Mayor Zohran Mamdani has initiated an effort to replace Linda Tigani, the head of New York City's Commission on Racial Equity, a move that has sparked significant criticism. Mamdani sent a letter to the City Council requesting approval to replace Tigani with Christopher Alexander, the executive director of New York’s NAACP. This request follows Tigani's public criticism of the administration after her commission's draft report on racial equity was edited to remove references to "diversity, equity and inclusion" (DEI).
The edits to the commission's plan were reportedly made to avoid potential conflict with the Trump administration's crackdown on DEI policies. The Commission on Racial Equity was established in 2022 following a ballot measure tasked with studying reparations, addressing inequality within the city, and publishing a report of its findings.
Sources close to the matter suggest that the attempt to remove Tigani is retaliatory for her public criticism of the administration. "He wants to put it under his thumb, because she criticized him," one insider commented. "You can’t retaliate against someone because they are criticizing their administration."
Critics, including council members and members of the Black community, argue that removing Tigani at this juncture undermines the independence of the commission, especially given its focus on issues within the Black community. Council member Farah Louis stated that replacing Tigani "risks delaying and derailing a process that black New Yorkers have waited generations to see."
Tigani herself led a rally at City Hall, expressing her opposition to the removal. "The only people that are holding the line in this decision are the black and Latino Asian Caucus and Speaker Julie Menin," she said. "Speaker Menin understands that a removal of me in this moment is actually undermining the independence of the commission."
Demonstrators also accused Mamdani of not delivering tangible benefits for the Black community, despite campaigning with "token black bodies." The mayor had previously faced criticism for not appointing any Black deputy mayors.
Adding to the controversy, Christopher Alexander, Mamdani's proposed replacement, previously resigned from a role under Gov. Kathy Hochul after overseeing a problematic rollout of New York's legal weed program.
Despite the backlash, a tentative agreement has been reached between the council and the mayor to extend Tigani's term until July of next year, while the council remains open to vetting Alexander. At a news conference, Mamdani stated that Tigani had served a full three-year term and that "we all owe her a debt of gratitude" for her work in advancing racial equity. He added, "Alongside the City Council, we have agreed to extend her term to next summer, and we’re excited to work with that same council to put forward Christopher Alexander as the next Commissioner."