Boston Mayor-elect Michelle Wu first woman, Asian-American to lead city

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Boston mayor-elect Michelle Wu, the first woman and the first Asian-American to hold the top political office in the city’s history, will be sworn into office on Tuesday, Nov. 16.

Wu, 36, will take office mere days after her victory over Annissa Essaibi George. She is the youngest person elected mayor of Boston in nearly a century, according to the Boston Globe.

The mayor-elect ran on a progressive platform, pledging to pursue aggressive actions to address climate change, a rent control program to address a high cost of living and a fare-free public transportation system, among other initiatives. The ambitious platform resonated with voters but drew criticism from political rivals, including Essaibi George, who argue the mayor’s office lacks the authority to order many of her proposals.

Boston Mayor-elect Michelle Wu, left, and acting Mayor Kim Janey talk with members of the Boston Chinatown Post of the American Legion following a Veterans Day parade, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Boston. Wu became Boston’s first female and Asian American mayor on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

"We don’t have to choose between generational change and keeping the streetlights on, between tackling big problems with bold solutions and filling our potholes," Wu said earlier this month following her victory.

Wu is the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants. She grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and later moved to Massachusetts to attend Harvard University. After graduating from Harvard, Wu accepted a role as a consultant at Boston Consulting Group but soon returned to Chicago to care for her ailing mother. During that time, she opened a small tea shop to support her family.

Michelle Wu speaks to supporters after winning her race for Mayor of Boston, to become the first woman and first person of color to be elected to the office, in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., November 2, 2021. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

By 2009, Wu had returned to the Boston area and enrolled in Harvard Law School, where she befriended future Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. The mayor-elect worked on Warren’s successful campaign against Republican Scott Brown in 2012.

In 2013, Wu pursued her own political ambitions by waging a successful campaign for a seat on Boston’s City Council. She served on the council from 2014 until 2021, at one point becoming the first woman of color to serve as the body’s president. She left the council to launch her mayoral campaign.

Michelle Wu celebrates takes the stage after winning her race for Mayor of Boston, in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., November 2, 2021. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

Wu’s campaign for mayor drew endorsements from several of the state’s most recognizable political figures, including Warren, Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Ayanna Pressley. When asked about the endorsement, Warren said she considered Wu to be "family," according to the New York Times.

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Wu will replace former Boston mayor Marty Walsh, who resigned from office last March to accept a role in President Biden’s Cabinet as Secretary of Labor.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.