Chirlane McCray

Chirlane McCray: Biography in Details

Who is Chirlane McCray?

Chirlane McCray is an American political figure, writer, communications professional, editor, and activist.

McCray is notable for being the wife of New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio and also his ”closest advisor”.

Furthermore, She is the chairman of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and also leads ThriveNYC.

Early life, Ancestry, Education of Chirlane McCray

McCray was born Chirlane Irene McCrayon on November 29, 1954, in Springfield, Massachusetts.

She was the only daughter of her mother Katharine Clarissa Eileen (née Edwards), who was an assembly worker at an electronics factory, and her father, Robert Hooper McCray, was an inventory clerk at a military base.

She belongs of Afro-American ancestry.

In 1972, McCray enrolled at Wellesley College. While studying there, she became a member of a black feminist organization, Combahee River Collective. 

Chirlane McCray’s Professional Career

After graduating from college, McCray moved to New York City to work for Redbook, an American woman’s magazine.

In 1979, She published an essay in Essence entitled “I Am a Lesbian”. The purpose of the essay was to dispel the myth that there are no gay black people.

She has also written some poems for Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology. 

Political Career of Chirlane McCray

In 1991, McCray entered politics. She worked as a speechwriter for New York City 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 speechwriter for the New York State Comptroller Carl McCall and Bill Thompson.

In 2004, McCray left Thompson’s office to work in the private sector. She worked at Maimonides Medical Center for 5 years and for Citigroup in its public relations department for six months.

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.

Involvement in de Blasio administration

In his second month in office, de Blasio named McCray chair of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. Since then, the Fund has focused on mental health, immigration, and youth workforce projects.

ThriveNYC

In November 2015, McCray launched ThriveNYC, a plan to overhaul the city’s mental health and substance abuse services.

ThriveNYC promotes a shift from a traditionally more reactive model, which can strain police, prisons, hospitals, and schools, to an integrated public health approach focusing on awareness and early identification. 

ThriveNYC drew harsh criticism over allegations of mismanagement and accusations that it had failed to produce records of tangible results.

How much is the net worth of Chirlane McCray?

The first lady of New York City has an estimated net worth of about $1 million to $ 5 million as of 2022. Similarly, her husband Bill de Blasio’s net worth is estimated to be around $1.5 million.

De Blasio received a higher salary in 2018, which was $254,392, compared to the $220,188 he got as a city official in 2017. Aside from his work as mayor, de Blasio earns a bit from renting out his two Park Slope homes. De Blasio and his wife Chirlane McCray earned $108,450 in 2018 from rentals, which was higher than what the couple earned in 2017 ($104,000).

The couple even donates to several charities such as Catholic Charities and Project Hospitality.

Trivia

• McCray is of Barbadian and St. Lucian descent but traces her grandmother’s last name (Quashie) to Ghana. 
• When she was ten years old, her family moved to Longmeadow, Massachusetts where they become only the second black family in the area. Other families in the neighborhood even circulated petitions demanding them to leave.
• During a portion of her high school years, McCray was the only black student in her school and experienced a lot of racism and bullying. This became a part of the reason she began to write, using her poetry as an outlet for her anger.
• She even wrote a column for her school newspaper in which she denounced classmates for their racism.
• Asked about her sexuality, McCray has stated that she hates “labels”.
• McCray’s daughter Chiara addressed her drug use and depression in late December 2013, in a four-minute video, the mayor’s transition team released.

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