Kim Janey enters mayoral race

Boston+Mayor+Kim+Janey+at+Hibernian+Hall+in+Roxbury.

Photo: (Mayor's Office Photo by Jeremiah Robinson)

Boston Mayor Kim Janey at Hibernian Hall in Roxbury.

Ha Ta, Editor-in-chief

Previously District 7 city councilor and city council president, Kim Janey, who was sworn in as acting mayor in March, announced she is running to seek a full term as Boston mayor.

“I am leading Boston through a lens of equity, justice, and love,” Janey said in a tweet Tuesday morning. “But I know the challenges we face will take longer than a few months to overcome. I am running for a full term as Mayor to ensure a better, stronger city for every Bostonian.” 

Her campaign also released a video featuring footage of Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Vice President Kamala Harris and past Boston mayoral candidates Tito Jackson, Charlotte Golar Richie and Mel King. 

“I’m still not used to saying this yet, but I’m Kim Janey, and I’m the 55th mayor of the city of Boston, for our city,” Janey said in the video. “It’s been a long time coming.”

In the announcement video, the acting mayor also highlighted pressing issues in the city of Boston including the housing and racial wealth gap, education and transit inequality and disparities worsened by COVID-19.

“We’ve got work to do. You’ve heard the problems. It’s a broken record,” Janey said in the video. “Affordable housing isn’t actually affordable … the median net worth for white Bostonians is $247,000, for black folks, it’s $8.”

Janey will be joining the race, as an incumbent, in a crowded field including City Councilor at-large Michelle Wu, District 4 City Councilor Andrea Campbell, City Councilor at-large Annissa Essaibi George, State Rep. Jon Santiago and John Barros, former chief of economic development for Boston.

 

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