Michelle Wu

Michelle Wu (born 1985) is an American lawyer and politician who is a member of the Boston City Council. She is the first Taiwanese American and first Asian American woman to serve on the council, as well as the second-youngest current member. From January 2016 to January 2018, she served as president of the council and was its first woman of color president.[1] In September 2020, Wu announced her candidacy for the 2021 Boston mayoral election.

Michelle Wu
President of the Boston City Council
In office
January 2016 – January 2018
Preceded byBill Linehan
Succeeded byAndrea Campbell
Member of the Boston City Council
from the at-large district
Assumed office
January 2014
Preceded byJohn R. Connolly
Felix G. Arroyo
Personal details
Born (1985-01-14) January 14, 1985
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
Conor Pewarski
​
(m. 2012)​
Children2
EducationHarvard University (BA, JD)
WebsiteCampaign website
Michelle Wu
Chinese吳弭
Hanyu PinyinWú Mǐ

Family and education

Wu was born on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, to parents who had immigrated to the United States from Taiwan[2] and is the oldest of four children.[3] Wu's first language while growing up had been Mandarin Chinese.[4] Wu's parents would ultimately divorce.[4]

Wu graduated from Barrington High School in 2003, where she was valedictorian.[5] In 2003, she was selected as a U.S. Presidential Scholar from the state of Illinois.[6] During the 2002-2003 school year, Wu was also the President of the National Junior Classical League.[7] Wu moved to the Boston area to attend college at Harvard University, where she would later also graduate from Harvard Law School in 2012.[8]

Career

After college, Wu worked as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group.[9] However, she had to leave this job after her mother became ill, moving back to Chicago to care for her mother and her two youngest siblings.[3] She started a teahouse business in order to financially support her family.[3] She would, in 2009, return to Massachusetts to obtain her J.D. from Harvard Law School.[3]

In 2010, Wu worked in Boston City Hall for Mayor Thomas M. Menino in the Office of Administration and Finance, and later as a Rappaport Fellow in Law and Public Policy under Menino's Chief of Staff Mitch Weiss.[10] As a fellow, Wu created the Restaurant Roadmap guide to opening a restaurant in Boston,[11] as well as spearheaded the Boston Food Truck Challenge which resulted in three foodtrucks opening on City Hall Plaza.[12] In 2010, Wu also graduated from Emerge Massachusetts, an intensive training program for women who aspire to seek elected office.[13] The following year, Wu worked at the Boston Medical Center-based Medical Legal Partnership, providing legal services to low-income patients.[10]

In 2012, Wu, a former student of Elizabeth Warren at Harvard Law School, worked as the Constituency Director for Warren's 2012 campaign against Scott Brown. In this role, Wu coordinated outreach to all constituency groups, including communities of color, the LGBT community, veterans, and women.[14]

City Council
Wu at the 2015 Dorcester Day Parade

Wu has been a member of the Boston City Council since January 2014, having been first elected in November 2013 and re-elected three times, most recently in November 2019.

As a City Councillor, Wu has focused on reforming the city's permitting system[15] and passed paid parental leave for Boston municipal employees.

In April 2018, Wu was targeted by Airbnb for her stance over short-term rental regulations in the city of Boston. Wu has pushed for increased restrictions, including the elimination of investor units. The short-term lodging platform accused Wu of being "aligned with big hotel interests against the interests of regular Bostonians".[16][17][18]

Wu has come into conflict with mayor Marty Walsh over his appointees to the city's Zoning Board of Appeals.[19][20]

Wu has called for the abolition of the Boston Planning & Development Agency.[20]

Wu criticized some of mayor Walsh's initiatives amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[19][20]

In 2020, Wu released plans for a Green New Deal for the city of Boston.[20]

Transportation issues

In January 2019, Wu called for free public transit across the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), saying Boston should set the example for the rest of the country, just as it did when city leaders built the country’s first park, or opened a school, or opening the country's second tax funded library. Wu has also called for local representation on the MBTA’s governing board.[20]

In the early summer of 2019, Wu led protests of MBTA fare hikes by riders complaining about inferior subway, light-rail, and bus line services.[20] Wu has argued that the MBTA should be free of a fares, writing in a January 31, 2019 Boston Globe op-ed,

Eliminating financial barriers must be one of the big ideas we explore, because geographic mobility underlies economic mobility. Access to public transit is more than just a calculus about the number of cars taken off the road. Cities that have adopted free public transportation have benefited from a surge in transit equity, with more low-income residents, seniors, and youth using transit to access opportunities. In a city and region where income inequality and racial disparities reflect our geographic segregation, cost and unreliability of public transportation adds an additional barrier for youth, people of color, and everyone who has been left out of the prosperity of our city. Removing this barrier would unleash the full potential of our workforce and talent from every neighborhood.[21]

