September 7, 2025 • 33 mins
En este episodio crucial previo a las elecciones de Que Pasa Boston, la presentadora Gabriela Salas presenta una conversación esencial con la Alcaldesa Michelle Wu, grabada apenas días antes de que los votantes de Boston acudan a las urnas. Esta entrevista integral va más allá de los eslóganes de campaña para entregar el diálogo auténtico que los votantes necesitan para tomar decisiones informadas sobre el liderazgo de Boston.
La Alcaldesa Wu se abre sobre el historial de su administración, abordando tanto logros como desafíos con notable franqueza. Desde sus posturas controvertidas sobre políticas federales de inmigración hasta sus experiencias personales como madre trabajadora en el Ayuntamiento, proporciona perspectivas sin filtros sobre las decisiones que han definido su mandato y moldeado la trayectoria de Boston.
Este episodio explora temas críticos que afectan a cada residente de Boston:
• Crisis de vivienda asequible y soluciones innovadoras siendo implementadas
• Estrategias de seguridad pública equilibrando necesidades comunitarias con aplicación de la ley
• Iniciativas de desarrollo económico apoyando negocios y emprendedores diversos
• Políticas de inmigración y el estatus de ciudad santuario de Boston bajo presión federal
• Mejoras de infraestructura incluyendo las controvertidas expansiones de carriles para bicicletas
• Salud mental, adicción y falta de vivienda - abordando desafíos urbanos interconectados
• Prioridades educativas y estrategias de inversión comunitaria
Lo que distingue esta entrevista es el enfoque directo de Gabriela hacia preguntas difíciles, creando espacio para respuestas auténticas que revelan tanto posiciones políticas como motivaciones personales. La Alcaldesa Wu discute críticas de varios sectores comunitarios, incluyendo votantes latinos que se sienten desconectados de su administración, ofreciendo su perspectiva sobre representación y gobernanza receptiva.
La conversación también profundiza en el viaje personal de la Alcaldesa Wu como madre equilibrando servicio público con responsabilidades familiares, su filosofía sobre liderazgo durante tiempos divisivos, y su visión para el futuro de Boston como una ciudad verdaderamente inclusiva.
Mientras se acerca el Día de Elecciones, este episodio sirve como escucha esencial para votantes que buscan entender no solo lo que la Alcaldesa Wu ha logrado, sino cómo aborda la toma de decisiones, maneja críticas, y planea abordar los desafíos evolutivos de Boston.
Ya seas un votante decidido buscando entender tu elección o un ciudadano indeciso buscando claridad, esta conversación proporciona la profundidad y autenticidad que a menudo falta en el discurso político tradicional.
#AlcaldesaWu #EleccionesBoston #EspecialElectoral #EducaciónVotante #PolíticaBoston #EntrevistaAlcaldesa #QuePassaBoston #TransparenciaPolítica #LiderazgoBoston #PolíticaInmigración #CrisisVivienda #CiudadSantuario #MadresTrabajadoras #ResponsabilidadPolítica #DíaElecciones #VotoInformado #GabrielaSalas #FuturoBoston #CompromisoCívico #PolíticaLocal
Election Special: Mayor Michelle Wu’s Unfiltered Vision for Boston’s Future | Que Pasa Boston
In this crucial pre-election episode of Que Pasa Boston, host Gabriela Salas presents an essential conversation with Mayor Michelle Wu, recorded just days before Boston voters head to the polls. This comprehensive interview goes beyond campaign soundbites to deliver the authentic dialogue voters need to make informed decisions about Boston’s leadership.
Mayor Wu opens up about her administration’s record, addressing both achievements and challenges with remarkable candor. From her controversial stances on federal immigration policies to her personal experiences as a working mother in City Hall, she provides unfiltered insights into the decisions that have defined her tenure and shaped Boston’s trajectory.
This episode explores critical issues affecting every Boston resident:
• Housing affordability crisis and innovative solutions being implemented
• Public safety strategies balancing community needs with law enforcement
• Economic development initiatives supporting diverse businesses and entrepreneurs
• Immigration policies and Boston’s sanctuary city status amid federal pressure
• Infrastructure improvements including the contentious bike lane expansions
• Mental health, addiction, and homelessness - addressing interconnected urban challenges
• Education priorities and community investment strategies
What sets this interview apart is Gabriela’s direct approach to difficult questions, creating space for authentic responses that reveal both policy positions and personal motivations. Mayor Wu discusses criticism from various community sectors, including Latino voters who feel disconnected from her administration, offering her perspective on representation and re
La Alcaldesa Wu se abre sobre el historial de su administración, abordando tanto logros como desafíos con notable franqueza. Desde sus posturas controvertidas sobre políticas federales de inmigración hasta sus experiencias personales como madre trabajadora en el Ayuntamiento, proporciona perspectivas sin filtros sobre las decisiones que han definido su mandato y moldeado la trayectoria de Boston.
