Rafael Espinal
Former Council Member, District 37 (Brooklyn)
Rafael Espinal is a Former Council Member, District 37 (Brooklyn).
- Served
- Council Member, District 37 (Brooklyn), 2014-2020
- After the Council
- Executive Director, Freelancers Union
- Pay there (FY2024 filing)
- $204,304
After the Council
Resigned the Council in January 2020 to lead the Freelancers Union and its parent entity Working Today. Working Today, which had received almost no council discretionary money before his arrival, began receiving Speaker allocations of $800,000 starting in FY2024. He left in February 2026 to become
- Freelancers Union Executive Director · March 2020 to February 2026 $204,304 (FY2024)
- Working Today (Freelancers Union parent entity) Executive Director · March 2020 to February 2026 $24,152 (FY2024)
Career before elected office
After Queens College he taught adult literacy and GED classes at a Brooklyn church program, then joined Council Member Erik Dilan's office as an aide and rose to chief of staff before winning a State Assembly special election in 2011. From public biographies and news coverage (see sources).
- Adult literacy and GED instructor St. Rita's Church adult literacy program, Brooklyn about 2006 to 2007
- Aide, later Chief of Staff Office of Council Member Erik Martin Dilan about 2008 to 2011