Radio Personality and Entrepreneur Angela Yee Named Ambassador for The New York Public Library

AUGUST 28, 2018 – Accomplished radio personality and entrepreneur Angela Yee has been named an ambassador for The New York Public Library.

The new role for the native New Yorker and lifelong library user was unveiled this evening by Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray at their annual West Indian American and Caribbean American Heritage celebration at Gracie Mansion. Yee was the event’s 2018 honoree for her work in media and entertainment and her advocacy on various issues including mental health, financial wellness, literacy, and entrepreneurship.

As a New York Public Library ambassador, Yee will continue her work strengthening New York City, encouraging members of the public to visit their local public library branches to read, learn, and grow. The Library offers countless free services, programs, and materials for all people, including job search help, early literacy programs, technology training classes, English language and citizenship courses, and much more.

Yee, an avid reader and writer who hosts the nationally syndicated hip hop radio show The Breakfast Club and the podcast “Angela Yee’s Lip Service,” will also participate in New York Public Library events, campaigns, and programs, and is planning to host her book club­­­ at library branches across the city.

“Some of my best memories growing up in New York are the times I spent in the public library where I developed my love for reading. I learned about womanhood from Judy Blume’s “Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret” and the atrocities of racism in Maya Angelou’s  “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” I fell in love with the cadence of Shakespeare and devoured the teenage drama of Sweet Valley High. I decided in first grade that I would go to college and be an English major, which I did. There are so many programs and so much to love about your local branch, and I’m excited to become a New York Public Library Ambassador to explore that with you,” said Yee.

“Angela Yee is a remarkable person whose success as a radio personality, entrepreneur, and writer is equaled by her insatiable desire to give back to her city and its people,” said Anthony W. Marx, president of The New York Public Library. “Despite all that’s on her plate, Angela has always found the time and energy to support and advocate for wonderful causes near to her heart, and we are so grateful to be one of them. We welcome her energy and passion, and thank her for supporting the Library’s mission to make opportunity and knowledge accessible to all.”

“Public libraries help thousands of New Yorkers explore the world outside our five boroughs, something Angela Yee also does through her book club and radio show,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We are very lucky to add someone as passionate as Angela to our list of library ambassadors.”

“Angela Yee’s work as an advocate, entrepreneur and mentor sets a powerful example for our next generation of leaders,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray.  “Her experience and passion will be an invaluable asset to the New York Public Library and all who visit its locations around the City. Ms. Yee will be a tenacious ambassador for the New York Public Library and they are fortunate to have her.”

In addition to The New York Public Library, Yee­—a Brooklyn native—supports a variety of causes, including Coats for Kids, Dress for Success, Makeover Your MS, Children Making Strides Against Pediatric Cancer, and The Bowery Mission. She has received a WEEN Mission Award, the “Shirley Chisholm Woman of Distinction” Award.

The New York Public Library is a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming, and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library serves more than 18 million patrons who come through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.