death Case Gets Final Ruling 14 Years Later
What began as a snowstorm tragedy in 2011 has ended, 14 years later, with a ruling that many hoped would bring clarity. Instead, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s final decision in Ellen Greenberg’s case has deepened a family’s grief and renewed public debate.
In an official ruling that has left her family reeling, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office has concluded that Ellen Greenberg — the 27-year-old teacher found stabbed 20 times in her Philadelphia apartment — died by suicide, closing a 14-year chapter of grief and unanswered questions.
The announcement came mere days before a scheduled hearing on Tuesday, October 14, before Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Linda Carpenter, who has already expressed displeasure over the prolonged and torturous reexamination of the case.
On January 26, 2011, as a blizzard engulfed the city, Ellen was discovered dead inside her locked Philadelphia apartment by her fiancé, Sam Goldberg.
An autopsy revealed that she had been stabbed 20 times in the neck, back, head, and heart, and had 11 bruises on her body in various stages of healing. A knife was found in her chest. At the time, Dr. Marlon Osbourne, then the assistant medical examiner, declared the death a homicide.
Ellen’s Parents Never Stopped Fighting
But while the official narrative wavered, Sandee and Josh Greenberg — Ellen’s devastated parents — never gave up.
In search of truth and accountability, they hired an array of renowned experts, including forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht, who adamantly stated Ellen’s wounds were not self-inflicted, and forensic neuropathologist Dr. Wayne Ross, who claimed there was evidence of strangulation and that the death appeared staged.
Ellen’s parents collected over 167,000 signatures urging the city to reopen the case and filed two lawsuits, alleging that the original investigation had been mishandled and possibly covered up.
Medical Examiner Reverses Course
But on October 10, 2025, the new 32-page review by Philadelphia Chief Medical Examiner Lindsay Simon, obtained by People magazine, issued a stunning reversal: Ellen’s death would be officially classified as a suicide.
Lindsay explained that her office had been tasked with an independent reexamination of all evidence tied to Ellen’s death. That included prior assessments by Cyril, Wayne, and private investigator Thomas Brennan, whom Ellen’s parents hired.
Although the Chief ME conceded that the pattern of injuries was highly unusual, she asserted that the evidence showed Ellen could have inflicted them herself and pointed to her anxiety as a likely contributing factor.
Her report also noted there were no traces of Sam’s DNA on the knife, no signs of abuse, and no evidence of a struggle in the apartment. These findings led Lindsay to conclude that the death was most consistent with suicide.
Family and Legal Team Challenge Findings
But for Sandee, Josh, and their legal team, the conclusion was not only unacceptable — it was an outrage. Their attorney, William Trask, released a statement to 6abc Action News, calling the report “a deeply flawed attempt to justify a predetermined conclusion.”
He added that the review contained “false claims — like the assertion that a stab wound in Ellen’s spinal column was made during autopsy, a theory rejected by every credible expert, including the City’s own neuropathologist.“
William further stated that the review ignored vital evidence that contradicted the suicide theory — including forensic recreations, unexplained injuries, and even missing surveillance footage.
Calling the report misleading and unfair to Ellen’s memory, William made it clear the family has no intention of backing down, vowing to pursue other legal and investigative channels in their continued fight for the truth.
Spotlighted in a Docuseries
The case has also drawn national attention, most notably through the docuseries “Death in Apartment 603: What Happened to Ellen Greenberg?” It lays bare the conflicting expert opinions and the family’s steadfast belief that their daughter was murdered.
As Ellen’s parents continue their legal fight, others connected to the deceased teacher have quietly moved forward.
Fiancé Moves On, but Tension Remains
Meanwhile, Sam, the man who found Ellen’s body, has moved on with his life, according to Sandee. He is now married with children. In the docuseries, she added that:
“There is absolutely no contact or connection with him. I don’t think about him, and I feel that we have a God that I believe in, and we have a justice system that isn’t exactly perfect, but that’s not for me to reckon with.”
Television producer Joel Hahn, who works with Sam, described him as pleasant but acknowledged that Ellen’s death cast a long shadow, creating tension and discomfort in the workplace. Joel also said that many were unsure how to interact with Sam afterward.
