New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has appointed Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz, a Black lesbian archivist and librarian, to lead the Department of Records and Information Services. Smith-Cruz, a Brooklyn native, will help shape how the nation’s largest city preserves history and manages access to government data. Her appointment comes as national debates intensify over LGBTQ+ history and public records, including controversies tied to Stonewall National Monument. Smith-Cruz brings nearly two decades of experience across institutions like Barnard College Library and has focused on expanding access for marginalized communities. The move once again reflects Mamdani’s broader push to elevate LGBTQ+ leadership.
