New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has named Rafael Espinal, executive director of the Freelancers Union and a former New York City Council member, as commissioner of the Mayor’s Office Of Media and Entertainment.
Espinal “will advance the Mamdani administration’s agenda to ensure New York City remains a place where artists and creatives can afford to live and work,” according to a statement from the mayor’s office. Espinal will report to Julie Su, deputy mayor of economic justice.
Espinal was on the City Council from 2014 to 2020, representing Bushwick, Brownsville, Cypress Hills and East New York. During that time, he led an effort to repeal the city’s “cabaret law,’ which, among other things, required establishments to obtain a permit for public dancing.
Before his council tenure, he served in the New York state assembly from 2011 to 2013. He resigned his council seat in 2020 to take the post at the Freelancers Union.
The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment handles everything from permitting and licensing to incentives. It includes the Film Office, NYC Media, Press Credential Office and Programs and Initiatives
In a statement, Mamdani said, “You cannot tell the story of New York City without the artists who have shaped it. Yet, the cost-of-living crisis is driving creatives out of our city. That is a loss we cannot afford. As Commissioner, Rafael Espinal will support our creatives and help ensure New York remains a place where every artist can call home. He has led this work nationally fighting for the rights and protections of independent workers — and he will bring that fight right here to New York City.”
Espinal said in a statement, “I look forward to supporting our creative industries, expanding opportunities, and ensuring that the city remains a home for artists.”
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