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.

“I was struck by Rafael’s passion for this specific work and the importance that it holds for New Yorkers across the five boroughs.”

The Office for Media & Entertainment exists to support the arts and media industry in New York, including TV, film, publishing, performing arts, advertising, and news media.

At the same time, the office offers training for New Yorkers to help them prepare to work in the film and TV industry. In New York, media and entertainment provide 305,000 jobs and an economic output of $104 billion.

“I will work to keep New York the capital of creative work in the world,” said Espinal, who started making short films when he was just 13 years old.

“Growing up on the edges of our city, I didn’t see a clear pipeline to a real career in the creative industries. And I heard the same message too often: ‘You need a plan B if you want to afford to live in this city.’”

Espinal said his career path led away from creative work. According to Espinal, he has looked back on his life and asked himself, “What would my life look like if I had believed early on that my passion could be my profession?”

“That passion and energy is part of what I am bringing into this role,” said Espinal.

He said he hopes to expand training opportunities for those aspiring to enter the creative fields, enabling artists to earn a living wage in the city.

MOME “has a critical role to play in delivering an affordability agenda for creatives. And I’m ready to get to work,” said Espinal.

Espinal said he would prioritize partnering with unions and the industry to expand good-paying union jobs. He said he wants to “strengthen the ecosystem that makes this city the global standard.”

Espinal said he hopes to expand training and opportunities so that the next generation can have an easier path to jobs in film and media.

City Council Speaker Julie Menin joined Mamdani in Brooklyn for the announcement. She previously served as commissioner for the office under Mayor Bill de Blasio. Menin highlighted that New York supports more jobs in media and entertainment than in the financial sector.