In an effort to make City Hall more accessible and connect with Spanish-speaking residents, New York City launched a new WhatsApp channel and Spanish-language Instagram account.
The WhatsApp channel, El Chisme Oficial de NYC (translated to “NYC ‘s Official Gossip”), will provide New Yorkers with news, service updates, community resources, immigration information, transit alerts and other announcements about programs and events.
Subscribers will also receive exclusive photos and videos from community events, behind-the-scenes moments from across the five boroughs and occasional voice notes from Mamdani and other local leaders. Using WhatsApp does not come as a surprise since it is one of the most popular messaging platforms among the Hispanic community in New York City.
“Every New Yorker deserves to know what their city is doing for them in the language they speak at home,” Mamdani said. “Spanish-speaking New Yorkers are on WhatsApp and Instagram every day, so that is where City Hall should be, too. You should not have to chase down a dozen agencies to find the information you need. We’re bringing it together in one place, in Spanish, and delivering it directly to your phone. That’s what a city government that works for working people looks like.”
Meanwhile, the relaunch of City Hall’s Spanish-language Instagram account will allow New Yorkers to find updates on City services, policy announcements, plain-language explainer, public safety information and livestreams all in Spanish under one account as opposed to following numerous accounts..
To subscribe to El Chisme Oficial de NYC go to on.nyc.gov/ElChismeOficialNYC.