Chirlane McCray
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Chirlane McCray

Building Happier Cities

In 2015, McCray, the First Lady of New York City, launched ThriveNYC, a comprehensive plan to treat mental illness and substance abuse in the city, and improve general wellness. The road map included concrete ways to stem stigma, collect more data and expand mental-­health services. After seeing tangible success at home, McCray’s model has now spread beyond the five boroughs to 185 cities in all 50 states. —Mandy Oaklander

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