"This Thanksgiving, I want to wish a blessed and reflective day to all New Yorkers. I know that this year has already seen so much hardship for so many, that the collective and individual losses which we have suffered weigh heavily upon each of us, and that the ongoing crisis is present today as many of our loved ones cannot be.
"And yet, I am thankful today. I am thankful for my loving family and friends, for my incredible team. I am thankful for the people of New York City, who have shown the depths of their kindness and empathy throughout this year, and I am thankful for the privilege to continue to serve the city as its Public Advocate.
"I am thankful for the frontline workers who have risked their safety and security, whether to give us access to healthcare in this time, or fine foods to share on this day. Today we must give thanks for their sacrifices with our own - to follow public health guidelines and forgo our traditional gatherings. I thank New Yorkers for putting each other's health and safety first.
"It is impossible to separate Thanksgiving from its origins of injustice perpetrated against Indigenous peoples, which must be recognized. At the same time, it is important to take time for personal thanks. Gratitude is an essential act, to give humble thanks for the gifts we have been given and the people we have in our lives. I have been and continue to be profoundly blessed, and I offer my gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving."