Wu draws on the strength of the past as she looks to the future in State of the City address

At a time when executive orders, political appointments and changes to government offices are hitting the news cycle at a rapid pace, the citizens of Boston are likely to have some questions. They may question how the city is faring or what’s next for the place they call home.

Nearly two weeks after her visit to Washington, D.C. to testify in front of Congress on March 19, Mayor Michelle Wu took to the stage of the MGM Music Hall to answer those questions and more during her State of the City Address.

“I went down to D.C. because Congress had some questions about how we do things here in Boston. It might have been my voice speaking into the microphone that day, but it was 700,000 voices that gave Congress their answer: This is our city. No one tells Boston how to take care of our own. Not kings, and not presidents who think they are kings. Boston was born facing down bullies,” she said.

For Wu, the way Bostonians stick together is woven into the fabric of the city.

“We are a city where the Irish coffee is strong, and our opinions are stronger. We may not always agree or see eye to eye, but at the end of the day, we are a family. If you come for one of us, you will get all of us. We are a city that knows our strength is each other. And we will defend the people we love with all that we’ve got. When the weight of the world presses down, Boston stands up,” she said.

According to Wu, that determination has helped the city in the past and will continue to do so. She took a few moments to acknowledge some achievements over the last four years.

“Four years ago, racial health disparities had deepened. Today, the Boston Public Health Commission is making progress tackling those disparities through targeted intervention on drug overdoses, infant and maternal health, and chronic disease,” she said as she thanked Health Commissioner Dr. Bisola Ojikutu and others.

She introduced new programs and announced the expansion of several others.

The city is launching a business recruitment office as a way to not only attract but also keep big businesses in Boston.

“Four years ago, businesses like Eli Lilly, SAP, Roche, LEGO, and NVIDIA called other cities home. Today, they have all chosen Boston,” she said.

The goals of the office are “to fill commercial vacancies, retain and attract talent, and continue revitalizing Downtown.”

Mayor Wu said that by next summer, there will be 1000 new homes under construction in the heart of Downtown Boston. To reach this goal, the city is expanding its office-to-residential conversion program to universities and employers so they can reactivate office buildings as dorms or workforce housing.

“We are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to building, preserving and reimagining housing all over our city,” Wu promised.

As part of the city’s housing plan, Wu introduced the Co-Purchasing Pilot Program, which allows residents to combine their purchasing power to buy multi-family homes with zero-interest loans from the city.

“In many homes — including my own — multi-generational families share the same roof.

Co-Purchasing can make buying a home more accessible, and make sharing meals and moments a built-in part of life. I grew up with thousands of miles between me and my grandparents; I knew them mostly through red envelopes at New Year’s and long-distance calls. Today, my kids get to grow up with their grandma downstairs instead of an ocean apart,” she said.

Other money-saving programs included free early education, and Boston Energy Saver which includes more than $150 million in state funding to help Boston residents upgrade their homes and lower their bills.

If you need new windows or an updated heating system, we’ll find every dollar available to get the job done,” Wu said.

Education and the arts were also big tenets of Wu’s speech. She announced a new set of advanced math programs inside Boston Public Schools as well as a focus on the Arts.

“Partnering with the Young People’s Project and the Calculus Project, we’re launching math clubs, competitions and advanced math communities,” she said.

For the Arts, Wu debuted BCYF Creates, which will double arts instruction in the city’s community centers and tout the expansion of Boston Family Days.

“Last year, 50,000 students and family members visited one of Boston’s museums for free — thousands for the very first time — through our Boston Family Days program. This year we are adding Boston’s revolutionary sites—the Paul Revere House, Old North Illuminated, Old State House, Old South Meeting House, and the USS Constitution, as well as our leading performing arts institutions: ArtsEmerson, The Boch Center, the Wheelock Family Theatre, the Huntington Theatre, Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Ballet. Thank you to our amazing partners for making this possible,” she said.

The Boch Center, one of the city’s new community partners, is excited about the chance for a whole new audience to experience what they have to offer.

“The Boch Center is thrilled to team up with Mayor Wu and the city of Boston for Boston Family Days,” shared J. Casey Soward, president & CEO of The Boch Center. “We can’t wait to open our doors and welcome BPS students and families to our historic venues for some amazing performances in the months ahead.”

Throughout her speech, Wu likened the city of Boston to a family, so it’s only fitting for her to end the night that same way.

“We are the city that leads in the storm, that stands up under pressure together and finds strength in each other. We will defend the people we love with all that we’ve got.

I couldn’t ask for more in a family,” Wu concluded.