Skip to content
Bushwick Daily

News

Plastic Straws, Bushwick Zoning and a Path into Politics: A Conversation with City Councilman Rafael

Before Espinal started thinking big about ways New York could be a leader in progressive politics. He was just the middle child of six, growing up in Cypress Hills, “off the J-train.”

Plastic Straws, Bushwick Zoning and a Path into Politics: A Conversation with City Councilman Rafael

Plastic Straws, Bushwick Zoning and a Path into Politics: A Conversation with City Councilman Rafael

Before Espinal started thinking big about ways New York could be a leader in progressive politics. He was just the middle child of six, growing up in Cypress Hills, “off the J-train.”

Plastic Straws, Bushwick Zoning and a Path into Politics: A Conversation with City Councilman Rafael

On a recent sunny morning in late May, Rafael Espinal took his cold brew coffee with a splash of milk, as he always does, in the neighborhood he represents in Brooklyn. But noticeably, he is sure to take it without a lid or straw – as the day prior he introduced legislation proposing to ban plastic straws in New York City.

“It’s an easy way to help New Yorkers realize the impact that consumption and dependence on plastic has on…

The rest of this story is for members.

Enter your email to continue.

Cover Image Courtesy of The Office of Rafael L. Espinal Jr. 

Thanks for being a member.

Rebecca Sananes

Read next

Food & Drink

Brooklyn’s political crowd has a favorite restaurant: Peaches in Bed-Stuy, 58 orders and $17,951 since July 2025

Eight campaigns paid Peaches and its sister restaurants $17,950.56 since July 2025, including Rep. Hakeem Jeffries' and both in today's Bed-Stuy Assembly race.

Today’s governor vote decides whether the Working Families Party keeps the line 12 local candidates run on

News ·

Voters who used the Bushwick and Arlington libraries in June have new poll sites today

News ·

Election Day voter guide: every race, 5 charter questions and where to vote in North Brooklyn and Ridgewood

News ·

Advertise with Bushwick Daily

Reach North Brooklyn, and the New Yorkers who read it.

Written in Bushwick, read across the city since 2009.

129K site visitors a month 1–2M Instagram impressions a month 24K email list members
Advertise with us →
Become a member of Bushwick Daily