Bob McManus is a contributing editor of City Journal. Under Ms. McCrays leadership, the fund has made priorities of mental health, youth employment and immigration services. How many other big-bucks initiatives are in similar straits is unknowable mostly because bureaucrats never blow the whistle on themselves and also because Gothams formal watchdog, city Comptroller Scott Stringer, is among the most incurious individuals ever to hold the office. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Here they had to face extreme racism with the white residents circulating a petition that they leave the area. McCray was born in Springfield, Massachusetts and spent her early years there. But under Mayor Bill de Blasio, the fund has not kept pace. Its an approach McCray says helped the city respond to the high demand for mental health services during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Her performance left council members blinking. Not one to sit still, she continues to work on the project, lobbying with Congressional lawmaker, arranging for more funds, gathering signature, lecturing at seminars, thereby trying to change peoples attitude towards mental health. Four years later, no one seems to know what that money was actually used for, according to the New York Post. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Mayor Bill de Blasio likes to say that there's plenty of money in New York City, but that it's in the wrong hands. [5], When she was ten years old, her family moved to Longmeadow, Massachusetts, becoming only the second black family in the area. His latest startup follows a decade of being outmaneuvered in his quest to steer the development of artificial intelligence. Heres What Theyre Trying To Distract You From With The Trump Indictment. De Blasio is an Italian-American. If theres a program thats been found to be ineffective, we should pull the plug, he said Wednesday. With a quarter of a billion dollars (!!) Don't we want people to have a good quality of life? She/her. Another sign of corruption: The mayor imposed a hiring freeze early this year but McCray still got to bring on a new $150,000-a-year senior adviser in April, who somehow got classified as an essential worker. That is, once upon a time, first spouses were content to pretend to be in charge of prettifying highways and things. While writing articles, she also continued to write poetry, trying to bring about a social change through them. Essential to the first familys hopes of continued taxpayer support after term limits forces the mayor out of office, maybe. of Social Services and $65,000 associate director of advance to the first lady. The City Hall budget shows $594 million in spending since ThriveNYC's inception. Chirlane McCray's, perhaps? That Stringer could sleep through it all is the real scandal; why does the city even have a comptroller, if thats the standard of performance? Thank you! What is the relationship of Chirlane McCray? McCray argues that Thrives impact could not be easily measured early on because there was no data to compare it to a problem she says the program has worked to rectify. The rejection by her friends sowed the seeds of social and political activism. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. In February, 2014, she was named as the chairperson of the Mayors Fund to Advance New York City. But the co-mayor made performance promises when he initiated the Renewal program, few of which even remotely were met, and presently gravity prevailed: The program caved in on itself. From her mothers previous marriage, she also has a half brother called Reginald Jackson. The funds federal tax returns say that she spends only an hour a week on fund business. One of the main reasons we started Thrive was because of stigma. Theres no money for regular trash pickups or to maintain city parks, but Mayor Bill de Blasios wife enjoys a 14-member staff including a $70,000 videographer who captured her baking cookies during the pandemic. She is considering a run for Brooklyn borough president during the mayors last year in office. She says the Cities Thrive initiative was started in response to a lack of guidance coming from the Trump Administration, but she is hopeful there will soon be more mental health support for cities under the Biden Administration. Things happen. The discovery shocked many of her dormitory mates. Ron DeSantis. But this is 2019, and the general feeling at least in the deBlasio administration is that if theres not a lot of dough attached to the spousal sinecure, it doesnt really matter enough. That the co-mayors could fly under the radar to burn through $1.6 billion to no obvious good effect is an embarrassment but understandable in the abstract. We invite you to become a WeLoveTrump insider. The program spearheaded by Chirlane McCray, wife of Mayor Bill de Blasio, has an annual budget of $250 million Chirlane McCray, shown at New York City Hall on Feb. 25, created ThriveNYC as a . The first lady of New York City Chirlane McCray is married to an American politician Bill de Blasio. All rights reserved. Glenn Youngkin declines 2024 White House bid 'this year'. 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Does anybody know how well more likely, how poorly the co-mayors hugely expensive pre-K program is working, especially that portion consigned to the citys notoriously problematic not-for-profit sector? The mayors most recent budget deal includes another $115 million in mental-health spending, an effort McCray says to respond to the mounting mental health care needs of city residents after months of uncertainty and trauma brought on by the pandemic. But in the end, McCray insisted Tuesday, all the spending is to the benefit of every New Yorker. And we were fortunate to have an infrastructure of services that people could turn to, says McCray. Its wrong, and it needs to stop, Reynoso said. [37], "Chirlane McCray in sling after birthday injuries", "De Blasio gripes about rules barring spouses from paid gigs in government", "Chirlane McCray, de Blasio's Wife, Is Questioned Over His 'Revolutionary' $1 Billion Mental Health Plan", "NYC'S New First Lady Makes Barbadians Proud - Caribbean and Latin America Daily News", "Chirlane McCray: From Gay Trailblazer to Politician's Wife", "Once Alienated, and Now a Force in Her Husband's Bid for Mayor: Chirlane McCray Plays Key Role in de Blasio Campaign", "Ancient History: The Lesbian Past of Bill de Blasio's Wife", "Bill de Blasio's wife, Chirlane McCray, on the "fluidity of love" and the political spotlight", "Pioneering Black Feminist Makes History Again", "The Family Bible Is a Guest for the Oath, but Not a Participant", "Bill de Blasio's wife, Chirlane McCray, opens up on her role as the mayoral race's most visible spouse", "At City Hall, Backstage Player Is Cast in Main Stage Uproar", "Rachel Noerdlinger, former Chirlane McCray aide, kept ex-con boyfriend updated through controversy", "De Blasio Appoints Chirlane McCray, His Wife, to Lead Nonprofit Group", "Once-Thriving City Nonprofit Sputters Under Mayor's Wife, Chirlane McCray", "NYC First Lady Chirlane McCray Weighs in on Federal Mental Health Reform", "ThriveNYC: A Mental Health Roadmap for All", "Chirlane McCray and the Limits of First-Ladyship", "With opaque budget and elusive metrics, $850M ThriveNYC program attempts a reset", "There's too much money in Chirlane McCray's hands", "First Lady Chirlane McCray considering run for office in 2021", "Chirlane McCray's latest hires hint at run for public office", "Family in the Spotlight: De Blasio's Wife, Children Provide Multiracial Backdrop to Likely Mayoral Bid", "Bill de Blasio's wife recalls him first learning that she was a lesbian", "When Bill de Blasio's Wife Was a Lesbian", "De Blasio Finally Settles Down at Gracie Mansion", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chirlane_McCray&oldid=1144515944, This page was last edited on 14 March 2023, at 04:47. McCray added that she would not run for mayor of New York City. Nothing had been measured in the past, so what are we measuring for? Ms. Harris missed only one board meeting in the last four years she served as chairwoman, the period for which records were available. We did not say everything would be perfect, burbled the co-mayor as if anybody outside his immediate orbit expected an outcome even close to competent. . McCray is the proprietress of ThriveNYC, a mental-health-related something-or-other created four-plus years ago to give a little heft to the conceit that Bill and Chirlane were elected as co-mayors which is nonsense on stilts. Concurrently with working for Redbook, she continued with her social activities, being acutely aware about the condition of black women in a big city like New York. But the co-mayor made performance promises when he initiated the Renewal program, few of which even remotely were met, and presently gravity prevailed: The program caved in on itself. The First Arrest To Shock The World Revealed? How many other big-bucks initiatives are in similar straits is unknowable mostly because bureaucrats never blow the whistle on themselves and also because Gothams formal watchdog, city Comptroller Scott Stringer, is among the most incurious individuals ever to hold the office. [13] She also worked as a speechwriter for the New York State Comptroller Carl McCall and for New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson. As the wife of New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio, she is also the First Lady of New York City since 2014. Mayoral Photography Office Nearly a third of New Yorkers may be out of work thanks to the. That makes a robust roster of 14 staffers double the amount she had in 2018. Sign up for our free email newsletter, and we'll make sure to keep you in the loop. [16] She also worked for Citigroup in its public relations department for six months before deciding it was "not a good fit". Ms. McCray declined a request for a follow-up interview to discuss the funds activities in more detail. Theres no separation as a practical matter.. Only anti-Trump hysteria allows for denial of Paterson's m Laurie Metcalf on getting directed by 'triple threat' Ray Romano, Academia's twisted reasons for shelving the SAT, Spring Break, Paris, Coachella: Gen Z is willing to go broke for luxury vacations, Woman has 'loud, full body orgasm' in the middle of LA concert, All the red carpet highlights and star-studded fashionfrom the Karl Lagerfeld-themed Met Gala, Bride killed, groom seriously hurt by drunk driver just minutes after leaving reception, Katy Perry will be temporarily replaced on 'American Idol' amid drama. With the aid of the citys First Lady, Mayor de Blasio launched a massive overhaul of the citys mental-health system in 2015. https://twitter.com/davej08/status/1101441406667771904, https://twitter.com/WNYGeek81/status/1101500859299627008, harshly assessed the program's effectiveness. [18], In his second month in office, de Blasio named McCray chair of the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City. Besides the calls that Ms. McCray makes to donors, she has met with potential donors and hosted an annual Christmas fund-raiser at Gracie Mansion. The Times further reported that according to McCray's public schedule, she had spent 19.5 hours in 2017 on work for the Mayor's Fund; however, her spokeswoman estimated that McCray spent 10% of her work schedule on Mayor's Fund business. [28], ThriveNYC drew harsh criticism over allegations of mismanagement and accusations that it had failed to produce records of tangible results. That Stringer could sleep through it all is the real scandal; why does the city even have a comptroller, if thats the standard of performance? Ms. Baierlein was hired last year as director of development. In interviews with more than a dozen donors and others who had contact with the fund, none said that they had substantive conversations with Ms. McCray. Shell be happy; the mayor will be delighted and the unions and nonprofits will be delirious. Bronx Councilman Ritchie Torres criticized ThriveNYC, stating that there was "no evidence its working". