With Marty Walsh moving up to become the new Secretary of Labor, Boston was in need of an acting mayor to move up into his previously held spot. Our new acting Mayor is Kim Janey, born right here in Boston, MA. Janey was in the middle of her second term as the representative of District 7 on the Boston City Council, a position she had held since 2017, when, as President of the city council, she was moved up to the mayoral position. She will continue this term until the remainder of Walsh’s term ends in January 2022. Janey has not yet said if she plans to run for re-election, so only time will tell.
Janey’s position as acting mayor is historical for Boston in more than one way. Not only is she the first woman to hold this position, she is also the first black person. Her background have made her who she is, and this shines through in all of her policies. Janey had her daughter at the age of sixteen and her experience as a teen mom drives her interest in the work of providing fair education to families. During the pandemic, she focused her work on rental relief, food access, and helping small businesses. She also brought to light the disproportionate effects that Covid-19 had on minority communities.
As mayor, Janey wants to focus on making sure that the Covid-19 vaccine is distributed in a timely manner and that both teachers and students can return to school safely. She wants to help Boston recover and to make sure that none of the minority communities are overlooked. I can’t wait to see the success and new ideas that Janey brings to our great city of Boston!