Este episodio explora temas críticos que afectan a cada residente de Boston:
• Crisis de vivienda asequible y soluciones innovadoras siendo implementadas
• Estrategias de seguridad pública equilibrando necesidades comunitarias con aplicación de la ley
• Iniciativas de desarrollo económico apoyando negocios y emprendedores diversos
• Políticas de inmigración y el estatus de ciudad santuario de Boston bajo presión federal
• Mejoras de infraestructura incluyendo las controvertidas expansiones de carriles para bicicletas
• Salud mental, adicción y falta de vivienda - abordando desafíos urbanos interconectados
• Prioridades educativas y estrategias de inversión comunitaria
Lo que distingue esta entrevista es el enfoque directo de Gabriela hacia preguntas difíciles, creando espacio para respuestas auténticas que revelan tanto posiciones políticas como motivaciones personales. La Alcaldesa Wu discute críticas de varios sectores comunitarios, incluyendo votantes latinos que se sienten desconectados de su administración, ofreciendo su perspectiva sobre representación y gobernanza receptiva.
La conversación también profundiza en el viaje personal de la Alcaldesa Wu como madre equilibrando servicio público con responsabilidades familiares, su filosofía sobre liderazgo durante tiempos divisivos, y su visión para el futuro de Boston como una ciudad verdaderamente inclusiva.
Mientras se acerca el Día de Elecciones, este episodio sirve como escucha esencial para votantes que buscan entender no solo lo que la Alcaldesa Wu ha logrado, sino cómo aborda la toma de decisiones, maneja críticas, y planea abordar los desafíos evolutivos de Boston.
Ya seas un votante decidido buscando entender tu elección o un ciudadano indeciso buscando claridad, esta conversación proporciona la profundidad y autenticidad que a menudo falta en el discurso político tradicional.
#AlcaldesaWu #EleccionesBoston #EspecialElectoral #EducaciónVotante #PolíticaBoston #EntrevistaAlcaldesa #QuePassaBoston #TransparenciaPolítica #LiderazgoBoston #PolíticaInmigración #CrisisVivienda #CiudadSantuario #MadresTrabajadoras #ResponsabilidadPolítica #DíaElecciones #VotoInformado #GabrielaSalas #FuturoBoston #CompromisoCívico #PolíticaLocal
Election Special: Mayor Michelle Wu’s Unfiltered Vision for Boston’s Future | Que Pasa Boston
In this crucial pre-election episode of Que Pasa Boston, host Gabriela Salas presents an essential conversation with Mayor Michelle Wu, recorded just days before Boston voters head to the polls. This comprehensive interview goes beyond campaign soundbites to deliver the authentic dialogue voters need to make informed decisions about Boston’s leadership.
Mayor Wu opens up about her administration’s record, addressing both achievements and challenges with remarkable candor. From her controversial stances on federal immigration policies to her personal experiences as a working mother in City Hall, she provides unfiltered insights into the decisions that have defined her tenure and shaped Boston’s trajectory.
This episode explores critical issues affecting every Boston resident:
• Housing affordability crisis and innovative solutions being implemented
• Public safety strategies balancing community needs with law enforcement
• Economic development initiatives supporting diverse businesses and entrepreneurs
• Immigration policies and Boston’s sanctuary city status amid federal pressure
• Infrastructure improvements including the contentious bike lane expansions
• Mental health, addiction, and homelessness - addressing interconnected urban challenges
• Education priorities and community investment strategies
What sets this interview apart is Gabriela’s direct approach to difficult questions, creating space for authentic responses that reveal both policy positions and personal motivations. Mayor Wu discusses criticism from various community sectors, including Latino voters who feel disconnected from her administration, offering her perspective on representation and re
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Get us from Austin Bim Benito.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
This is such an exciting show because today we are
here to bring you special moments and also a special
person that is representing us. She is a graduate of Harvard.
