Mamdani Appoints Former State Assemblyman to Head NY Office for Media & Entertainment

Espinal said he would prioritize partnering with unions and the industry to expand good-paying union jobs.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (R) and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani attend a news conference at the headquarters of the NYPD in New York on Jan. 6, 2026. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

NEW YORK CITY—Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that one-time aspiring filmmaker Rafael Espinal will head the Mayor’s Office for Media & Entertainment (MOME). Espinal, 41, is a former member of the New York City Council and former state assemblyman for the 54th State Assembly district

“MOME does incredible, often unseen work,” Mamdani said at the Jan.12 announcement.