R. E. Burke
Graphic Novelist
Based on a true story: The Welsh artist was denied entry into Washington state from Canada over visa issues during a backpacking trip in 2025. Despite having no criminal history, Burke was shackled and held at an ICE facility in Tacoma for 19 days and banned from the U.S. for 10 years—a traumatic experience that inspired her graphic memoir, Diary of a Detainee. In it, she details the harrowing conditions she faced and aims to turn readers’ attention to her fellow detainees.
Next up: Comics publisher Fantagraphics has acquired the rights to Diary of a Detainee and will release the graphic novel in 2027 as Visiting America: 19 Days in an I.C.E. Facility.
Rama Duwaji
Artist & First Lady of New York
Mayoral muse: Duwaji helped curate the visuals for her husband Zohran Mamdani’s winning campaign for New York City mayor in 2025. But the city’s first Gen Z and Muslim First Lady was a respected artist long before meeting Mamdani on Hinge in 2021. Her work, which focuses on Arab culture, has been published in The New York Times and The Washington Post, and she’s collaborated with Spotify and the Tate Modern in London.
Voicing her opinion: She’s not afraid to be outspoken about her pro-Palestinian views and has created art depicting Gaza, the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, and the Sudanese civil war.
Suzanne Saroff
Photographer & Director
Smell the roses: As a child, Suzanne Saroff would fall behind on hikes because she preferred to linger over bugs and flowers. That wanderlust has served her well: Her Instagram, @hisuzanne, is a showcase of sensual photographs and videos that subvert ordinary objects for her 168,000 followers.
Form and function: Saroff’s lush depictions of flowers, food, and people caught the attention of Gucci, which booked her for its “Art of Beauty” campaign. Sarnoff created whimsical dreamscapes that elevated the brand’s cosmetics from products to experiences. It’s a perfect union of two loves for the New York-based artist, who studied biology and art history in college.
