Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Appears Live on Hot 97

July 29, 2021

Ebro Darden: Ebro, Laura, Rosenberg. Good morning. Almost Friday, expecting some rain later here in the tri-state area, but hopefully where you are, wherever you are, tuning in, it's beautiful. Speaking of beautiful. Look at this guy. He’s got – they got them in a different office with some different flags. I've never seen this backdrop. You guys give it up one time – Mayor de Blasio.

Peter Rosenberg: Mayor de Blasio.

Laura Stylez: Mayor de Blaz –

[Applause]

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Welcome to the Bronx, Ebro.

Darden: Okay –

Mayor: All week long, we brought City Hall to the Bronx.

Darden: Tell us more about this. What's going on, I didn’t hear about this.

Mayor: This is something – I actually borrowed this from Mayor David Dinkins. When I worked for him, he did a thing where he took City Hall to different boroughs for a whole week, focused just on the issues of that borough. We’re emulating that. So, this week is all Bronx all the time. And then we'll be going through each of the boroughs, listening to people, connecting with people, solving problems, bringing all of the City Hall to the people of each borough. Grassroots.

Darden: So now, you know, the Bronx, I've been – you know, a lot is being talked about and rightfully so with the violence in the city and the gun violence. I'm sure that's top of the list in the Bronx, correct?

Mayor: Yes. And yesterday I was with an amazing group, Release the Grip, a Cure Violence group of violence interrupters. This is part of the larger movement at the Crisis Management System of grassroots organizations stopping violence before it happens. I [inaudible] everyone at Release the Grip and BronxConnect because this is the bigger solution here. Of course, policing plays a role and the right kind of policing and neighborhood policing connected to the people, but grassroots community solutions to violence are the future. And this is what we've been focusing on for more and more each year, putting more and more investment in. Now, Joe Biden used this model in New York City, this Cure Violence model and Crisis Management System, as the model for the country and is going to be funding these kinds of initiatives everywhere. And I saw it live in the Bronx yesterday, young people being engaged, positive options, that's the way forward.

Darden: And so, you know, one of the, I think, you know, at least I don't hear enough about it is okay, you have these Cure Violence organizations, they're on the ground. You've allocated money to it. The federal, state government is allocating money to it. How do we now provide jobs and opportunity for these youth so that they have something better going on than what the streets are offering them? Because I feel like that piece always seems not as tight as the funding of the grassroots organizations.

Mayor: I think you're right. That's where – I think that's where things are going to. We had 75,000 this summer, we have 75,000 summer youth employment jobs. And this is also the shape of the future. Have that strong employment option. By the way, the Cure Violence organizations themselves employ young people directly. That's, I think, a crucial part of it for folks, parents who need someplace positive for their kids. The other thing we did this summer was Summer Rising. It is 200,000 kids of all ages from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. They get culture, they get recreation, they get academic support.

Rosenberg: Nice.

Mayor: We made this universal. Any parent could know this summer – I hope this will be the future – that they have a safe place and a positive place for their kids via our public schools for this summer. So that, to me, when you say you got summer youth jobs, you've got Cure Violence, you got Summer Rising, you layer these things together. And I think another piece that I bet you and I would agree on deeply is for folks returning – we've got folks returning from prison and we need them to have positive options with [inaudible] –

Darden: Yeah –

Mayor: With folks coming back from jail, we established a system, provide re-entry planning, provide education training while you're in, provide a transitional job when you come out. We are pushing the State of New York to do the same thing for folks coming back from prison. In fact, the State Assembly passed the bill to ensure and require the State, that when folks were coming out and they’re on parole, that they actually have to plan to support them, not just dump them back in New York City, dump them in a shelter. Give them opportunity. We're pushing to get that passed to the State Senate. These are the kinds of things I think will change the whole reality. Give someone coming back job training, give them a job, and they do not get pulled back in that cycle of violence.

Darden: And I guess the next question I have for you, when – is this money that's going to these things, is this money that was already budgeted for? Is this money that is coming from the, you know, recovery act? Is this money that's, you know, going to be, you know, continued into the infrastructure bill that they took first steps on? Because I want people to understand that the federal government's financial support here is key to this, or no?

