Rama Duwaji, the spouse of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, is in damage control mode following a revelation about past social media posts that featured slurs and admiration for individuals linked to Palestinian terrorist organizations.
In her first public response since her husband assumed office, Duwaji spoke to Hyperallergic about her experiences and emotions tied to the controversy. She admitted to feeling “a lot of shame” when reflecting on her teenage writings.
“When a tabloid recently published old tweets I wrote as a teenager, I felt a lot of shame being confronted with language I used that is so harmful to others; being 15 doesn’t excuse it,” she stated.
Controversial Posts Revealed
The uproar began with a March report from the Washington Free Beacon, connecting Duwaji to an old X account and Tumblr posts. The report detailed how the account celebrated U.S.-designated terrorist groups and included offensive language.
One post notably praised Shadia Abu Ghazaleh, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, calling her a “resistance fighter.” Ghazaleh, considered a martyr by pro-Palestinian activists, died during a bombing incident in 1968.
The Beacon’s findings also included instances where Duwaji reportedly used racial slurs and disparaging terms for the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, there was a claim that Tel Aviv “shouldn’t even exist in the first place.”
Apologies and Reflections
<pIn her conversation with Hyperallergic, Duwaji expressed her understanding of the backlash, admitting, "I’ve read and seen a lot of what others have had to say in response, and I understand the hurt I caused and am truly sorry."
She emphasized that her priority lies not in the public eye but in her commitment to work with care and let her artistic endeavors speak for themselves.
The X account linked to Duwaji was taken down shortly after the Free Beacon report. This marks her first public acknowledgment of those problematic posts.
The timing of this controversy coincides with criticisms directed at Duwaji regarding her activism as an artist. Throughout her husband’s political journey, she has been vocal about her stance on Israel, facing additional scrutiny for her contributions to an essay that praised the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Response from Mayor Mamdani
Mamdani has publicly condemned the rhetoric of the author behind that essay, clarifying that Duwaji’s illustration work was done through an independent commission. “I think that that rhetoric is patently unacceptable. I think it’s reprehensible,” he commented in March. “My wife was commissioned to illustrate an excerpt of a book by a third party. She has never engaged with or met with the author, nor had she seen the tweets that you’re referring to.”
Fox News Digital sought comments from a representative for Mamdani but did not receive an immediate response.
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