As the first lady of New York City, Chirlane McCray has become a political force in her own right. Since her husband took office, McCray has rehung art in Gracie Mansion to reflect the city's diverse heritage and Gracie's slavery-era legacy; communicated publicly about issues ranging from race to gender via social media; and championed a massive mental health initiative called Thrive NYC. McCray's activism today has deep roots in her past. As a black feminist poet and essayist who attended Wellesley college, McCray's radical views were carried into the mainstream when she began a career in New York politics. But aside from her extensive professional accomplishments, it is McCray's personal life that has drawn the most frenzied and unbidden attention. Once a self-identified lesbian, the media today has picked apart the racial and sexual politics of her longtime marriage to Mayor Bill de Blasio.In this episode of Broadly Meets, host Diana Tourjee visits the first lady in Gracie Mansion to discuss media scrutiny, sexual fluidity, and breaking down the stigma around mental illness.
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