Transcript: Mayor de Blasio, First Lady McCray Appear Live on WABC-TV's Virtual Live Broadcast of NYC Pride 2020

June 28, 2020

Sam Champion: Let's send it over the Kemberly, who's standing by at the parade step-off point with a very special guest, the Mayor and First Lady of New York City.

Kemberly Richardson:  Yes, I am here at 24th and 5th, and I'm here with Mayor de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray. Thank you so much for being here. Let me ask you guys, what is the focus of this year's Pride Parade? How is it different than previous years?

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Look, what's different, of course, is we all can't be together, which I miss immediately, right? One of the most joyous, positive, warm events of the entire year in New York City and it's an event filled with solidarity, filled with love, but at the same time we're going to make it happen a different way. The feeling doesn't go away just because of the coronavirus, and there's actually an even more powerful feeling of solidarity this year, in terms of the rights of LGBTQ people, but also the rights of Black people, people of color in this country – there's sense of solidarity between all communities that have had to fight and struggle together.

Richardson: Chirlane, you started the NYC Unity Project to assist LGBTQ youth, especially homeless youth. Why do you think and how has that been so important right now during these times?

First Lady Chirlane McCray: It's so key, because so many young people are not accepted by their families, they're not embraced by their families. 40 percent of our homeless youth – 40 percent of our youth who are experiencing homelessness are there because their families have either kicked them out or they've had to leave. So, the Unity Project is making sure that our young people are safe, supported, healthy. We have a comprehensive listing of resources for everything from health care, to legal services, to housing to make sure that young people know where to turn when they're under duress, and that's at nyc.gov/unityproject. We want everyone to have pride but stay inside and access all of these resources.

Richardson: Mayor de Blasio, you just touched on this a second ago, but given the climate in this country right now and what's going on recently, are there any special messages for Black members of the LGBTQIA+ community?

Mayor: Yeah. Look, I think what we're seeing all over New York City and all over this country is that Black lives matter, and we have to fight for that notion not just in words – in deeds. We have to identify the structural racism that still pervades our community, our government, our society and break it down. And one of the things the First Lady announced was a commission to identify officially – to name where institutional racism exists in New York City and how we are going to fix it and resolve it.

Richardson: Thank you so much both for being here. Happy Pride. Enjoy the day.

Mayor: Happy Pride.

First Lady McCray: Happy Pride.