Mayor: Well now it is because when we started on all these things, we were doing a lot of it ourselves, the support for Cure Violence Movement and Crisis Management System. We were doing that, obviously, long before the stimulus. That started the first year of my administration. Summer youth employment, we've been building up every year. We were able to do a lot of this before the pandemic. The pandemic knocked us back. That's where that federal support has allowed us now to recover [inaudible] –

Darden: Okay –

Mayor: Now, it is, I hope, going to be part of how we sustain it and build it because the Biden administration, again, they are keying in on these community-based solutions to violence and is focused on giving young people summer options, things like that. So, if they do get all these bills passed and it creates an ongoing support, then we can build this thing out a lot more. And that's really the direction we need to go.

Darden: And it looks like Eric Adams is going to be taking your job soon so – and he's been pretty active throughout his history with these types of programs. So, I think he gets it to some degree, correct?

Mayor: [Inaudible], Eric. Eric is from the grassroots. Eric understands that we have to reach young people. He and I've talked about this and he believes in these community-based solutions to violence. So, I think this is the kind of thing he will embrace and deepen.

Darden: And in the areas where you've been, you know, you've had your biggest struggles, Mayor de Blasio, with fixing the houseless issue and the homeless issue and the shelter issues. Talk about, you know, some of the programs that you guys have been working on to set the city up for success around finding solutions here.

Mayor: Look, the bottom line, anyone – God forbid, anyone's homeless. And I really want people to realize so many people who became homeless in recent years, it was for economic reasons. Working families who became homeless. And so, what we've really focused on is just getting them back to permanent affordable housing. That's happened for 160,000 New Yorkers in the last eight years I've been in office. 160,000 people were able to get permanent housing. We want to keep deepening that. So, I think that effort's the right direction. I think the big piece that we've got to find even better ways to handle is street homelessness. And what I'm encouraged by is these intensive outreach efforts. We're now sending outreach workers back to the same person if it takes 10 times, 20 times, a hundred times to convince someone to come in. We found many more ways to convince people besides just persistence. If someone's on the street, a lot of times it's because they fear going into a bigger shelter. We created smaller Safe Havens. A lot of times there's something – there is one thing that someone on the street is looking for, either reconnect with family or medical care or something, then you can say, okay, we're going to get you that, but it's time to come in so we can also help you on a lot of other fronts. We see some real progress there, but that's the area I want to see deepen in the months ahead.

Darden: We have a major announcement coming. You want to – Laura, you want to hold that to the end, you know, de Blasio and his squad have put together some entertainment. Something like you know, summertime vibes. I would call it post pandemic, but we are not post pandemic yet with the way these numbers are increasing in the city and the new mask mandates. So, you guys want to do the announcement at the end de Blaz?

Mayor: Well, I want to first talk about how we get out of the pandemic and then we'll make the announcement because we made news yesterday in a big way, saying everyone who is not yet vaccinated – look, vaccination is the answer. It's the only way we defeat COVID, it's the only way to protect yourself. It's proven now. 160 million Americans – and in this city, about 70 percent of adults, over 70 percent of adults have now gotten vaccinated. That's the reason that we are actually able to see life coming back and have concerts and all the other things we love –

Stylez: How are numbers looking, Mayor?

Mayor: The numbers – look, the overall number, New York City is ahead of the country in terms of the overall impact because 71 percent of adults are vaccinated, because about 58 percent of all New Yorkers have gotten at least one dose. That's helpful. That's really positive. But we've got to go farther because until more and more people get vaccinated, this Delta variant is like a freight train coming on. This thing is very, very dangerous. So, we need people to get vaccinated. Yesterday, we announced a major new incentive, and this one is clear as a bell. Go to a City-run vaccination site, get your first vaccination shot, and you will get a $100 cash card. Period. You get $100 for showing up and getting that shot. Anyone who is ready to take care of this, extraordinary opportunity, you go to VAX4NYC.nyc.gov, VAX4NYC.nyc.gov, you can find locations. It's free, of course, to get the vaccination. You get that $100 cash card right there. You get connected to that money. We're saying to people, this is the time. This variant is dangerous. And if you're unvaccinated, it can do real harm. It can kill you.

