MODERATOR

Jade Gary

Senior Staff Attorney

The Center for NYC Neighborhoods

Jade Gary is a Senior Staff Attorney for the Center for NYC Neighborhoods where she advises the Center on matters ranging from program and operational policy development to regulatory compliance and risk management. Most recently, Ms. Gary's work has involved legal strategy development around pursuing race conscious programming, from race-affirmative lending products to employer diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. A former Head Start teacher, Ms. Gary has spent most of her career serving underserved and vulnerable communities, previously serving as an Assistant District Attorney for the Bronx County District Attorney's Office, where she prosecuted an array of misdemeanor and felony matters, including hate crimes. After serving as a prosecutor, Jade practiced civil litigation handling a variety of matters including premises liability, labor law, and complex commercial insurance before returning to public interest work to serve as in-house counsel for the Center. Originally from Chicago, Jade now calls New York home and is admitted to the New York State Bar and New Jersey State Bar. She spends her spare time balancing life as a new parent and new homeowner as well as exploring arguably the best borough in New York City.

PANELIST

Cy Richardson

Senior Vice President for Economics and Housing Programs

National Urban League

Cy Richardson is Senior Vice President for Economic Programs at the National Urban League, and a member of the League’s Executive Leadership Team. Cy is a recognized and respected expert on housing and community development, job creation and racial wealth equity and is a sought-after thought leader on issues related to building a more inclusive economy. Central to his work is the promotion of asset building and intergenerational wealth creation opportunities for people of color in urban America. In his current role he leads the League’s program design, implementation, and evaluation activities, supporting national efforts to create economic and social opportunities and ensure that prosperity is widely shared regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or geography. As a grants officer, he has supported efforts to increase economic security and mobility for low-income families, close the racial wealth gap, and advance financial inclusion. Cy has over 25 years of experience in the community development industry. He has proven success in developing new community development organizations and enhancing the capacity of existing organizations. His expertise lies in strategic planning, training, organizational development, and technical assistance.

PANELIST

Thomas Yu

Executive Director & CEO

Asian Americans for Equality

Thomas Yu is the Executive Director of Asian Americans For Equality (AAFE) a 50-year old NYC-based community development organization serving the 1.3 million New Yorkers of Asian descent, and all those in need regardless of background. Under his helm, AAFE has achieved development of over 1,200 units of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families, provided crucial social services to over 35,000 individuals annually, assisted 10,000+ small business entrepreneurs with over $70 million of direct capital, and aided 5,000 first time homebuyers in achieving their American Dream with counseling and securing of $250 million in sustainable home mortgages. Thomas also leads AAFE’s grassroots policy advocacy, urban planning and infrastructure capital investment in AAPI and other communities, with a goal of advancing community revitalization through local arts and space activation.

Thomas has served on various mayoral taskforces and had been a long-time member of Manhattan’s Community Board #3, specifically on the Parks, Waterfront Development, Landmarks and Housing committees. He has been named on the Schneps Media Manhattan Power List, and City and State Power of Diversity Asian American leaders list. Thomas is a director on the boards of Hester Street Collaborative and the Van Alen Institute, NYC non-profits which aim to use architecture and design to help NYC residents become civically engaged in community planning. Thomas sits on the New Market Tax Credit community advisory boards of Low Income Investment Fund and NYC Economic Development Corporation, and the community advisory boards of Valley Bank and Santander. He also was the past Board Co-Chair of National CAPACD. Thomas received a Bachelor’s Degree in Government from Harvard University and a Masters in Urban Planning from the New York University Wagner School of Public Service.

PANELIST

Seema Agnani

Executive Director

National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD)

Seema Agnani (she/hers) serves as Executive Director of the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD – pronounced “capacity”), a coalition of 100 community-based organizations that advocate for and organize in low-income Asian American and Pacific Islander communities towards a vision of economic and social justice for all. She has more than 25 years of experience in community development, capacity building and immigrant rights. She was a founder and Executive Director of Chhaya CDC working in the South Asian community of New York City, leading the organization during the great recession and the aftermath of the attacks of 9/11. She began her community development career as a project manager with Asian Americans for Equality in Chinatown, NY. Later, she served as lead coordinator the Fund for New Citizens at The New York Community Trust, a donor collaborative focused on immigrant rights in New York City. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans and the board of directors of Adhikaar and was previously appointed to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Community Advisory Board. Seema is originally from the Chicago metro area where her parents emigrated to from India.

PANELIST

Debo P. Adegbile

Partner, Chair of Anti-Discrimination Practice

WilmerHale

Debo P. Adegbile, Chair of the firm’s Anti-Discrimination Practice, focuses his practice on matters at the intersection of law, business, and government policy. Debo has significant experience advising corporations in connection with civil rights audits and equity assessments and providing strategic counseling in high-stakes matters and investigations. Debo has represented clients in federal investigations and has also advised those entities in connection with fair lending issues and civil rights reviews. He has argued significant civil rights cases at the US Supreme Court and federal appellate courts, and completed a six-year term as a commissioner on the US Commission on Civil Rights in 2022, following appointment by President Obama. Prior to joining the firm, Debo spent more than a decade working for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., where he served as the Director of Litigation and subsequently as senior counsel to the Chair of the US Senate Judiciary Committee. Debo is a member of WilmerHale’s Global Management Committee, Partner Compensation Committee, and firm-wide Executive Diversity and Inclusion Committee.