FDNY Assistant Commissioner Michele Maglione Resigns Following Backlash Over "Cotton Picking" Game

FDNY Assistant Commissioner Michele Maglione resigned following backlash over a controversial “cotton-ball relay” she organized at a Brooklyn summer leadership academy. The game involved mostly Black students with petroleum jelly on their faces and their hands tied behind their backs, racing to collect cotton balls — a setup many found racially insensitive due to its historical ties to slavery. While some students reportedly enjoyed the activity, FDNY recruiters and community members lodged complaints, prompting criticism from city leaders, including Mayor Eric Adams, who called the event inappropriate. Maglione was removed from her post, demoted, and ultimately chose to retire rather than face formal disciplinary action.