RICHMOND, Va. β Two people with RVA ties played prominent roles in New York City's mayoral inauguration Thursday as Zohran Mamdani was sworn in.
Mamdani, a democrat, campaigned on promises of addressing the cost of living and affordability. He is the city's first Muslim mayor, and the youngest in generations.
Mamdani's wife, Rama Duwaji, studied communication arts at VCU. She spent her first year at the art school's campus in Qatar before moving to Richmond to complete her studies. Duwaji is an accomplished artist whose illustrations have appeared in publications like the New York Times and the Washington Post.
Her husband was sworn in at a decommissioned subway station below City Hall just after midnight, placing his hand on a Quran held by Duwaji as he took his oath.
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus, who hails from Mechanicsville, performed at Mamdani's public inauguration ceremony later that day.
"wild way to start a year," Dacus wrote on X. "thank you @NYCMayor for asking me to sing ... congratulations on your new mayor, nyc"
wild way to start a year
— Lucy Dacus (@lucydacus) January 5, 2026
thank you @NYCMayor for asking me to sing
congratulations on your new mayor, nyc pic.twitter.com/DwyKzpi6ih
Dacus performed "Bread and Roses," a musical adaptation of a poem inspired by a political slogan that began during the women's suffrage and labor movements, declaring that people should have their basic necessities met while also being given dignity.
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The Associated Press contributed to the report.
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