Chirlane McCray

New York City's First Lady, Writer & Poet

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New York, NY, USA
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Chirlane McCray Biography

Chirlane McCray is a writer, poet, editor, communications professional and political figure. She has published poetry and worked in politics as a speechwriter. Married to current New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, she is the First Lady of New York City.

McCray was born in and spent her early years in Springfield, Massachusetts. Her mother was an assembly worker at an electronics factory, and her father was an inventory clerk at a military base. She is of Bajan and St. Lucian descent, but traces her grandmother's last name to Ghana."

When McCray was ten years old, her family moved to Longmeadow, Massachusetts, becoming only the second black family in the area. Other families in the neighborhood circulated petitions demanding they leave.

In high school, McCray was for a time the only black student in her entire school. McCray cites this early experience with racism and bullying as part of the reason she began to write, using her poetry as an outlet for her anger. She also wrote a column for her school newspaper, in which she denounced classmates for their racism.

McCray enrolled at Wellesley College in 1972. While studying at Wellesley, McCray became a member of the Combahee River Collective, a black feminist lesbian organization, which inspired her to write prose and poetry.

After graduation, she moved to New York City to work for Redbook. She published an essay in Essence Magazine in 1979, entitled "I Am a Lesbian," an essay described as "groundbreaking" for how a black woman discussed her sexuality in a black magazine. The purpose of the essay was to "dispel the myth that there are no gay black people." Some of her poetry is included in "Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology."

In 1991, McCray entered politics. She worked as a speechwriter for the mayor, David Dinkins. During the Clinton administration, she worked for the New York Foreign Press Center as a public affairs specialist. She also worked as a speech writer for the state comptroller, Carl McCall, and the city comptroller, Bill Thompson.

In 2004, she left Thompson's office to work in the private sector. She worked for five years at Maimonides Medical Center. She also worked for Citigroup in their public relations department for six months, before deciding it was "not a good fit." During her husband's campaign for mayor of New York City in the 2013 election, she edited his speeches and helped interview candidates for staff positions.

In November 2015, McCray led the launch of ThriveNYC, a plan to overhaul the city's mental health and substance abuse services, promoting a shift from a traditionally more reactive model, which can strain police, prisons, hospitals, and schools,[21] to an integrated public health approach, focused on awareness and early identification.

McCray has expressed a desire to run for office in 2021.

McCray and de Blasio have a daughter and a son and live in Park Slope, Brooklyn. They plan to move into Gracie Mansion.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 10/10/2024.

Chirlane McCray Videos

  • Mayor de Blasio Appoints First Lady Chirlane McCray As Chair Of ...
  • Radical Life of The First Lady of New York - YouTube
  • First Lady Chirlane McCray Talks about NYC Well & her Election ...

Chirlane McCray Books

  • Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology
    Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology

FAQs on booking Chirlane McCray

  • How do I book Chirlane McCray to speak at my event?

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  • What topics does Chirlane McCray speak about?

    Chirlane McCray is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Black Heritage, Black History Month, Diversity & Inclusion, Government, Political.
  • Where does Chirlane McCray travel from?

    Chirlane McCray generally travels from New York, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
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Chirlane McCray is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Chirlane McCray for your event is available upon request. Chirlane McCray generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Reverend Al Sharpton, Wendy Osefo, PhD, Roland Martin, Shelby Steele and John Dau. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Chirlane McCray for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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