Darden: Now, de Blaz, Laura wants to stick you up.

Mayor: [Inaudible]

Darden: Laura wants to stick you up right now. It is happening, live on the radio.

Stylez: We spoke about this earlier, Mayor, and I was like, wait a second, do you get a hundred bucks for each shot?

[Laughter]

Mayor: Laura, you're entrepreneurial.

[Laughter]

Rosenberg: And then my question is, Mayor, why – I have two questions. The first one is, why not give the $100 on the second shot so we make sure people are fully vaccinated?

Mayor: Because we got to get people in the door. It's a fair question. What we found in New York City, 95 percent of people who come for the first shot do come back for the second. If someone's gotten that first shot. They are invested. And, obviously, you know, we're telling them, every doctor in our city is saying, come on guys, this is how you save your life. You know, people are – we are losing people who are unvaccinated. We are not losing people who are vaccinated. It’s as simple as that. If you are vaccinated you will live. Every single person who is in serious trouble in our hospitals right now is unvaccinated –

Darden: If you show up for one shot and you don’t go back for the other one –

DJ Khaled: Congratulations, you played yourself.

Rosenberg: Yeah, that’s true. I mean, what’s the point –

Stylez: I mean, you might as well.

Mayor: If you don’t come back for the other one, you are harming your own health.

Rosenberg: Now, what do you say, Mayor, to people out there who are vax hesitant and a lot of it is based on lack of trust in the government. And then when they hear about something like, we’re going to give you money to get a shot that makes them feel like it’s even more suspect. Like, why do they want to give us money, what? How do you respond to that?

Mayor: I understand in some way what you’re saying, but I really don't. If we believe it is important enough to support in that way, I would think it's the other way around. You know, obviously it must matter. We're trying to do everything we can to encourage people, but let's go back to 160 million people in this country have gotten the shot. I mean, I do honestly understand people in the first months who wanted to wait and see a little bit – we're way past wait and see. And we did not have the Delta variant in the beginning. This is a terrifying variant in the sense of it is much more transmissible. It's much more dangerous. 

Darden: The viral load is more, it moves faster. It's a lot. 

Rosenberg: You can get it within like five minutes. 

Mayor: It's defeated by the vaccine. So, I mean, this is just plain, straight-up science at this point, and we don't want to lose any more people – we don't want to lose anymore. This is about families. This is about our loved ones, particularly our seniors. We don't want to lose any more people. Just get this vaccination and you keep the people in your life safe. 

Darden: You know other than the vaccination conversation, the getting back in schools in September conversation is coming up and, you know, people over 12, getting the vax and what's mandatory and not, I saw you talking about city workers are either going to need to get a mandatory vaccination or test every week. Where is that plan at? 

Mayor: That's exactly where we're at. All city workers, it’s phased in, starting with hospital workers. They'll phase in over the next few weeks. Everyone has to – if your city employee, that's almost 400,000 people, you have to either get the vaccination once, you know, done get fully vaccinated, meaning, you know, the two shots, be done with the full vaccination and you never have to test after that. Or if you are not yet vaccinated, you have to test every single weekend. It's your responsibility to get those tests, and obviously give an update on what the tests say. I believe that's going to really encourage a lot of people. We are going to keep pushing mandates of all kinds, and I'm urging the private sector to do the same. Go as far as you can go, because this is what we got to do to protect everyone. Look, here's the danger right now, besides the fact that we could lose more people we love – if we don't get this right, we're going to start going backwards in terms of restrictions and people losing jobs and having to consider shutdowns. I don't want to do any of that when I have the answer, we hold it in our hand, I was at a high school here in the Bronx, Lehman. Two young women were going to Summer Rising, they came in, they got their shot. Their parents agreed, they got their shot. We were all watching there, and it was like 15 seconds, 30 seconds – they're done. And they've all said they felt relief because they could now know they'd be with their friends, and they'd be able to participate in everything. People have to understand where this is going. If you want to participate, if you want to go to concerts, all the concerts we're announcing are for vaccinated folks only. More and more of stuff you want to do in life are going to be for vaccinated people only. If you're unvaccinated, you're going to start to be cut off. And it's not saying that happily, it's just truth, because we have to protect against this Delta variant, and anyone who wants to fully participate in the life of the city, this beautiful city, get vaccinated. 

Darden: Now, once this is FDA approved, right? Because the FDA approval is supposed to come in the next weeks or months. Do you think that'll make some people more comfortable as well? 

Mayor: I think it will help, but I think the fact is, again, with the 160 million people [inaudible], we've seen amazingly positive outcomes, particularly that the folks who've gotten vaccinated have been protected, of course, from the worst of all outcomes, death, but also even from serious illness, serious lasting impact. It's been so clear that I think that's much more important than whether it's given a permanent authorization or not. But I do agree with you, that additional designation will put up some more momentum to it. 

Darden: Well yeah, because people are – many people who are hesitant – it's a fear of something that's new, putting it in their body that hasn't been researched, and it hasn't been approved completely that, you know, there's definitely a group of people that, that is their hesitancy. It's not vaccines all the way around. It's just a new vaccine that they haven't had a long-term look at, and you know, there's a lack of there. 

Mayor: I respect that, but here's my problem with that. The alternative literally could be contracting a disease that does kill. 33,000 plus people in the city killed by this disease. You know, millions upon millions worldwide. It does kill, and it makes other people in your life vulnerable. So this theory – here's why I don't get it, and I'm kind of frustrated at this point. I get in the beginning, I really do, in the beginning people said, let's wait and see a bit. Fine. We waited and saw, and we waited and saw 160 million people. We saw the incredible positive impact of vaccine. But we also see unvaccinated people dying every single day. So, what is more valuable stopping the thing, you know, will kill you or worrying about a theoretical, even though the overwhelming majority of doctors and scientists have said, this is safe, and it has been— 

Darden: It's just trust – de Blasio, it's just trust, man. It's trust. Nobody wants to be sitting up late night when they see one of those commercials on late night where it's like, "yo, if you took the vaccine in 2021, you need a lawyer. You need to go see a doctor." That that's what the long-term effects are what I hear people are most afraid of. So, when they hear you, when they hear you talking, they're just saying, well, I'm afraid of the long-term. 

Mayor: That's beautiful, except you may not make it to the long-term if you're not vaccinated. 

Darden: I hear you man. 

Mayor: I totally appreciate the honest conversation, I do. And fear, which is unfortunately become the way of life in America. Everyone's afraid of everything at this point, and it's ridiculous. Look in the end the thing you should be afraid of is the thing that just killed a bunch of people in our own communities. We saw in our life. That's not, no one made that up. That's not late-night television. They died, and they will keep dying if they're not vaccinated. What are we talking about here? It’s really straightforward. 

Darden: Listen, the way you feel is the way many of us on this show for you. I'm just telling you what we hear. This is the real convo. 

Mayor: Okay? We heard it, we heard it, but now we've seen 160 million people get this vaccine and we've seen it save, you know, countless millions from death. Come on. There's a certain point, when you say people, we did respect your concern. We listened your concern. We understand your fear. This is not the things you're afraid of.  

Darden: And so do you believe— 

Mayor: —the thing that killed people in your own community. 

Darden: So then let's take it a step further. So, then the next phase becomes that these private – well, clearly the city, the state, the federal government's having a conversation about mandatory vaccinations. We know the military is going to have mandatory vaccinations once it's FDA approved. You see the private sector also having the legal coverage to make it mandatory for their employees. Will that become a thing? 

Mayor: I think you're going to see more and more mandates. This is where things are going. You know, as I say, we're climbing the ladder just to be more mandates ahead. The Justice Department just issued an opinion that said right now with the current authorization employers can mandate for the health and safety of their employees, and the people are their employees serve, but you're going to see more and more of this, very rapidly. So, everyone had, you know, more than half a year to make the decision. I really respect the challenges people are feeling, the fears, the questions, but now this is about protecting lives. And also really the danger of us sliding backwards to where we were last year and having to shut down. That's unacceptable. That means a huge number of people will lose their livelihood. It means that so many people will not be able to move forward, and we'll just continue to suffer the trauma of this era. We can't do that. So, mandates are what's coming. And what I'd say to people is just go get this vaccine. We're trying to make it positive incentivizing saying, show up, we're going to give you a hundred dollars right away. That's a good deal. Just get it done and protect yourself and protect the people around you. 