She has also become one of the stars of social
media because I see her everywhere. She is actually trending
everywhere you search.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
And today she's.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Going to tell us about the city and what her
plans are and how hard and difficult it is to
run one of the most amazing cities of the United States,
which is Boston.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Welcome Mayor Boston.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Michelle Wu Benita. And for some of you that you
don't know, Michelle actually is polylingual, right because you speak
how many languages A couple A couple couple, Benita mouchas grass,
not as meal. This is a show that brings a
(00:59):
lot of resources and tools, and today I want to
make sure that you have a way of sharing a
little bit of what people don't know and how we
can elevate ourselves as a community, how we can help
others bring their lives to the next level and also
help and support become the city that you have dream love.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
As a mayor. What is it like to be Michelle Wou.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Most of the time, it's very busy. It's the biggest thing.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
I am blessed every day to wake up in this
incredible city and get the chance to try to help
the community that has given me everything. To meet people
who are just the most amazing leaders all across our neighborhoods,
working every day, rolling up their sleeves, solving every problem
there is and finding a way to take care of
(01:51):
our community.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
I'm also a mom.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
I have three kids now, so my sons are ten
and eight and baby Mira is seven months old now,
and I live in a multi generational household, so I
am juggling in between the both generations right trying to
raise my family alongside my husband, living with my mom,
and understanding what our seniors are now living at this
(02:17):
stage of their lives. And it is a blessing every
day to know Boston and to try to fight to
make sure that we continue to stay who we are
and continue to keep moving the city forward.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
I'm so glad that you touched that topic. That you're
a mom, that you live with your mom. You know
nowadays this diverse city, we have multi generation families where
we live in places that we have to adjust financially
because it's really expensive to live in Boston.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
I don't have to tell you that.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
You know that, but as our listeners, you know we
are immigrants, we are homeowners.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
We are entrepreneurs.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
We want to know how we can help the city
and how we can make it easier for us to
navigate in such a complex environment.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
I'm going to go straight to.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
The core of this particular topic because it just happened,
It's all over the news. I want to know why
you're standing firm against Washington or you know, with all
the consequences that it can bring us as immigrants, and
with all the fear that we have in this city,
(03:27):
you know, as a diverse population going against ice, right,
what is your stand I want you to explain, as
a woman, as a mother, what your kids live here
and they're actually seeing everything that's happening, and I am
sure that all of you are actually asking that question too.
We want to know why are you so strong? Which
(03:50):
I love, by the way, because you're a strong woman, But.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Why are you doing that?
Speaker 2 (03:54):
And what are the consequences that have you thought about it?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
We are in such a.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Challenging and consequential moment in politics, in government, in history
right now. And I ran for this job as mayor
of Boston, and I ran for city council before that
because I believe in city government. I believe in the
closeness between residents and their government that you really only
(04:23):
feel when you are seeing your constituents every single day,
not talking to people through TV cameras and far away
from DC, but out in the neighborhoods, out in the streets.
And so my primary focus is always on our city
and really local issues. Are we keeping our streets clean,
Are we making sure that the schools have the resources
(04:43):
that they need. Are we creating jobs right here in
our neighborhoods for our residents. Are we ensuring that Boston
is the safest major city in the country. And so
that's always usually where my head is and where my
focus is in Boston, in our streets, head down, doing
the job. Unfortunately, more and more now what is happening
in DC is directly impacting everything that we experience in
(05:04):
the city. Our city has been under attack, whether it
is jobs in the major industries like life sciences, universities,
hospitals that this federal administration is trying to take away
the funding for or stop critical life saving cancer research,
and change all of the rules about who benefits or
it is the very, as you say, the core of
(05:25):
who we are, the identities of our community members. Where
we have now residents who have built their lives in Boston,
who have not committed any crimes or have no record whatsoever,
who have been snatched off the streets by secret police
on their way dropping their children off at school, or
trying to live their lives.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
However, some people feel, and I get a lot of
emails and calls and text messages, a lot of people
feel that you are putting us as a target, you know,
versus the because there are very few politicians, especially mayors,
that are standing up against our government.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
How do you feel about that?
Speaker 4 (06:08):
Yeah, I take my cue from our residents. And so
before I went to d C, before I spoke out
this week, when we received that letter from DC that
said you must tell us by this day how you
are changing your laws and how you are going to
basically cooperate with mass deportations, I went and I asked
our community members again, what do you want our city
(06:29):
government to say?
Speaker 3 (06:30):
What do you want us to communicate? Is it too much.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Do you believe that we should in fact take a
back seat and not say anything. And the voices of
our residents were very clear in the instructions that they
gave to me Right and Cilencio Fente oppression, and they
said it is not an option to stay silent in
the face of oppression and in the face of all
(06:52):
of the not just unjust, but unlawful actions that are
happening right now.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
And I get it.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
I grew up in an immigrant family where my parents
were very i'll say, skeptical and scared of government. That
the best thing to do is just to try to
stay out of the spotlight, keep your head down and
maybe someone else could be the focus, or maybe you
just survive one more day. And what I have seen now,
and I think what we've all experienced, is that when
(07:20):
we find the courage to speak truth to power, that
courage helps another community feel safer as well. And I've
received outreach from many other cities saying we need to
keep going and stand together, and our residents, most of all,
have told me that we need to speak out for
our own protection and our own safety. If not us,
(07:43):
if not this moment, then who and when is going
to stay.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
So how can we help keep our community safe? Because
when you say we have to stand up for our
community and actually give the tools and the resources to
our citizens and residents, how can you do that when
you're going to a federal court, right because immigration is
not in the city is going to be a federal law.
(08:08):
How do we tell our people this is the way
that you can protect yourself, or this is the way
that you should This is the guide of how to
respond to certain attacks, especially when we are on the.
Speaker 4 (08:19):
Lookout right in some ways right now, the most powerful
force is knowing the truth because there is so much
information misinformation that is being pushed out there right.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Mala informaciones information.
