5 things we read that made us proud to be New Yorkers this week

Though Ted Cruz first debuted it as a derisive term, for many of us in the city, "New York values" became a favorite rallying cry of the interminable campaign season. And as we slog through the endless (and necessary) post-election analysis, we can't help but feel particularly grateful for our home city this week. Below, five reads that are bolstering our resolve, and civic pride:

• If you're looking for something to believe in today, believe in New York City (Brokelyn): "Simply, New York has already moved past a lot of the issues the rest of the country is hung up on. The city created a whole municipal ID program specifically to help legitimize undocumented immigrants, a trans-inclusive bathroom policy was issued with about as much fanfare as a change in HVAC permitting rules. When someone tried to plant a bomb in Chelsea a few months ago, New York efficiently laughed it off with a derisive sneer before going about their Saturday night: Nice try buddy, but it takes a lot more to shake us. To quote a famous tweet: Don’t mess with us. We’re nuts."
• New York City will remain a place of 'tolerance,' de Blasio says (DNAinfo): "'New York believes in liberty. We stand behind Lady Liberty with open arms to welcome immigrants and refugees. We always have and we always will. New York believes in tolerance. We want to show the world that live and let live is the best policy. We embrace civil rights. We uplift diversity. We always have and we always will,' said the mayor."
• Thousands of New Yorkers share their post-election grief with sticky notes & subway therapy (Gothamist): " A rogue therapist set up shop in the 14th Street tunnel between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Armed with a few pens and hundreds of blank sticky notes, he encouraged people to share their thoughts about the presidential election and stick them on the wall for others to see. 'Because of how stressful the last couple of days were, I thought it would be nice to have something that people could do really quickly so that they could maybe get something off their chest,' Levee, the artist behind Subway Therapy told ABC 7."
• Thousands of New Yorkers protest in front of Trump Tower: 'Tiny hands can't take our rights' (Village Voice): "As the march continued near Madison Square Park, a man in a suit holding a Moët Chandon umbrella held his cellphone up to the crowds. 'Only in New York, baby!' he jeered. We wondered if we had found a Trump supporter. 'No you found someone with a fucking brain, same as all these people!' replied the man, who gave his name as Joe. 'Donald Trump will take us down the road to World War III.'"
• Ask a Native New Yorker: What do we do now? (Gothamist): "Remember, as I wrote in previous essays: New York has survived many calamities—fires, floods, terrorism, the Giuliani administration—and we're still going strong. Trump is not going to end that streak. Yes, this may be the toughest challenge our values have ever faced in Washington, but sometimes you have to take a step back before taking two steps forward. Sometimes that step back feels like a kick in the stomach or the face—I know it did to me this morning. But demographics and the long arc of justice favor our victory; we just have to be willing to bear up under this heavy load, and do what we need to do to get there."

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