Mamdani extends racial equity chair's term after Council members push back. Why the Speaker has a say

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Wednesday that Linda Tigani, chair of the city's Commission on Racial Equity, will stay on through next summer. He still plans to replace her after that. The change came minutes after supporters, including Council members, rallied for her on the City Hall steps, City & State reported.

Why it matters to residents: the commission, known as CORE, was created by voters in a 2022 ballot measure. Its job is to hold city government to account on racial disparities and to bring community input into the city's racial equity plans and budget. The New York Times first reported on Oct. 27 that Mamdani wanted a new chair, City & State said. It described Tigani as a critic of how the administration has handled the citywide racial equity plan.

What happened

Mamdani said the administration had "agreed to extend her term to next summer" with the City Council, City & State reported. He named Christopher Alexander, executive director of the New York State NAACP, as the person he intends to name next.

Council Member Farah Louis said "work like this depends on continuity," warning that a mid-course change could cost the commission experience and community trust. Council Members Althea Stevens and Carmen De La Rosa also spoke for Tigani at the rally, the outlet reported. It said the Council's Black, Latino and Asian Caucus backs her.

Why the Council is involved

The chair's appointment is shared. The mayor and the Council Speaker must both sign off on new leadership, City & State reported. Speaker Julie Menin has resisted replacing Tigani. A chair can serve up to three three-year terms, the outlet said. Tigani has led CORE since 2023.

What our records add

Tigani's last budget testimony. At a Civil and Human Rights Committee budget hearing on March 13, the committee said CORE's preliminary budget supported 16 positions and was unchanged from the year before. It also noted that the Council had expanded CORE's duties in 2024 with Local Laws 91 and 92. Those laws require a truth, healing and reconciliation process and a study of the impacts of slavery in New York City, including possible reparations (transcript). Tigani testified about the disparities CORE tracks, from who lives in shelters to home ownership (transcript).

The administration's side. In February, the Mayor's Office of Equity and Racial Justice told the same committee that it leads the citywide plan, with CORE bringing community voices into it (transcript). It said more than 40 agencies and 200-plus staff took part.

An oversight hearing that hasn't happened. The committee scheduled a hearing called "Racial Equity Planning for Measurable Impact" (T2026-2090) for June 18. It was deferred, rescheduled for June 30 and deferred again. Our records show it hasn't been held. The Civil and Human Rights Committee has 37 items pending, all for more than 180 days. Its last meeting was Oct. 16.

What's next

Under Mamdani's account, Tigani serves into summer 2027. Any new chair would still need the Speaker's agreement. City & State also noted that a judge found both the Mamdani and Adams administrations had missed legal deadlines for the first citywide racial equity report.