A senior adviser to Mayor Mamdani, earning an annual salary of $185,000, has attracted scrutiny for past social media posts in which they expressed support for “gay communism” and called for the abolition of the police. Lena Afridi, who identifies as a “gay communist,” was hired earlier this year to advise First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan on responses to federal intervention, according to a LinkedIn profile from April.

Afridi is also listed as an editor at Pinko magazine, a publication that describes itself as promoting “communism for fags” and serves as a “collective for thinking gay communism.” The magazine’s website includes statements defining communism as an ideology achieved through the elimination of private property, family structures, and the state.

In addition to endorsing these views publicly, Afridi reportedly posted a brief eulogy for Rita “Bo” Brown, a former member of a militant Marxist group active in the 1970s. These posts, some of which have since been deleted, were recovered by independent media outlets. Requests for comment from both Afridi and City Hall were not answered.

The revelations have sparked debate over the adviser's role and the implications of their ideological positions within the mayor’s administration. No official statements have been issued to clarify Afridi’s current responsibilities or address the concerns raised by their previously expressed viewpoints.