NYC Mayoral Hopefuls Confront Reparations at Groundbreaking Public Forum on Racial Justice

In a bold moment for racial equity in politics, New Yorkers for Reparations hosted a historic forum titled “Making Equality Real for Black New Yorkers,” drawing NYC mayoral candidates to publicly address their reparations plans. Held at the Fourth Universalist Society, the event spotlighted urgent questions of economic healing and racial justice. State Senator Zellnor Myrie and former Assemblymember Michael Blake took the stage, while NYC Comptroller Brad Lander and Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani submitted remarks. Lander pledged to implement Reparations Commission recommendations and close the racial wealth gap, calling it a win for all New Yorkers. The forum marks a rare and direct engagement on reparations in municipal politics, signaling growing momentum behind concrete action to address historical harm—and build Black prosperity into the city’s future.