India, Dec. 24 -- Syrian-American artist Rama Duwaji, who is set to become New York City's next first lady, has spoken candidly about the challenges of sudden public attention following her husband Zohran Mamdani's political rise and how she intends to move through public life without sacrificing her personal identity.

In a recent interview published by the New York Magazine, the 28-year-old illustrator expressed frustration over being broadly termed as "Zohran Mamdani's wife" rather than being recognised for her own work. As she is getting ready to step into her new role after Mamdani's inauguration on January 1, Duwaji made it clear that she does not intend to step away from her career.

"I'm definitely not stopping that. Come January,...