To remain grounded, Duwaji leans on the artistic community that sustained her long before the cameras arrived. She prioritizes feedback from peers over the amorphous metrics of social media, pairing humor with self-awareness to navigate a surreal new reality. While she occupies a highly visible role, she is not—and has no desire to be—a politician. Instead, she treats visibility as a tool: a way to amplify marginalized voices within New York’s cultural ecosystem.
At the core of her identity remains her art. Illustration, animation, and ceramic work continue to anchor her life, providing both focus and resilience. Her current projects explore themes of community, identity, and urban experience, while the tactile, meditative practice of ceramics serves as a counterpoint to the rapid-fire, high-stakes world of political headlines.
As the city settles into a new administration, Duwaji’s focus is clear: she is not merely “supporting” a mayor. She is defining what it means to be an independent, creative woman in a traditional, public-facing role. By setting boundaries and protecting her studio practice, she ensures that her voice remains her own. Her approach demonstrates that visibility does not require self-erasure; one can occupy the center of a public storm while remaining fully, unapologetically oneself.
Her early legacy is one of quiet resistance against the “spouse” trope. By prioritizing her creative work, Duwaji sends a powerful message: a partner’s career does not diminish your own. Looking forward, her goals center on safeguarding creative freedom—not just for herself, but for the broader ecosystem of New York artists she now represents. While her name may be linked to the Mayor’s, her vision remains distinctly her own, shaped by years of discipline and a refusal to compromise her individuality.