Speaker 4 (08:43):
Momento imja's intimidacion lasa oppression commence comienza in naradivo Falso,
and so when we hear from the federal government cities
(09:06):
that are standing up and saying that we are going
to continue following, following the desires and supporting our diverse,
welcoming communities, that we are somehow less safe because of it,
or that we are somehow doing things that are not
following the law. The first thing to know is that
(09:27):
Boston always follows the law city, state, and federal and
it is nothing in the federal law or the US
Constitution that allows for the federal government to come in
and take over local communities. It is, in fact the
opposite that is written into our laws because of Boston's history,
because our city and our country was born out of revolution,
(09:50):
out of saying we will not let an outside tyrant
come in and tell us how we take care of
our communities, our economy, our neighbors.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
This. That is why the laws that we.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Have are that.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Where you're teaching your kids at home, how is it
to be a son or a daughter of Michelle Wou
when you are talking about these topics, you know, I
mean they're very young, but they go out and they
probably get some comments, right.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
And yeah, I think there's something very both meaningful but
also a little bit it's just very heavy raising children
in this era where my kids know all of the
issues very well.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Right.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
They have studied climate change even in second grade and
fourth grade last year. They're about to start third grade
and fifth grade this year. But from very very young age,
they know of things that are scary and they have
seen with their eyes what it looks like to be
in politics and to be in government in this moment,
(10:49):
I think they are. You know, we try to find
the words to explain that to them. And that makes
sense that there are differences of opinion that you know,
we try to stand up for what's right. The other
thing about raising kids where you try to empower them
to be strong leaders, is that already at ages eight
and ten.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
They think they know everything. And therefore you have to
listen to them.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Seventeen and you'll see they know everything.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
They know everything, but at some point and I want
to make sure, like us as a community and I'm
a mother, I don't know how it was the experience.
I know how it was the experience for most of
us in our group. But Michelle, I don't know how
you do it. You're talking about your two kids that
actually they can listen and understand, but now being a
mayor having a baby, never mind being pregnant, like now
(11:36):
you have a baby and two days later you were working.
There are a lot of our listeners and our audience
that have probably these questions.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
I have it.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
I asked that question all the time.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
How do you do the mother thing and the mayor
thing and then reelection and like everything else on top
of it. You're a daughter, you're a wife. How is
it for you? How difficult? Because I had postparton depression.
I don't know if that happened to you. Probably you
didn't even have time to be depressed. How do you
(12:06):
do it?
Speaker 1 (12:07):
What is it like to bring your baby everywhere? Because
a lot of women don't have that opportunity.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Either we're working moms and we cannot bring our kids everywhere.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Or our pets right our dogs.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
I am inspired every day by the example of moms,
working parents, but especially the moms who are just getting
it done in our neighborhoods. And you know, I'm in
front of the cameras on a daily basis, and so
people see a little bit the kind the level of
juggle and balancing that that has to involve when you
(12:43):
are working and you have a family. But there are
so many families who without cameras, without the attention, are
doing the impossible of trying to make sure that they're
doing right, taking care of their kids, setting a great
exampleing hard, providing for their family, and trying to lead
(13:04):
and contribute to the community and earn that income. So
I am blessed and very privileged to have a support
system and to be able to have the options to
try to juggle how we've been juggling. My husband has
taken a step back from his career and you know
since once I became mayor and has been running all
(13:24):
over the city with me or even to d C
with me to try to, you know, to manage that
we can government think the.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
World is changing to that type of environment of social acceptance,
right because if you think about it, most of the
women are elevating their careers and their professional lives, and
they're the bread winners. Sometimes it has the head of
the household, lots of single women.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
How do you.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
How can you explain one of those mothers, like it's
okay to bring your baby with you, It's so okay
to breastfeed a'mamantarom beve alimental publico. I mean like that
takes guts because it's it's it's interesting, right for some people,
it's rare.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
There's no right way. There's no perfect way to raise
a child, is I guess, is what I want to say.
And sometimes we hold ourselves to the expectations or the
unfair standards that are held out, particularly for working parents.
Particularly for moms in society where you have to be
(14:36):
either a great, perfect mom or you have to be
either a great perfect employee, and the second that you
show that you are both of those things at the
same time, it's either unprofessional or you're not doing a
good job raising your kids or this or that, And
all those systems serve to do is to push people
out of leadership in the workforce and in fact to
(14:56):
miss out for all of us, to miss out on
the talent that is there. And so I try to
do the juggle, not because I'm trying to make a statement,
not because I'm trying to you know, prove something or
other things. I'm doing what is right for my family
in this very special time that we're very lucky to
have these options to do. When a baby is young,
(15:19):
they got to eat and yeah, but.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
How do you feel about women or parents that are
fighting for that six month time that they can become
parents and actually focus at their home.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Right, everyone should have the full range of options, that
is that they can afford to raise their families how
they want, how they want to make those choices. And
so I'm very proud that when I had my first
two kids, serving as a city councilor in fact when
my old after right after my oldest son was born
now he's ten. Now, we I authored and passed the
(15:54):
first ever paid parentally bordinance for the City of Boston
for our city workers. Now as mayor, we have expanded
that to just about all of our city workers through
collective bargaining and the contract process. But we are the
only developed country in the world that doesn't provide for
some kind of federal paid print to leave program. We
(16:16):
still pretend even once babies are born that between age
zero you know, from birth to five that somehow they're
invisible and the families are going to figure it out.