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. She published an essay in Essence in 1979 entitled "I Am a Lesbian". And its only (your) money even if it is quite a lot of it. Once a white construction worker spit on her while she was riding a bike. Photo by Spectrum News NY1. In January 1, 2014, de Blasio was sworn in as the Mayor and with that McCray became the First Lady of New York City. Copyright 2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. What Was In Those Bush Sr. Funeral Envelopes? Her father, Robert Hooper McCray, a World War II veteran, was an inventory clerk at a military base while her mother, Katharine Clarissa Eileen ne Edwards, was an assembly worker at an electronics factory. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Fellow contender, City Councilman Antonio Reynoso (D-Brooklyn), slammed the spending. While the goals of ThriveNYC are lofty and are arguably needed, throughout its creation and expansion, many have questioned the inherent nepotism of the mayor placing his wife in charge of such a major overhaul. And while the funds bylaws define the chair as the lead fund-raiser, officials struggled to show her direct involvement with those efforts. Think Stockholm syndrome, rolled into a big ball with the United Federation of Teachers. Ms. McCrays schedules show that last year she made three calls to Ms. Simons, in July, September and December. And its only (your) money even if it is quite a lot of it. #MyDayNYC pic.twitter.com/e8LWu8jxh9, Chirlane McCray (@NYCFirstLady) April 2, 2020. Several people on the list, when asked about the call, either did not remember the interaction or did not recall discussing donations. It was reorganized and given its current name by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg after he took office in 2002, when the city was reeling from the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. With over 22,000 layoffs of city workers looming, the mayor cant seriously expect to keep funding full-time, highly paid speechwriters and professional videographers for his wifes political ambitions. We launched Thrive long before the pandemic. McCray says the citys mental health hotline, NYC Well, logged 33,000 texts, chats and calls this January up from 18,000 the year before, an 83% increase in use. It's just the kind of small, yet crucial revolution that drove Chirlane McCray into public service in the first place, and this week, she saw it realized . This story has been shared 375,122 times. This work is about the needs of the people of this city especially in this crisis, de Blasio said this week, pointing to her running of his racial equity task force as well as (hes so shameless) the universally criticized ThriveNYC mental health debacle. All rights reserved. Mr. de Blasio had to seek permission from the citys Conflicts of Interest Board to name his wife to chair the fund, because city rules barred him from giving the job to a relative. ", Sometimes you look at a headline like this and think: "that can't possibly be true.". That is, nobody appears to have kept receipts; the subways and street corners are still overrun with crazy people, and nobody in charge knows whats to happen next. The fact that we've added more services, the fact that we now have an Office of Community Mental Health is in direct response to what people have been asking for, and that is more, more and more more mental health providers, especially mental health providers of color, says McCray. [20] In May 2018, The New York Times reported that McCray had last visited the offices of the Mayor's Fund in May 2017. "I'm not sure anybody does.". https://t.co/fqUIyfFc8Z. Outside school, she was excluded from boy-girl mixers. Seven mayors attended a 2017 national mental health conference in New York City. ThriveNYC, a Mental Health Initiative, Comes Under Scrutiny. Despite its ranks and generous salaries, the team hasnt posted an update to McCrays public schedule since last year. In the first 10 months of the current fiscal year, the fund raised $14 million, according to a spokeswoman, Cynthia Olson, putting the fund on pace for its lowest annual revenues in more than a decade. DE BLASIO EXTENDS STATE OF EMERGENCY IN NEW YORK FOR ANOTHER 30 DAYS, "That article [referring to The City story]didn't take into account the work that's being done," de Blasio said. The previous February, Mr. de Blasio had announced plans to build a streetcar line along the Brooklyn-Queens waterfront, in neighborhoods where Two Trees has developments. [6][9] McCray met Bill de Blasio in 1991, when they both worked at New York City Hall for then Mayor David Dinkins. We are measuring.. Chirlane McCray can't explain where the $850m in funding has gone after it was given to the organization she runs, ThriveNYC. After a brief rise, the number declined again. This story has been shared 110,413 times. This story has been shared 132,852 times. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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Ms. McCray with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz during a humanitarian mental-health initiative after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in March.
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