“We set out to correct a glaring inequity in our public spaces,” McCray told the New York Times. McCray, who’s husband Bill de Blasio is the 109th mayor of New York, said Chisholm’s time in politics encouraged more women to seek office. “I can’t think about her and what she accomplished before and after her run and not think ‘Oh, maybe I should do that too, you know?’ She really set an example, for all of us,” she said. McCray also hopes the statue, which will be completed in 2020 and placed outside the Parkside entrance of Prospect Park in Brooklyn, will continue to inspire women to get into the political arena. “I hope that putting up the statue now will encourage even more,” she said. Chisholm made history when she became the first Black woman ever elected to Congress in 1968, where she served for seven terms, from 1969 to 1983. In 1972, Chisholm launched a groundbreaking presidential campaign, championing the rights of the most vulnerable.Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm was born on this day in 1924. She always said, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” As the first Black woman elected to Congress, Shirley Chisholm paved the way for so many others. pic.twitter.com/5eCMT8oMJp
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 30, 2018
