Sideya Sherman Leads City’s Racial Inclusion and Equity Taskforce

On July 7, Sideya Sherman, NYCHA’s Executive Vice President for Community Engagement & Partnerships (CEP), was named (CEP) Executive Director of the City’s Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity.  

The Taskforce seeks to make sure that COVID-19 response and recovery efforts are fair and equitable in the city’s hardest-hit communities, where communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The Taskforce, co-chaired by First Lady Chirlane McCray, Deputy Mayor J. Phillip Thompson, and Deputy Mayor Dr. Raul Perea-Henze, is engaging the community to develop long-term strategies that support community health, safety, and opportunity. 

Ms. Sherman’s main focus will be leading the Taskforce in this important work, though she will continue to support the efforts of CEP and its senior leadership team. Read more about Ms. Sherman’s new role and the Taskforce below. 

As the new Executive Director of the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity, what will your day-to-day responsibilities be?  

As Executive Director, I oversee strategy for the Taskforce and work between multiple City agencies and stakeholders to advance initiatives that will address racial disparities, with a special focus on the communities hardest hit by COVID-19. My day-to-day consists of many meetings addressing strategic, operational, and technical issues. The Taskforce has accomplished a great deal in a short period of time, and I am thrilled to lead it into its next phase, focused on implementation and institutionalizing this important work. 

What are the goals of the Taskforce? What are some of the Taskforce’s initiatives?  

COVID-19 amplified long-standing racial disparities within our city. The Taskforce was convened at the height of the pandemic to spark new ideas and implement solutions that will help our City respond and recover in a way that is equitable. In a short period of time, the Taskforce has outlined a series of recommendations in areas ranging from youth to healthcare and housing. Over 30 of these recommendations have been advanced thus far, with some having already been implemented and more to be announced in the coming weeks. Most recently, the Mayor signed an executive order to immediately strengthen the City’s utilization of Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses (M/WBE) and announced a series of new programs to connect entrepreneurs of color to business opportunities, including government contract matching, access to pro bono business consultants, and mentorship networks. These new programs will address disparities within M/WBE contracting, with a special focus on Black and brown businesses and the communities hardest hit by COVID-19. 

How has your work at NYCHA prepared you for this new role?  

NYCHA communities are the fabric of many NYC neighborhoods, and NYCHA residents, like most New Yorkers, interact with a variety of City systems. As EVP for CEP, I regularly work across a variety of City agencies in areas including economic opportunity, social services, health, and the built environment to advance the interests of NYCHA residents and attract new resources and opportunities to the communities we serve. I also regularly collaborate with community-based organizations, local tenant leaders, and other external stakeholders. The Taskforce, by definition, requires collaboration and collective action to be successful. My work at NYCHA has taught me the importance of building common purpose across diverse stakeholders and acting with urgency. 

How will the work of the Taskforce help NYCHA residents, which includes a large population of people of color?   

NYCHA communities, in geography and composition, significantly overlap with those prioritized by the Taskforce. There are a variety of Taskforce initiatives that will benefit NYCHA residents and other New Yorkers, such as summer programming for young people. Recently, the Mayor announced a $157 million expansion of broadband internet that will serve over 600,000 underserved New Yorkers, including 200,000 NYCHA residents. This initiative, which is rooted in Taskforce recommendations to expand equitable access to critical services and opportunity, will provide much-needed relief to NYCHA residents impacted by the digital divide. This expansion will also support new workforce training and job opportunities for residents. 

Who will manage CEP while you are leading the Taskforce? 

I am still involved in a few key CEP initiatives, but the Taskforce is my primary focus at this time. Ukah Busgith, Senior Director for Family Partnerships, is Acting EVP, and I couldn’t be more pleased. Ukah is a compassionate and thoughtful leader who has deep relationships with both our residents and our partners. I am grateful to Ukah and our entire senior team – Shanna Castillo, Director of Resident Economic Empowerment & Sustainability; Jenelle Hudson, Director of Resident Engagement; Leroy Williams, Director for Community Development; Andrea Mata, Director of Health Initiatives; and DaVida Rowley-Blackman, Senior Advisor & Public Private Partnerships Director – for their leadership. Our CEP staff, at all levels, is passionate about serving NYCHA residents and communities; I’m proud to work alongside such an amazing team.