Mamdani announces new chief equity officer to focus on racial justice
He appointed longtime community justice advocate, Afua Atta-Mensah, as the chief equity officer for the Mayor's Office of Equity and Racial Justice.
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Mayor Zohran Mamdani continues to assemble his team two weeks into the job.
He appointed longtime community justice advocate, Afua Atta-Mensah, as the chief equity officer for the Mayor's Office of Equity and Racial Justice.
Atta-Mensah most recently served as Mamdani's political director for his general election campaign and previously held the title of executive director of Community Voices Heard, where she advocated policies that promote social and economic justice.
“I am honored by this appointment, and ready to seek citywide justice and accountability on behalf of all New Yorkers,” said Afua Atta-Mensah, NYC Chief Equity Officer & Commissioner of the NYC Mayor's Office of Equity & Racial Justice. “As the Mayor has made clear, this administration is committed to doing big things — and to doing them boldly. I look forward to partnering with community leaders and working alongside the teams at MOERJ and the Commission on Racial Equity to develop and implement a comprehensive, citywide Racial Equity Plan.”
The role she takes on is fairly new, as it was established in 2022 after an overwhelming vote on a ballot question to create an office focused on racial equity.
Mayor Mamdani was critical of ex-Mayor Adams' administration indicating a key component of the charter was not fulfilled, noting that the previous administration did not meet the established timeline in the City Charter to release the publication. "A key component of that charter change plan was that a racial equity plan be produced every two years and that the mayor’s office work closely with CORE in this work," Mamdani said. Mamdani says his administration will deliver a preliminary citywide racial equity plan to be published in the first 100 days of his administration.
