Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Mamdani extends term for racial equity leader after City Council pushes back on replacement
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Oct 28, 2026 at 4:31 p.m. ET
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Oct 28, 2026 at 4:31 p.m. ET
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on Wednesday he will delay his plan to replace the chair of the Commission on Racial Equity, who has emerged as a sharp critic of the administration. The move comes after pushback from the City Council.
Linda Tigani has led the commission since its inception in 2023 and her current appointment was set to expire at the end of October. Tigani had publicly expressed concerns that the mayor was seeking to replace her.
Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who jointly appoint the chairperson, agreed Tigani will now serve through July 2027.
News of the plan to replace Tigani was first reported by the New York Times.
At an unrelated press conference in Brooklyn on Tuesday, Mamdani thanked Tigani for her service, and said Christopher Alexander, executive director of the NAACP New York State Conference, should be the next chair — but not until next year.
“We're excited to work with the same council to put forward Christopher Alexander as the next commissioner to pick up the mantle that Linda is going to leave behind,” the mayor said.
Jack Lobel, a spokesperson for Menin, said the Council is currently vetting Alexander as Tigani’s replacement.
Wednesday’s announcement came after a flurry of concerned statements from city lawmakers.
On Tuesday, the City Council’s Black, Latino and Asian Caucus released a letter sent to Mamdani, urging him to retain Tigani.
"At this consequential moment, continuity in CORE’s leadership is essential to advancing its mandate and delivering on the commitments our City has made to racial equity, accountability and justice,” they wrote.
Menin later issued her own statement supporting Tigani, saying she had met with members of the caucus and had conveyed to Mamdani their view that “Ms. Tigani be allowed to remain in her position for an extended period.”
Bronx City Councilmember Althea Stevens said members of the mayor’s office had recently made clear to her and her colleagues that Mamdani wanted to oust Tigani as soon as her term ended.
“They were very direct that she needed to go,” she said, adding that the mayor’s team never gave them a “clear understanding” of why they wanted to remove Tigani.
She and other members argued that Tigani had done a good job and that the decision to replace her was not the mayor’s alone.
“We wanted to make clear that this isn’t a mayor appointee. They came to us with a name, there was no discussion of how to do this together,” she said.
The commission recently won a lawsuit in which they argued that Mandani and his predecessor, Eric Adams, broke the law when they failed to release a plan to combat racial inequity on time.
The plan, which the Mamdani administration released in September, was issued more than two years after the legally mandated deadline. The city has appealed the judge’s decision.
On Wednesday, Tigani held a rally on the steps of City Hall protesting the mayor’s efforts to replace her.
“This mayor has missed all of the dates, and the only date he wants to stick to is a date of possibly removing me,” Tigani said. “That is extremely problematic because what it's doing is undermining the independence of CORE.”
“My job is to hold the city accountable,” she said. “We know that any movement in leadership would undermine that work.”
Tagged
Politics
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Woman charged with federal hate crimes after allegedly stabbing two Jewish men in NYC
Anna Mochalova is accused of using a needle-like object to stab two men near the Diamond District earlier this month.
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 28, 2026 at 4:27 p.m. ET
Ex-NYPD sergeant sentenced to 4-12 years in deadly drunken Taconic crash
Tiffany Howell had a blood alcohol content of at least 0.18 when she drove the wrong way and killed Manuel Boitel, prosecutors said. She was off-duty at the time.
By
Charles Lane
News
Ex-NYPD sergeant sentenced to 4-12 years in deadly drunken Taconic crash
Tiffany Howell had a blood alcohol content of at least 0.18 when she drove the wrong way and killed Manuel Boitel, prosecutors said. She was off-duty at the time.
By
Charles Lane
After being booed at integration forum, NYC chancellor praised by school parent leaders
By
Jessica Gould
Lithium-ion battery caused Bronx fire that killed 11-year-old, FDNY says
By
Catalina Gonella
'If this is what you want': East Village board halts vote on Tompkins Square overhaul
By
Willow Higgins
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .