Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Delivers Remarks at National Action Network's Annual Christmas Day Toy Give-Away & Community Meal for the Hungry

December 25, 2015

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Merry Christmas, everyone!

Audience: Merry Christmas!

Mayor: I want to say on behalf of Chiara, and my wife Chirlane, and my son Dante – I want to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas, a wonderful holiday season. We have a lot to be thankful for –

Audience: Yes.

Mayor: We have a lot to be thankful for, even as Rev just said – even as we fight for a better and more just society, we have so much to appreciate.

I want to express my appreciation for Reverend Sharpton and everyone involved – [inaudible] leaders of the National Action Network all over the country, everyone who’s an activist in the National Action Network, thank you for the work you do.

[Applause]

Mayor: Rev, thank you for your leadership. Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for always helping us to think about the direction we have to go in and to help them get there.

Marc Morial, thank you for what you do for this country for a more just society.

Brothers and sisters, I’ll say something very simple. First of all, I’m not always sure, in a very materialistic society that we do enough to count our blessings because our blessings are not about what our material wealth is. It’s not about what presents are under the tree. Our blessings are each other, our blessings are our family, our friends, our loved-ones.  Our blessings include everyone who is fighting for justice – every single person around this country who’s fighting for justice makes us a better people. That’s what we need to dwell on a day like this – we need to dwell on the meaning. And our blessing is the chance to share – is the chance to share.

You know, sometimes I think, if you look at the consumer culture, it’s about how can I acquire more. This day is about how can I give more – how can it be less about myself and more about others? And that’s something to cherish all year long.

So, I appreciate what Rev said, we’re moving the city forward together. So many people in this room are part of why this city has moved forward. You can’t talk about why we have addressed the broken policy of stop-and-frisk without talking about the Father’s Day march in 2011. You can’t talk about the changes that we are making if you don’t talk about the people, the activists, the grassroots who led to those changes.

So, today count your blessings that change does come when people demand it. Count your blessings that change does come when people stand up. Something we can all aspire to every day, every year.

And I am thankful for all of you. I want to express my deep appreciation and I want us to cherish, particularly, the children among us. Cherish our children.

[Applause]

I have to tell you, I’m one of the most blessed people – here’s one of my most wonderful blessings right here.

[Applause]

It’s easy to hug her now, very aero-dynamic.

[Laughter]

But, cherish our children.

I’ll finish with this – when we talk about 68,000 kids in pre-k – and that’s going to be every year from now on – we’re talking about thousands of kids who didn’t get the chance they deserve before and, now, are going to be put on that pedestal they deserve.

[Applause]

Put on that pedestal – my wife said the other day, treat our children like the precious seeds of our future they are. They are precious and its society that truly upholds our children – can be on that right track. Let’s do that every day.

God bless you all and have a wonderful Christmas.

[Applause]