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Photo Courtesy of the Mayor\u2019s Press Office<\/p>\nImage Courtesy of MOME \/ Made in NY<\/p>\n
The Mamdani administration will ensure NYC remains a home for the artists who shaped it<\/p>\n
Espinal led the Freelancers Union, advancing the rights and protections of freelancers<\/p>\n
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the\u00a0appointment of Rafael Espinal as Commissioner of the New York City Mayor\u2019s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME). As Commissioner, Espinal will advance the Mamdani administration\u2019s agenda to ensure New York City remains a place where artists and creatives can afford to live and work. Espinal will report to Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su.<\/p>\n
Rafael Espinal is the current Executive Director of the Freelancers Union, where he has advanced the protections and rights of independent workers nationally. In 2019, there were 1.3 million freelancers \u2014 around 34% of the workforce \u2014 in New York City, many of whom work in the city\u2019s creative industries. As Commissioner, Espinal will work closely with Mayor Zohran Mamdani to ensure that the workers who make up this industry can live in the city they have been so essential to creating. Previously, Espinal served on the New York City Council, representing Bushwick, Brownsville, Cypress Hills, and East New York. As a Council Member, he championed the rights and protections of artists and small businesses.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou cannot tell the story of New York without the artists who have shaped it,\u201d said\u00a0Mayor Zohran Mamdani. \u201cYet, 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 city\u2019s artists and help ensure New York City remains a place that 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of our top priorities is to make sure all of government works together and with the intention to grow industries that make this city vibrant, that reflect its beauty and creativity, and that bring good union jobs to New York City. MOME must lead in this space,\u201d said\u00a0Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m honored to join Mayor Mamdani\u2019s administration and lead the Mayor\u2019s Office of Media and Entertainment. New York City\u2019s artists, creatives, and freelancers have made New York City into what it is today \u2014 if we want to keep our city\u2019s culture, it is critical that they can afford to live and work here. I look forward to supporting our creative industries, expanding opportunities, and ensuring that the city remains a home for artists,\u201d said\u00a0Rafael Espinal, Commissioner of the Mayor\u2019s Office of Media and Entertainment.<\/p>\n
Photo Courtesy of the Mayor\u2019s Press Office<\/p>\n
The Mayor\u2019s Office of Media and Entertainment supports New York City\u2019s creative economy through its Film Office, NYC Media, Press Credential Office, and Programs and Initiatives divisions. Together, these offices handle permitting and licensing, workforce development, incentives for creative projects, and oversight of the City\u2019s public media outlets. In 2017, more than 293,000 people were employed in New York City\u2019s creative economy, generating billions in economic activity. MOME will continue advancing work that keeps creative jobs in New York City, powers tourism, and ensures the people who do this work can afford to live here.<\/p>\n
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