Advancing Racial Equity Across New York
Linda Tigani is a public servant, social worker, and community advocate whose career has been dedicated to advancing racial equity and improving the lives of New Yorkers. As Chair and Executive Director of the New York City Commission on Racial Equity, commonly known as CORE, she works to bring communities and government together to create meaningful change. Drawing on more than a decade of government experience, Tigani approaches public service with a commitment to addressing longstanding inequalities and ensuring that the voices of New Yorkers are heard in decisions that affect their lives.
As a native New Yorker, Tigani brings a personal understanding of the city’s diverse communities and the challenges residents face. Her professional journey reflects a belief that effective public policy must be informed by the lived experiences of the people it is intended to serve. Rather than viewing racial equity as an abstract concept, she has built her career around practical efforts to improve access to opportunity, strengthen public institutions, and address disparities affecting families and neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs.
At CORE, Tigani leads efforts to advance racial equity through public engagement, collaboration, and accountability. The commission’s work focuses on helping New York City examine how government policies and practices affect different racial groups. The goal is to encourage a more equitable approach to public decision-making, one that recognizes historical disadvantages while working toward a future in which every community has a fair opportunity to thrive. This responsibility requires building relationships among residents, advocates, government officials, and community organizations.
Before assuming her leadership position at CORE, Tigani served as acting Chief Equity and Strategy Officer at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. In that role, she helped lead the Race to Justice team, an internal initiative designed to transform the agency into an anti-racist organization. Working with Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan and colleagues throughout the department, she helped advance an equity-focused strategic plan intended to influence the agency’s programs, operations, and organizational culture. Her work recognized that improving public health requires examining the broader social conditions that shape people’s lives.
Tigani’s experience in public health reflects an understanding that health disparities are often connected to circumstances beyond medical treatment. Housing conditions, economic security, educational opportunities, environmental exposure, and access to community resources can all influence individual and family well-being. Communities that have experienced longstanding discrimination may face additional barriers to receiving the services and opportunities they need. By bringing racial equity into public health planning, Tigani worked to encourage government institutions to consider these interconnected factors when developing policies and delivering services.
Her government experience also includes serving as Senior Director for Children, Youth, and Families in the Office of Community Mental Health. This position connected her work to the emotional well-being, development, and support of young people and their families. Children and adolescents need environments in which they can learn, develop healthy relationships, and access appropriate mental health resources. Tigani’s background in social work and community advocacy provides a foundation for understanding why effective services must respond to the needs of families while recognizing the circumstances that can make those needs more difficult to meet.
Earlier in her career, Tigani served as an education policy advisor to First Deputy Mayor Fuleihan. Education has long been an important part of her professional focus because schools and educational institutions can influence a person’s opportunities throughout life. Differences in resources, support systems, and access to quality education can contribute to persistent inequalities. Her work in education policy, combined with her experience in health and youth development, reflects a broad approach to public service that recognizes the connections between educational achievement, family stability, community investment, and long-term economic opportunity.
Tigani’s commitment to equity extends beyond her government titles. Through her work with young people, parents, and community-based organizations, she has provided direct services to families experiencing difficult circumstances. This experience has helped shape her understanding of how racism and poverty affect everyday life. It has also reinforced the importance of including the people most affected by inequality in the development of policies, research, and interventions. Community members possess knowledge that government institutions cannot always obtain through statistics alone, making their participation essential to creating responsive and effective solutions.
Her academic background further supports this work. Tigani earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Bard College and a master’s degree in social work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. Sociology provides a framework for understanding social institutions, inequality, and the relationships between individuals and their communities. Social work emphasizes practical support, advocacy, and the well-being of individuals and families. Together, these disciplines complement her experience in public administration and inform her approach to addressing racial inequities across education, health, environmental justice, and youth development.
Tigani’s leadership became the subject of a public dispute with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over the city’s approach to racial equity and the future of CORE. Tigani raised concerns about the city’s racial equity plan and the importance of maintaining the commission’s ability to hold government accountable. Mamdani sought to replace her with Christopher Alexander, executive director of the NAACP New York State Conference, prompting expressions of support for Tigani from community advocates and City Council members. The disagreement raised important questions about the relationship between political leadership and independent oversight, particularly when an agency is responsible for examining government policies. On October 28, 2026, Mamdani agreed with City Council Speaker Julie Menin to extend Tigani’s tenure through July 2027 while continuing to pursue Alexander as her successor. The dispute illustrates the challenges of advancing racial equity when public officials disagree over leadership, accountability, and policy priorities.
Ultimately, Linda Tigani represents a model of public leadership grounded in community experience, professional knowledge, and a commitment to institutional change. Her career demonstrates the importance of connecting government policy with the realities of everyday life, particularly for communities that have historically faced barriers to opportunity. As she continues her work at CORE, questions surrounding racial equity, government accountability, and community participation remain central to New York City’s future. Tigani’s experience illustrates that meaningful progress requires more than public statements about fairness; it also demands sustained engagement, transparent decision-making, and a willingness to confront difficult challenges. Her work serves as a reminder that building a more equitable city requires listening to residents, examining established systems, and ensuring that every community has a meaningful voice in shaping the policies that affect its future.
