NYC Parks Department Pursues DEI Training Amid Budget Cuts
New York City’s Parks Department, under Mayor Zoran Mamdani, is continuing its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, even as it deals with staffing shortages and ongoing budget cuts totaling $33 million, according to a report from Thursday.
As reported by The Washington Free Beacon, the department’s Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging is conducting training sessions for senior staff, focusing on topics like “microaggressions” and promoting anti-racism. One guide offered emphasizes “What Every Supervisor/Manager Should Know About Race and Racism in the Workplace.”
This particular guide includes recommendations for various books and documentaries, featuring titles such as Nicole Hannah-Jones’ “The 1619 Project,” Ibram X. Kendi’s “How to Be an Antiracist,” and Robin DiAngelo’s “White Fragility.”
One slide from the DEI presentation reportedly includes a chart aimed at helping individuals assess their journey toward becoming anti-racist. It outlines a progression from the “Fear Zone,” where individuals might deny that racism is an issue, to the “Growth Zone,” which encourages relinquishing positions of power to marginalized groups.
Furthermore, the Parks Department, responsible for managing around 1,000 playgrounds and various facilities, is pushing leaders to engage in reflections on race. They are urged to examine opportunities for dialogues on unconscious bias and racism, as suggested in materials acquired by the newspaper.
This update follows a testimony to the New York City Council in March 2025 from officials at the Children’s Citizens Commission, who asserted that the Parks Department is “chronically underfunded and understaffed.” Concerns were raised about insufficient Park Enforcement Officers and maintenance staff to ensure parks remain clean and safe.
Despite Mamdani’s earlier commitment to allocate 1% of the city budget to the Parks Department, he has now opted for a $33 million cut, according to The New York Times.
Iyana Titus, who heads the DEI office for the Parks Service, reportedly earned a salary of $200,000 in 2024, based on public records cited by the Free Beacon.
The timing of the slide regarding “microaggressions” remains uncertain, although it seems to have been revised or utilized in 2026. Records related to this slide were obtained through a request filed on January 1, 2026, shortly after Mamdani assumed office.
As of now, the New York City Parks Department has not responded to requests for comment regarding these developments.