Boston mayoral campaign
Main article: 2021 Boston mayoral election

Since at least 2019, local news sources had speculated that Wu might challenge Boston incumbent mayor Marty Walsh, if he sought reelection in 2021.[22][23] On September 7, 2020, The Boston Globe reported that, per his account, Walsh had been informed by Wu of her intent to run in 2021.[24][25] On September 15, Wu posted a video on Twitter announcing her entrance into the 2021 Boston mayoral election.[26]

Upon her entrance into the race, Wu declared she is running on a "people-powered campaign to bring new leadership to Boston's executive office".[27] She described her platform as "community-led" and focused on enhancing public education, neighborhood planning, affordable housing, transportation, and public health and safety.[28]

Incumbent mayor Marty Walsh was designated by President-elect Joe Biden to be his nominee for Secretary of Labor on January 7, 2021, changing the dynamics of the mayoral race.[29][30] On January 9, Senator Elizabeth Warren endorsed Wu for mayor.[31][32]

Endorsements

Elected officials:

  • Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren[32]
  • Watertown Town Councilor Caroline Bays
  • Quincy City Councilor Ian Cain
  • Somerville City Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen
  • Chelsea City Councilor Judith Garcia
  • Brookline Select Board Member Raul Fernandez
  • Everett City Councilor Stephanie Martins
  • Pittsfield City Councilor Helen Moon
  • Lowell City Councilor Vesna Nuon
  • Malden City Councilor Ryan O’Malley
  • Newton City Councilor Holly Ryan
  • Cambridge City Councilor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler
  • Cambridge City Councilor Quinton Zondervan[33]

Organizations:

Recognition

In March 2018, Wu was among six finalists to be honored as a “Rising Star” by EMILY's List, an influential and well-funded national group that supports female Democratic candidates.[36]

The next month, Wu was listed at number 31 in Boston magazine's "The 100 Most Influential People in Boston" list.[37]

Election results

Wu was first elected to a Boston City Council at-large seat in November 2013. She finished in second place to incumbent Ayanna Pressley;[38] the top four finishers are elected to the council. She was re-elected in November 2015, again coming in second place to Pressley.[39] She was re-elected to a third term on the council in November 2017, garnering the most votes among all at-large candidates;[40] her tally of over 65,000 votes was the most since Michael J. McCormack in November 1983. Wu was again re-elected in November 2019.[41]

Personal life

When she was still in her early 20s, Wu found herself being a caretaker her two younger sisters and her mother after her mother began to have a severe mental illness.[4]

Wu became engaged to long-time boyfriend Conor Pewarski in December 2011. He proposed to her in Cambridge Common, across from Harvard Law School, and they married in September 2012.[42] They live in Boston's Roslindale neighborhood with their two sons, Blaise (b. 2014) and Cass (b. 2017), and with her mother.[20][43][44][45]