And then once you start kindergarten, then you get free kindergarten,
then you get free education. But in fact, those are
the most important years for brain development, for families to
be able to keep putting money on the table, and
(16:37):
for families to bond and grow together. So we are
fighting every day in Boston to be home for everyone.
And when I say that, I mean the safest city
in the country, but also the most family friendly city
with policies that support that.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Speaking of safetiness in safe CITs, a lot of our
community messages also come up out the bike lanes and
what the structure has become on the roads and how
it has incremented traffic. How is the infrastructure you affecting
(17:12):
us when we're driving around, How do you feel or
why did you decide to create these bike lanes? The
parking situation is tough in the city. There's no way
of growing Boston because we have the ocean right, you
can't expand that.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
So why is it that you decided to go that route?
Speaker 4 (17:33):
I'll say we have become known nationally for our safety
statistics when it comes to driving down gun violence and
homicides and crime to the lowest levels on record in Boston,
and I see my job as mayor first and foremost
is keeping our community safe. Everything else relies on that. Safety, though,
is not just about being free from violence and all
(17:56):
the things that we think about when we bring in
our police officer and community members. It's also safety on
the streets, just getting to where you need to go.
And in many cases in our city and in other cities,
we saw preventable horrible tragedies happening on the roads when
either a senior was crossing the road and it wasn't safe,
(18:18):
or a young child or someone who was riding a bike.
And so everywhere that you see something that changed on
the roadways, whether it's a speed hump or a bike
lane or some kind of other new divider, it's because
someone in the community who lived near there or who
uses that street reached out and said, I do not
(18:40):
believe my life is safe unless we make some changes.
And it's hard because the roads are used so differently
by everyone many people, and I understand this, juggling kids
and schedules. You're trying to get where You're trying to
get as fast as possible. But when you zoom down
that side street because Google Maps told you to take
this shortcut through someone's neighbor to get to where you
need to go, the people who live in that neighborhood
(19:03):
no longer feel like they can have their kids play
in their front yards because it's so dangerous when the
cards are driving so fast, so they want the cards
to go over a speed hump, have to slow down
so their kids can walk around and enjoy their childhoods.
And so it's all a balance and much of what
we have done now over the last three and a
half almost four years is continue what was first put
(19:25):
in place under Mayor Menino, laying out where the connected
routes would be to be safe for cyclists or pedestrians,
and then finishing the different links that have to happen
so that those routes can actually be safe so we
can move more people and therefore actually reduce or fixed traffic.
And we're doing everything we can so that everyone can
not just live in our city, but get around our city.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
How do you explain that getting around mass and casts
it is so tough?
Speaker 1 (19:53):
And I probably you guys feel the same way I feel.
Want it breaks my heart.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
It breaks my heart because those children or those adults
are somebody's ex husband, husbands, sons, daughters. How did we
get there? Why does it look like we haven't done anything? However,
I know because I know you've worked done it. What
can you tell our audience about Mason Cass and why
(20:19):
it's becoming Because I've seen it Seattle, horrible, Philadelphia terrible, Boston.
You see it in that area, but it's not taking
over downtown yet, right, we don't want to get to
that point.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
How are you managing it?
Speaker 2 (20:34):
What's the plan for Mason Cass How can we deal
with all these challenges.
Speaker 4 (20:39):
Whenever there's a national challenge that cities are sort of
left trying to pick up the pieces or address on
our own. It is very complicated and it's very tough.
And the opia crisis, how to deal with addiction, and
how to deal with homelessness, and how to deal with
mental health, especially when it's all combined together, that is
(21:01):
a very complicated challenge that every city is trying to address.
When I came into office four years ago, Boston had
truly a humanitarian crisis in that area. There were two
hundred plus people who had been living on the streets
for years at that point, in structures that they had built,
(21:22):
wood palettes and propane tanks. Fires that were happening because
people were just using the gas tanks and blankets. There
were violence, unsafe of course, the overdoses from drug use,
and for many years at that point the city had
basically had an area where it was sort of out
(21:45):
of sight, out of mind, you could look away. And
we decided that we were going to try to do
something about it, to create for the first time housing
with services, with a pipeline to treatment. Hundreds of people
have come in through that we no longer have encampments
and tents. The number of people who are experiencing overdoses
is down in Boston. The number of people living on
the street is down. The number of people who need
(22:07):
cooks is not down though, because it used to be
concentrated all in one area that was a little further
away from the neighborhoods. And now even though the street
counts are down and the numbers show that we've made
some important steps, it is feeling for some smaller targeted
areas in our city like it is very much closer
to where people are living, and that is not acceptable.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Right as a mom, the safety of.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
Your children begins in your home and then the moment
you open your door, and so if you see needles
on the ground, or if you're worried about whether the
park is safe or walking to home, that is not acceptable.
