Chirlane McCray

My life was very compartmentalized. I went to a school that was all white, and then I went home and to my…

— Chirlane McCray

Symbols are important. It depends on how they're used.

— Chirlane McCray

Telling my story has not been easy for me. I've had to dredge up memories I would have rather forgotten. The lonely,…

— Chirlane McCray

I had never had a deep sense of belonging anywhere. I always felt I was an outsider.

— Chirlane McCray

I came out at 17.

— Chirlane McCray

When you become first lady, it's like, 'O.K., now what do you do?'

— Chirlane McCray

I was a lifeguard, camp counselor, the president of the YMCA Leaders Corps. I also took piano lessons. I was a dancer.

— Chirlane McCray

We have to think about the state of women in a more holistic way going forward. We can't be segregated by class…

— Chirlane McCray

In the 1970s, I identified as a lesbian and wrote about it. In 1991, I met the love of my life, married him.

— Chirlane McCray

It's tough to be a mother. At any age. It's tough. It's a lot of work.

— Chirlane McCray

Black women do not have as many positive images in the media as we should.

— Chirlane McCray

If you ask the right questions, you learn a lot about people.

— Chirlane McCray

I like to go to the subway and hear what people are thinking and feeling and what their concerns are. You learn…

— Chirlane McCray

I wish I had more time to read.

— Chirlane McCray

Some people are just quiet - they don't need to be talking all the time and aren't extroverted, but they're not necessarily…

— Chirlane McCray

I think that all women should consider running for office. What's happening now is just horrifying. With the people we have -…

— Chirlane McCray

I went to Wellesley College, and it was really hard for me to get a job after I graduated. I would go…

— Chirlane McCray

When you look at the damage that many of the policies that Donald Trump has proposed can do to our citizens of…

— Chirlane McCray

Pay equity matters because those dollars add up over time.

— Chirlane McCray

You can be chased home or hit or called names or spit on, and it's over. You have the memory of it,…

— Chirlane McCray

It took a long time for me to get into 'I'm taking care of kids,' and what that means.

— Chirlane McCray

It's really hard to get enough sleep, so I try to end my days by 9 P.M. so my husband and I…

— Chirlane McCray

Finding the right person can be so hard that often, when a person finally finds someone she or he is comfortable with,…

— Chirlane McCray

Labels put people in boxes, and those boxes are shaped like coffins.

— Chirlane McCray

Domestic violence is much more prevalent than people realize.

— Chirlane McCray