Rosenberg: I agree with you. 

Mayor: —the mandates are coming. And if you don't, you're also not going to be able to do a lot of things that you really want to do. 

Darden: I mean, listen, we got a major announcement today. You're announcing some concerts all around the city and you just said, these are for vaccinated people only 

Mayor: And so long as you have one shot.  

Darden: I need a drum roll. I need a drum roll, man. I need a drum roll, major announcement, timpani drums. You got some symphony timpani drums. 

Mayor: I thought this was a high-class operation.  

[Laughter] 

Darden: You can't hear the drum roll.  

Mayor: That’s more like thunder. That's more like thunder than a drumroll. 

Darden: You have terrible speakers over there, sir. 

Mayor: Alright, so listen. Yes, for vaccinated people only, but emphasizing, if you just get that first shot, we obviously want you to go get the second one. When your time comes, get that first shot, if you don't have it already, go to a City-run site, get a hundred dollars and you are then one of the people at least has an opportunity to go one of these concerts because they are going to be for folks who are vaccinated only. The announcement today, and we’re going to talk about the five boroughs later on today at 10:00. For anyone who wants to hear all the details, you can follow me on social media @NYCMayor on Twitter and Instagram. But right now, we're going to give a special exclusive.  

Darden: There we go. There we go.  

Mayor: There's a very powerful concert, a legendary concert, a legend in the making, and it will be in a mysterious place, shrouded in mystery, called Shaolin. 

Rosenberg: He loves the Shaolin. 

Darden: de Blasio’s talking that Shaolin talk. 

Stylez: Shaolin. 

Mayor: Okay, if you want to journey to this place, here is what you will be treated to. Gathering together to headline this concert, to make history: Raekwon 

Darden: The Chef. 

Stylez: The Chef. 

Mayor: And Ghostface Killah. 

Darden: Raekwon and Ghostface? 

Mayor: [Inaudible] 

Rosenberg: They're headlining in Staten Island. What's the date on that, Mayor? 

Mayor: That is Tuesday, August 17th. It is going to be a long show, and rich, rich entertainment opportunity. It starts at 4:00 pm and goes all evening. Richmond County Bank Park, right by the Staten Island Ferry. This is part of our coming week. There will be a major concert in each borough. Now, not just Raekwon and Ghostface Killah.  

Darden: Who else?  

Mayor: EPMD. 

Darden: Oh, oh. 

Stylez: Alright. 

Rosenberg: Chill, chill. 

Darden: So, what are you saying, man? What else? 

Mayor: And we have a mix of styles and artists. [inaudible] an emerging artist, We’ve got a jazz, kind of indie rock artist, [inaudible].  

Darden: Okay. 

Stylez: Okay. 

Mayor: Kool Keith.  

Darden: The legend Kool Keith. 

Rosenberg: The wacky wild Kool Keith on the set. Ultra magnetic. 

Mayor: So, there's a lot going on and this is just one of five concerts, all to celebrate the rebirth of New York City. And if you want to go and be a part of this, I will get the details out 10:00 pm on how you can get tickets, but it'd be an amazing memorable experience, a imagine a whole week, five major concerts in a week to tell people New York City is back. No one ever stops New York City. 

Darden: They call you called it homecoming, I heard you say? 

Mayor: Homecoming Week.  

Darden: There it is. So, this is the first of many. This is the Staten Island show. Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, EPMD, Kool Keith, [inaudible]. And you said August – Tuesday, August – 

Rosenberg: 17th 

Stylez: 17th. 

Darden: 17th. And then in four minutes, three minutes, you’re rolling out more shows in the other boroughs. 

Mayor: That's right. Big, big shows.  

Darden: Alright, Mayor de Blaz. Yo, de Blaz. Thanks for joining the program again. 

Stylez: Thanks, Mayor. 

Rosenberg: Thanks, Mayor. 

Mayor: Thank you guys, take care. 

Darden: Talk soon. 

Rosenberg: Later. 

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