And I am by no means saying that we have
fixed the problem or that we should be taking any
kind of victory lap.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
We are now doubling down.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
So we have now moved past Boston having encampments, We've
created an infrastructure. We're able to take steps now that
we couldn't have taken years ago when it was over
and over again to just sweep the area, but then
everyone would come back. We are now expanded to twenty
four hours of public health, public safety and coordinated response outreach.
We are now doubling down on some of the enforcement
(23:15):
options that are available and moving people into treatment through
many different ways. We're working with local providers where now
we have beds for detos that are reserved and available
immediately with transportation immediately as opposed to waiting to find
someone to bed and then they missed out on that window.
And so we're making progress, but I know we have
(23:35):
to do more in particularly neighboring also, and probably you.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Believe the same thing. This is not only a city problem.
You have to talk private sector of pharmaceuticals. There's a
lot that comes into place there because it's a business.
When you're treating these patients, these people that have addictions,
you're moving product.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
There's much more awareness now and after some major lawsuits
that really have started to hold some of the pharmaceutical
companies accountable, there's now funds that go out to manage
at least in terms of the families who have survived
those who lost their lives to overdoses and other kinds
of impacts. So we're still very much in the middle
(24:19):
of it. But it's also difficult being the only city
in a larger area that is really stepping up because
many of the individuals who are coming and seeking shelter
and treatment. In Boston, we will always be a center
city that welcomes and tries our best to support everyone
who is in our city. But when people aren't able
to find these resources in their home communities, that does
(24:41):
put additional strain on Boston and other cities who are
stepping up.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
What can we do as a community, as residents, What
can we do to help you clean our streets? How
can we report these situations?
Speaker 1 (24:53):
How can we support the efforts that.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
You are having, Because it's very easy to point that
is very easy to say, like, oh, is the mayor's
fault when we know there's so many layers on top
of it, but oz, we need to also take accountability.
How can we support you clean our city and help
these people.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
Well, I would say I always appreciate and am grateful
for the accountability. Right my name is there on the ballot,
and this is an issue that I know is so
important to everyone and that we need to continue making
progress on, so I welcome all of the feedback from
every place. We have many opportunities for people to give
(25:35):
us the specific details and to work alongside us to
help steer these efforts, And sometimes I feel there's a
disconnect because we're often working with a small group of
neighborhood association leaders, for example, who are dedicated and know
these issues. But then if you are just if you
maybe you moved to the neighborhood more recently, or you're
not plugged into that place that you know this group
(25:56):
that's meeting every single quarter, every single month with the
Boston Police and other places, you might not know what's happening.
So we need help getting the word out come to
these meetings, get plugged in with the neighborhood associations. There
are ongoing conversations just about every way with the small
business owners, with residents in the South End and Roxbury
and other neighborhoods that have been more directly impacted.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
There are many ongoing.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
Advisory committees or task forces that are doing this work.
But we want to make sure that everybody knows how
to share the feedback because we can only take steps
forward in the right way, if we know exactly what's
happening on the ground and hearing from everyone.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Mocha ciente canne see those cucellos. There's a lot of
our community and residents that feel that they have not
been listened. Canos o t o The you know is
(27:04):
as ala saxis ala saxon es.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
No individual neamos las.
Speaker 4 (27:18):
Collaboration entre to part communian paras l solution vera ramente
and don't say most importante party, the severe al redentees
I carmener the question or action pertabien i una infrastructura
(27:50):
participants continue amente call last assocition so association, the calabar rio,
the participate in la la and kara departmento ded kwando,
(28:13):
un projecto plan casees contact, participate pres possible implemented la kara,
persona quire senso the lat differentias entre la. It's hard
(28:44):
to find that is so important, and with you know,
not everyone's sometimes we hear that it's important to be.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Anyway.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
Let me back up and say the point of our
government is for everyone's voices to steer things that we
can do by ourselves, and so feedback and being hurt
really is the most important part of our job. At
the same time, we often talk about the same problems
over and over again. But because we might not have
agreement among all of the members of our community, do
(29:16):
you stay doing nothing and watching it get wages decide?
Speaker 1 (29:20):
But it wants a piece of you.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
It's like I want to sit down with Michelle, I
want to sit with Mayor Wu. I want her to
listen to me, and they want that devoted attention. It's
very hard. I mean, I'm a businesswoman and I have
a lot of people to respond to, not not I'm
not you at all, and I can only imagine what
it is for you to be pulled in so many ways.
