*Mayor Eric Adams has tapped former Brooklyn Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo as his cultural affairs commissioner.
Cumbo confirmed to THE CITY on Wednesday that at the time she was unclear about what her role would be.
“All I have done is filled out paperwork to be onboarded in a position in the Adams administration. It has not been confirmed to me which position at this time,” she said in a phone interview last week, Patch reports.
Cumbo told the outlet that she is ready to “assist in achieving the goals and positions for Mayor Eric Adams,” she said.
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We are thrilled to welcome the next Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for the City of New York, Laurie Cumbo! @NYCMayor today announced Cumbo’s appointment to the position, where she’ll lead efforts to support arts & cultural groups across the city: https://t.co/8ebBQ9FWC1 pic.twitter.com/c3cXIxTjQb
— NYC Cultural Affairs (@NYCulture) March 18, 2022
Cumbo previously came under fire for comments made about a bill to allow non-citizens to vote in city elections.
“Where do African American voters fit in?” she asked at the time, as reported by New York Daily News. “This particular legislation is going to shift the power dynamics in New York City in a major way.”
In 2015, Laurie Cumbo expressed concern over what she called “blocs” of Asian residents moving into public housing in her district, as reported by Documented NY.
She once blamed attacks against Jews on “Jewish success” and “Jewish landlords,” saying “the accomplishments of the Jewish community triggers feelings of resentment.”
Per the New York Daily News, “As commissioner for New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs, Cumbo will direct the city’s cultural policy and oversee millions of dollars in city funding that goes to art and culture-based non-profits each year. She did not immediately respond to messages,” the outlet writes.
“How do you give the responsibility of promoting cultural affairs in the most diverse way possible to a person who has shown that she does not believe in diversity?” said Democratic strategist Camille Rivera.
“Laurie Cumbo’s history and comments are totally opposite to what (Adams) is saying about her. If he truly wants someone who is representative of those values, then it should not have been (her),” said Rivera.
Rivera said Adams’ hiring of Cumbo is something “the Latino community will not forget.”
“Laurie Cumbo brings a breadth of experience in the arts, community advocacy, and city government to her role as commissioner,” Adams said in a written statement. “She will be instrumental in leading our efforts to strengthen New York City’s vibrant cultural life and connect New Yorkers to cultural experiences and institutions in all five boroughs.”
Cumbo is the founder of the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art, or MoCADA.
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