NYC holds discussion on Racial Equity Plan
NEW YORK — The Mamdani administration is rolling its sleeves for the implementation of its Racial Equity Plan. Last week, Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice, the New York City Mayor’s Office on Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) and the New York City Mayor's Office of Equity & Racial Justice (MOERJ), hosted an ethnic media roundtable to inform New Yorkers of the NYC Preliminary Citywide Racial Equity Plan.
It seeks public feedback before finalizing its implementation as the lead event of the kickoff of Immigrant Heritage Week. The roundtable also included discussion on the NYC True Cost of Living Measure, which examines what it costs to meet essential needs and live with dignity in our city.
Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su (middle), the New York City Mayor’s Office on Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Faiza Ali (right), and the New York City Mayor's Office of Equity & Racial Justice (MOERJ) Commissioner Afua Atta-Mensah.
“Immigrants are at the center of that plan—with goals that expand access to financial capital for underserved communities, protect access to healthcare regardless of immigration status, and ensure that all New Yorkers have access to safe and affordable housing” said Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Faiza Ali.
“At the same time, the disparities outlined in the Racial Equity plan and the True Cost of Living Measure are real—and they impact immigrant communities every single day. The partnership between the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice, and the Deputy Mayor’s Office of Economic Justice—as we see represented here today—is essential to addressing these challenges in a coordinated and meaningful way.”
Members of the local press voiced out concerns on public safety, access to health care, economic justice, and small business support.
“As we kick off Immigrant Heritage Week, we recognize that the challenges facing immigrant communities are closely tied to the broader racial inequities that persist across our city, and confronting them demands deliberate, collective action,” said NYC Chief Equity Officer and NYC Mayor’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice Commissioner Afua Atta-Mensah. "Through the Preliminary Citywide Racial Equity Plan, we are reaffirming our commitment to not only uplift but fully invest in these communities. By coordinating resources, advancing affordability, and centering the voices and needs of underserved New Yorkers, we are working toward a more inclusive and equitable future for all.”
The Deputy Mayor and the Commissioners of MOIA and MOERJ provided details of the collaborative effort to support the Plan through goals rooted in promoting affordability and the inclusion of the needs of underserved immigrant communities.
Deputy Mayor Su emphasized the need to consider all communities when making decisions on the economic future of the City. She explained that Mamdani’s Administration decision to move MOIA and MOERJ under the portfolio of Economic Justice further proves this commitment to support vulnerable New Yorkers and their economic well-being.
New York City Chief Equity Officer and MOERJ Commissioner Atta-Mensah outlined the framework of the Racial Equity Plan announced by the Mayor last week, seeking to address disparities and foster inclusive measures to bring historically marginalized communities to the forefront and inform how city agencies approach their work.
MOIA Commissioner Ali emphasized that all immigrant New Yorkers have the right to utilize city resources without fear, regardless of status. Commissioner Ali also underlined the importance of viewing the inequality facing immigrants under the lenses of economic justice given the challenges of affordability that burden immigrant New Yorkers more than ever.
Read the Preliminary Racial Equity Plan: https://bit.ly/CitywideRacialEquityPlan
Share your feedback by May 6th: https://on.nyc.gov/REPSurvey
Read the True Cost of Living Measure: https://on.nyc.gov/NYCTCOLMeasure
To submit a complaint to the NYC Commission on Human Rights: https://www.nyc.gov/site/cchr/about/report-discrimination.page
