Activist groups endorse Wu
Right to the City Vote, Chinese Progressive Political Action and Mijente hold endorsement event
Three social justice organizations active in Boston’s Black, Latino and Asian communities gathered Sunday for a joint endorsement of at-large City Councilor Michelle Wu’s candidacy for mayor.
Members of the groups — Right to the City Vote, Chinese Progressive Political Action and Mijente — said Wu aligns with their policy goals, which include bringing rent control back in Boston, improving the city’s schools and backing immigrant rights.
“She has championed some of the issues that we’ve been fighting for for 30, 40 years, particularly ways to stabilize our community,” said Suzanne Lee, a longtime Chinatown activist.
The groups, all three of which backed acting Mayor Kim Janey in the preliminary, said they planned to canvass voters in Roxbury and Dorchester on Wu’s behalf following the endorsement.
While Wu enjoyed strong support from high-income white voters and white progressives in the preliminary, voters in many of the city’s predominantly Black and Latino precincts cast ballots for Janey or District 4 Councilor Andrea Campbell in the preliminary election. While the two councilors together garnered 40% of the vote, nether one made it past the preliminary.
Now, with Wu facing off against the moderate-leaning campaign of at-large Councilor Annissa Essaibi George, some of Janey and Campbell’s backers have shifted their support to Wu. Among the Black and Latino officials endorsing Wu are U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Janey, Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins, District 1 City Councilor Lydia Edwards, District 5 Councilor Ricardo Arroyo, state Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz, state Rep. Liz Miranda, Suffolk County Register of Probate Felix D. Arroyo and state Rep. Nika Elugardo.
Essaibi George, who caucused with elected officials of color on the council and has been endorsed by former Police Commissioner William Gross, has not yet received an endorsement from an elected official of color.
Speaking to the activists who assembled at 1102 Blue Hill Avenue for the endorsement, Wu contrasted her vision for progressive change with what she characterized as Essaibi George’s incremental approach to change.
“There is a stark choice on the ballot in November, a choice between a City Hall that will take on those big bold solutions, fight for what we know we deserve and need, or just continue to nibble around the edges of the status quo,” she said. “There’s a choice between safety and justice for all, accountability that truly brings our communities into the conversation, builds trust as we’re talking about safety and health, or more of the same.”
Members of the activist groups said they plan continue pushing for change in the city after the November election.
“We look forward to what happens after November because that is when the work really begins,” said Right to the City Vote member Mimi Ramos.
