Mayor Zohran Mamdani Under Fire Over Attempt to Replace Official Who Challenged His Administration

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing backlash over his attempt to replace the head of the city’s racial equity commission, but the woman at the center of the controversy isn’t backing down.

Mamdani, 35, proposed replacing Linda Tigani, chairwoman of the Commission on Racial Equity, with Christopher Alexander, executive director of the NAACP New York State Conference, according to The New York Times, which published the story on Tuesday, October 27. Tigani has led the commission since 2023 and has criticized the administration’s handling of the city’s first racial equity plan.

The administration removed references to diversity, equity and inclusion from a draft report to avoid conflict with the Trump administration, according to the outlet.

Tigani accused the mayor of making a politically motivated decision that threatened the commission’s independence. She also questioned why he wanted to replace her while retaining Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

“So you’re willing to keep Jessica Tisch, who is allowing for our people to be beaten and killed with no accountability to officers,” Tigani said, per The New York Times. “But the Black woman that’s holding you accountable in racial equity, this is the leadership that you’re saying you don’t want in the city.”

At a City Hall rally on Wednesday, October 28, Tigani credited City Council Speaker Julie Menin and the Council’s Black, Latino and Asian Caucus with opposing her removal, the New York Post reported that same day.

Council member Farah Louis warned that replacing Tigani could disrupt long-awaited efforts to address racial inequality and study reparations, according to the New York Post.

At an unrelated Brooklyn press conference that Wednesday, Mamdani announced an agreement to extend Tigani’s tenure through July 2027. The mayor thanked Tigani in the statement but did not explain his decision to replace her, instead praising Alexander’s experience with the NAACP.

“We all owe her a debt of gratitude,” he said, according to the mayor’s official transcript.

Mamdani still plans to replace Tigani with Alexander next summer, although the City Council has not finalized his appointment, per The New York Times.