Taylor Brown to Lead NYC LGBTQ Affairs Office

By: Paul Goldberg — Senior Correspondent | New York LGBT News

NEW YORK, NY — (March 15, 2026) — In a historic move for LGBTQ leadership in municipal government, Zohran Mamdani announced plans to establish New York City’s first Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs, appointing civil rights attorney Taylor Brown as its inaugural director.

The announcement from City Hall confirmed that Mamdani will sign an executive order formally creating the new agency during an event at the Brooklyn Community Pride Center. According to officials, the office will coordinate citywide policies affecting LGBTQ+ residents, strengthen anti-discrimination protections, and oversee programs designed to support the city’s diverse LGBTQ communities.

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Brown currently serves as an Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Bureau within the office of Letitia James, where she has worked on civil rights enforcement and anti-discrimination initiatives. Under the mayor’s plan, the new agency will also absorb the city’s existing Unity Project, consolidating LGBTQ policy efforts under a single leadership structure.

In a statement announcing her appointment, Brown reflected on her personal connection to New York City and the opportunities it provided throughout her life.

“New York has given me everything — life-saving health care, education, a home, a career, my chosen family, and a life of purpose,” Brown said. She added that she intends to work to ensure the city remains a place where residents of all backgrounds can live safely and with dignity.

Brown brings years of legal advocacy to the role. Her professional background includes work with organizations such as the National LGBTQ Task Force, Lambda Legal, and the American Civil Liberties Union, where she focused on civil rights litigation and equality protections.

City officials say the new Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs will help coordinate policies across multiple municipal agencies while reinforcing New York City’s long-standing reputation as a destination for LGBTQ residents seeking legal protections and social inclusion.

The creation of the office comes amid ongoing national debates surrounding transgender rights and access to gender-affirming healthcare. In recent months, healthcare providers including NYU Langone Health and Mount Sinai Health System have faced scrutiny over policies affecting gender-affirming treatment for minors.

New York officials have emphasized that the city intends to continue supporting access to healthcare and legal protections for LGBTQ residents while monitoring regulatory developments affecting medical providers.

With Brown at the helm, the newly created Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs will serve as the city’s primary coordinating body for LGBTQ policy, advocacy, and community engagement — marking a significant expansion of municipal infrastructure dedicated to LGBTQ issues in the nation’s largest city.

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