Speaker 4 (29:42):
Well, then, all of the leaders who are part of
our cabinet, our department heads. This is not a city
wheree is deciding any of the most important decisions alone.
We we have an entire team and that includes collaboration
(30:03):
between city government and our neighborhood associations, community partner organizations,
faith leaders. There are many ways to get involved, and
so if you have a particular interest, or if you
have a particular question, or you want to talk about
a particular project, please reach out, but also join the
ongoing organization that is there, the structures that are there
(30:27):
in our community for the conversations about everything that's happening
in our neighborhoods.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
I wish I had more time to extend this conversation
because I have so many questions for you. But before
we leave, twenty twenty six, it's such a big year.
We have so much happening. We have the World Cup
coming to Boston. You have the tall ships, the two
fifty at the anniversary of the United States. We have
(30:53):
over eighty thousand conventions coming into our city. How are
you going to manage all that infrastructure because if it's
hectic and crazy out there, I'm sure that you know
that you don't want to be stuck in traffic. How
are you going to manage that? And how our community,
all the diverse community, Latinos, African, American, Asian, everybody, how
(31:16):
can we maximize and capitalize from that opportunity because that's
a huge opportunity for us.
Speaker 4 (31:23):
Well, first, I want to say twenty twenty five is
a very important year too, So I will need to
make sure that I've asking for everyone's vote. And if
I am blessed to have the chance to continue in
this role in that year. Then it's going to be
an incredible, incredible moment for the city of Boston with
(31:44):
all of the national, international visitors and attention that will
be on the city. Many of these planning efforts are
well underway in partnership with coordinating committees and with the
state and other entities, and we've been also working We've
sat down recently with the MBTA to say how will
we move so many people. They will be serving more
(32:04):
writers than they ever have at one moment before. So
this is going to require some real investments in infrastructure,
in small business and economic development opportunities, and we're going
to ensure that our city is really reflected in the
face that we show to the world, but also the
benefits and the opportunities that will hopefully be sustained and
(32:28):
be felt long after these events are moving onto the
next city.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
Michelle, I am routing for you.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
I'm hoping that everybody has now the facts, the knowledge,
the resources to know who you are voting for. There's
an opportunity for you to learn more. Where can they
find more information about my mayor re election.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
Our website is Michelle for Boston dot com.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Thank you everybody so much for listening, for tuning in,
get us up ales and get to download that iHeart
app and select Kaipasa Boston as your favorite podcast. Don't
forget to tune in ninety seven seven and gemin Arty
four or five.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
We'll see you next week.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
With more guests, with more resources and more tools to
keep you up with a leg up and also to
give you more to get to become a better person.
Grazia's Michelle Wu Grazias, Mayor of Boston. We're very, very
honored to have you here at kipasa Bolston.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
Thank you so much. Don't forget to vote
Get us from Austin Bim Benito.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
This is such an exciting show because today we are
here to bring you special moments and also a special
person that is representing us. She is a graduate of Harvard.
She has also become one of the stars of social
media because I see her everywhere. She is actually trending
everywhere you search.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
And today she's.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Going to tell us about the city and what her
plans are and how hard and difficult it is to
run one of the most amazing cities of the United States,
which is Boston.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Welcome Mayor Boston.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Michelle Wu Benita. And for some of you that you
don't know, Michelle actually is polylingual, right because you speak
how many languages A couple A couple couple, Benita mouchas grass,
not as meal. This is a show that brings a
(00:59):
lot of resources and tools, and today I want to
make sure that you have a way of sharing a
little bit of what people don't know and how we
can elevate ourselves as a community, how we can help
others bring their lives to the next level and also
help and support become the city that you have dream love.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
As a mayor. What is it like to be Michelle Wou.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Most of the time, it's very busy. It's the biggest thing.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
I am blessed every day to wake up in this
incredible city and get the chance to try to help
the community that has given me everything. To meet people
who are just the most amazing leaders all across our neighborhoods,
working every day, rolling up their sleeves, solving every problem
there is and finding a way to take care of
(01:51):
our community.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
I'm also a mom.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
I have three kids now, so my sons are ten
and eight and baby Mira is seven months old now,
and I live in a multi generational household, so I
am juggling in between the both generations right trying to
raise my family alongside my husband, living with my mom,
and understanding what our seniors are now living at this
(02:17):
stage of their lives. And it is a blessing every
day to know Boston and to try to fight to
make sure that we continue to stay who we are
and continue to keep moving the city forward.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
I'm so glad that you touched that topic. That you're
a mom, that you live with your mom. You know
nowadays this diverse city, we have multi generation families where
we live in places that we have to adjust financially
because it's really expensive to live in Boston.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
I don't have to tell you that.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
You know that, but as our listeners, you know we
are immigrants, we are homeowners.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
We are entrepreneurs.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
We want to know how we can help the city
and how we can make it easier for us to
navigate in such a complex environment.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
I'm going to go straight to.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
The core of this particular topic because it just happened,
It's all over the news. I want to know why
you're standing firm against Washington or you know, with all
the consequences that it can bring us as immigrants, and
with all the fear that we have in this city,
(03:27):
you know, as a diverse population going against ice, right,
what is your stand I want you to explain, as
a woman, as a mother, what your kids live here
and they're actually seeing everything that's happening, and I am
sure that all of you are actually asking that question too.
