Mayor Zohran Mamdani named a brand new “chief fairness officer” Thursday – and her social media was deleted by the point she was introduced to steer the administration’s woke “racial justice” efforts.
Afua Atta-Mensah’s X account was deactivated by a press announcement of her appointment on Thursday afternoon in a transfer that comes after different Mamdani appointees’ social media footprints set off firestorms.
However Metropolis Corridor insisted newly tapped aides aren’t being requested to clean their social media profiles.
“Afua Atta-Mensah has devoted her profession to serving the New Yorkers who’re so usually forgotten within the halls of energy,” Mamdani mentioned in an announcement. “There isn’t a one I belief extra to advance racial fairness throughout our work in Metropolis Corridor.”
Atta-Mensah, who had labored on Mamdani’s marketing campaign specializing in attempting to make headway with black voters. She’ll now function commissioner of the Mayor’s Workplace for Fairness and Racial Justice, wherein she might be charged with pushing for extra racial fairness throughout metropolis authorities, Metropolis corridor mentioned.
Mamdani’s picks to assist lead his administration have raised questions on his administration’s vetting course of for candidates for public service.
Catherine Almonte Da Costa was imagined to be town’s subsequent director of appointments, however resurfaced antisemitic social media posts — together with a rant about “cash hungry Jews” — rapidly led to her resignation final month.
A supply informed The Submit that Da Costa’s appointment was pushed via and not using a full examination.
Following that embarrassing flub, Mamdani mentioned his crew was tweaking their vetting.
Mamdani’s new director within the Workplace to Shield Tenants, Cea Weaver, has additionally brought about an avalanche of controversy after numerous excessive stances on residence possession and landlords got here to mild.
She as soon as dismissed property possession a “weapon of white supremacy” and known as on the federal government to “seize non-public property.”
Mamdani has stood by her regardless of the unconventional stances.
It’s unclear when Atta-Mensah deactivated her account, however it was up as not too long ago as late final week.
A spokesperson for the mayor’s workplace informed The Submit that the administration has not adopted a coverage requiring new appointees to delete their X accounts.
Atta-Mensah beforehand labored because the chief of applications at Group Change – which claims to assist low-income folks, particularly minorities, achieve political and financial energy.
She additionally labored for activist teams Group Voices Heard and the City Justice Heart.
“I’m honored by this appointment, and able to search citywide justice and accountability on behalf of all New Yorkers,” Atta-Mensah mentioned in an announcement.
“Because the Mayor has made clear, this administration is dedicated to doing huge issues — and to doing them boldly.”
