This is the latest installment of Public Streets, a biweekly urban observations series curated by Ellis Avery.
On November 8, 2016, 80 percent of New York City voters cast their ballots for Hillary Clinton. On November 9, Donald Trump’s victory, according to the New York Times, “cast a pall over the city.” Enter Matthew Chavez, the installation artist known as Levee, setting up a project called “Subway Therapy” in the long tunnel between Sixth and Seventh Avenues at 14th Street. Dressed as, Levee explains, “how you would imagine a therapist would dress,” the artist hung an Honorary PhB (Professional Human Being) Diploma on the tunnel wall, and offered pens, Post-it notes, and an exhortation to “Express Yourself.” This Thanksgiving, we give thanks for freedom of expression; here is a sampling of what New Yorkers had to say.