FAQ

• Who cares, nobody even knows what the flag is!

Yes, it is too bad that New Yorkers don’t know their city flag. Certainly raising its profile within the city and on the global stage underlies this whole effort. A great flag is a banner to which residents and organizations can rally behind to confront the larger challenges that a city faces. Civic pride is the grease in the wheels of government, making governance both smoother and faster.

• This is woke! You are erasing history!

History is both messy and still ongoing. What New York City means to those who live here and raise families here changes with time, and what symbols might collectively unite them too, can change. There are also options to still highlight Dutch or Lenape heritage in ways that are both less reductive and more visually appealing than we currently do. The flag of the city of Amsterdam, with its three X's, is iconic and beloved by its citizens, while flags of different Lenape groups often feature their turtle, wolf, or turkey clan symbols, or the Masked Being face.

Additionally, the Manhattan Borough flag is nearly identical to the current New York City flag, merely with the text “Borough of Manhattan” and the date “November 1, 1683" to differentiate it. While Manhattan residents should strongly consider whether their borough flag still represents them and their borough, this effort is focused on the overall city flag.

• This will cost time and money, what about crime, poverty, and hunger?

Step one, simply removing the seal, is intended to be at no cost to New Yorkers. City agencies typically replace outdoor flags every year from within their own budgets as those flags wear out over the city's four seasons. The suggestion is that these replacements would simply omit the seal, which should save a small amount in the printing and manufacturing of said flags. Step two would be run through a non-profit to bring to the city council vetted and popular proposals for what the future New York City flag could look like.

Beyond that, raising the civic pride New Yorkers have for their city is beneficial in reducing anti-social crime and behavior. Harvard University sociology researcher Robert J. Sampson has demonstrated in his work that when residents feel a strong attachment to their city and trust their neighbors, they are far more likely to intervene in physical disorder and anti-social behavior, which directly correlates to a drop in violent crime. An amazing flag can help us be proud of our city and keep it awesome.

• So what should the flag be?

Glad you asked, there have been plenty of proposals over the years. We have a library of those collected, and would love your input. Ultimately, we want a widely supported design that makes New Yorkers proud to stand behind.

• I think the flag should have a pizza rat!

Super, send your thoughts and designs to ideas@changetheflag.nyc.