References
  1. Encarnacao, Jack (2016-01-05). "Michelle Wu takes reins as Boston City Council president". Boston Herald. Retrieved 2016-01-05.
  2. "Women Top Boston At-Large City Councilor Race". WBUR. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  3. Liu, Samuel E. (9 November 2017). "Boston City Councilor Wu '07 Fights for Causes Close to Home | News | The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com. The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  4. Jonas, Michael (28 September 2020). "Michelle Wu's personal path to politics". CommonWealth Magazine. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  5. "After Two Years as Boston City Council President, Michelle Wu Steps Down to Focus on Policy". Boston University News Service. 24 January 2018.
  6. "2003 Presidential Scholars Program" (PDF). U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  7. Wu, Michelle. "Wu Welcomes You to Trinity" (PDF). National Junior Classical League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  8. "Michelle Wu shows promise for city's future". Boston Globe. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  9. WEISS-MEYER, AMY L. "Case Study: Consulting After College". The Crimson. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  10. "Rappaport Briefing, July 2011" (PDF). The Rappaport Center for Law and Public Service. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  11. "Restaurant Roadmap" (PDF). City of Boston. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  12. "THE BOSTON FOOD TRUCK CHALLENGE". edibleBOSTON. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  13. "Michelle Wu". Emerge America. Emerge America. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  14. "City Council Candidate Chat: Michelle Wu". The Dorchester Reporter. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  15. Meghan E., Irons (26 February 2014). "New look urged for Boston's silly old rules". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  16. Logan, Tim (2018-04-18). "Airbnb has targeted Michelle Wu. She and her supporters are not having it". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2018-04-24.
  17. Logan, Tim; Valencia, Milton (2018-04-24). "The war over Airbnb regulations in Boston keeps escalating". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2018-04-24.
  18. Buell, Spencer (2018-04-18). "Airbnb Came After Michelle Wu and Whiffed, Hard". Boston Magazine. Retrieved 2018-04-25.
  19. "Michelle Wu tells Walsh she's running for mayor next year, report says". WCVB. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  20. Valencia, Milton J. (2019-07-01). "Michelle Wu says Boston is ready for change. But is Boston ready for Michelle Wu?". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2019-07-01.
  21. Wu, Michelle (31 January 2019). "Forget fare hikes — make the T free - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  22. Bernstein, David S. (April 10, 2019). "2019 Boston City Council Race Sets Stage For 2021 Mayor's Contest". WGBH-TV. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  23. "Michelle Wu ramping up campaign spending, suggesting Boston mayoral run". Boston Herald. September 4, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  24. McDonald, Danny; Valencia, Milton J. (7 September 2020). "Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu is running for mayor, Walsh says - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Boston Globe. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  25. "Michelle Wu tells Walsh she's running for mayor next year, report says". WCVB. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  26. Valencia, Milton J. (September 15, 2020). "Michelle Wu makes it official: She's running for mayor of Boston". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  27. "Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu announces candidacy for mayor". WCVB. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  28. Bedford, Tori (15 September 2020). "Michelle Wu Declares Her Candidacy For Mayor Of Boston, Challenging Walsh". wgbh.org. WGBH-FM. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  29. "President-elect Biden Announces Additional Key Members of His Economic and Jobs Team". President-Elect Joe Biden. 2021-01-08. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  30. "Two candidates are in the race to be Boston's next mayor. More might join. | Boston.com". www.boston.com. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  31. "Endorsements | Warren Democrats". elizabethwarren.com. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  32. Warren, Elizabeth [@ewarren] (9 January 2020). "I've been proud to fight alongside Michelle over the last 7 years. She gets out and does the work that needs to be done to make a difference in people's lives. I'm thrilled to get on board the @WuTrain and endorse her run for Mayor of Boston. Join at michelleforboston.com" (Tweet) – via Twitter. |date= mismatches calculated date from |number= by two or more days (help)
  33. "Municipal Leaders from Across the State Endorse Michelle Wu's 2021 Boston Mayoral Bid | Michelle Wu for Boston". www.michelleforboston.com. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  34. "Tweet: Sunrise Boston is thrilled to announce our official endorsement of Boston City Councilor At-Large Michelle Wu in the 2021 Boston mayoral race. #mapoli #wutrain @wutrain #GND". Twitter. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  35. "I'm proud to stand with the transit workers who are fundamental to connecting our communities & economy. Thank you @OPEIU Local 453 & the Alliance of Unions at the @MBTA for your support & partnership to build an equitable recovery & make Boston a city for everyone". 12 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  36. Pindell, James (2018-03-01). "Michelle Wu a finalist for award from abortion rights group EMILY's List". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2018-06-22.
  37. David S. Bernstein, ed. (2018-04-24). "The 100 Most Influential People in Boston". Boston. Retrieved 2018-06-22.
  38. "CITY OF BOSTONMUNICIPAL ELECTION - NOVEMBER 5, 2013 CITY COUNCILLOR AT LARGE" (PDF). cityofboston.gov. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  39. "CITY OF BOSTON MUNICIPAL ELECTION - NOVEMBER 3, 2015 CITY COUNCILLOR AT LARGE" (PDF). cityofboston.gov. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  40. "CITY OF BOSTON MUNICIPAL ELECTION - NOVEMBER 7, 2017 CITY COUNCILLOR AT LARGE" (PDF). cityofboston.gov. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  41. "BOSTON MUNICIPAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 2019". boston.gov. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  42. Mallozzi, Vincent M. (2012-12-28). "On Bended Knee? Not Always: A Look Back on Some Memorable Proposals". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
  43. "Introducing baby Blaise | Michelle Wu". Retrieved 2019-07-14.
  44. daniel (2017-07-18). "Michelle Wu shares details of her new baby". Dorchester Post. Retrieved 2019-07-14.
  45. Allen, Rachael (2019-04-22). "The Next Mayor of Boston?". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2019-07-14.

Further reading
Political offices
Preceded by
Bill Linehan		 President of the Boston City Council
2016–2018		 Succeeded by
Andrea Campbell


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