We want to know why are you so strong? Which
(03:50):
I love, by the way, because you're a strong woman, But.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Why are you doing that?
Speaker 2 (03:54):
And what are the consequences that have you thought about it?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
We are in such a.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Challenging and consequential moment in politics, in government, in history
right now. And I ran for this job as mayor
of Boston, and I ran for city council before that
because I believe in city government. I believe in the
closeness between residents and their government that you really only
(04:23):
feel when you are seeing your constituents every single day,
not talking to people through TV cameras and far away
from DC, but out in the neighborhoods, out in the streets.
And so my primary focus is always on our city
and really local issues. Are we keeping our streets clean,
Are we making sure that the schools have the resources
(04:43):
that they need. Are we creating jobs right here in
our neighborhoods for our residents. Are we ensuring that Boston
is the safest major city in the country. And so
that's always usually where my head is and where my
focus is in Boston, in our streets, head down, doing
the job. Unfortunately, more and more now what is happening
in DC is directly impacting everything that we experience in
(05:04):
the city. Our city has been under attack, whether it
is jobs in the major industries like life sciences, universities,
hospitals that this federal administration is trying to take away
the funding for or stop critical life saving cancer research,
and change all of the rules about who benefits or
it is the very, as you say, the core of
(05:25):
who we are, the identities of our community members. Where
we have now residents who have built their lives in Boston,
who have not committed any crimes or have no record whatsoever,
who have been snatched off the streets by secret police
on their way dropping their children off at school, or
trying to live their lives.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
However, some people feel, and I get a lot of
emails and calls and text messages, a lot of people
feel that you are putting us as a target, you know,
versus the because there are very few politicians, especially mayors,
that are standing up against our government.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
How do you feel about that?
Speaker 4 (06:08):
Yeah, I take my cue from our residents. And so
before I went to d C, before I spoke out
this week, when we received that letter from DC that
said you must tell us by this day how you
are changing your laws and how you are going to
basically cooperate with mass deportations, I went and I asked
our community members again, what do you want our city
(06:29):
government to say?
Speaker 3 (06:30):
What do you want us to communicate? Is it too much.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Do you believe that we should in fact take a
back seat and not say anything. And the voices of
our residents were very clear in the instructions that they
gave to me Right and Cilencio Fente oppression, and they
said it is not an option to stay silent in
the face of oppression and in the face of all
(06:52):
of the not just unjust, but unlawful actions that are
happening right now.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
And I get it.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
I grew up in an immigrant family where my parents
were very i'll say, skeptical and scared of government. That
the best thing to do is just to try to
stay out of the spotlight, keep your head down and
maybe someone else could be the focus, or maybe you
just survive one more day. And what I have seen now,
and I think what we've all experienced, is that when
(07:20):
we find the courage to speak truth to power, that
courage helps another community feel safer as well. And I've
received outreach from many other cities saying we need to
keep going and stand together, and our residents, most of all,
have told me that we need to speak out for
our own protection and our own safety. If not us,
(07:43):
if not this moment, then who and when is going
to stay.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
So how can we help keep our community safe? Because
when you say we have to stand up for our
community and actually give the tools and the resources to
our citizens and residents, how can you do that when
you're going to a federal court, right because immigration is
not in the city is going to be a federal law.
(08:08):
How do we tell our people this is the way
that you can protect yourself, or this is the way
that you should This is the guide of how to
respond to certain attacks, especially when we are on the.
Speaker 4 (08:19):
Lookout right in some ways right now, the most powerful
force is knowing the truth because there is so much
information misinformation that is being pushed out there right.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Mala informaciones information.
Speaker 4 (08:43):
Momento imja's intimidacion lasa oppression commence comienza in naradivo Falso,
and so when we hear from the federal government cities
(09:06):
that are standing up and saying that we are going
to continue following, following the desires and supporting our diverse,
welcoming communities, that we are somehow less safe because of it,
or that we are somehow doing things that are not
following the law. The first thing to know is that
(09:27):
Boston always follows the law city, state, and federal and
it is nothing in the federal law or the US
Constitution that allows for the federal government to come in
and take over local communities. It is, in fact the
opposite that is written into our laws because of Boston's history,
because our city and our country was born out of revolution,
(09:50):
out of saying we will not let an outside tyrant
come in and tell us how we take care of
our communities, our economy, our neighbors.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
This. That is why the laws that we.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Have are that.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Where you're teaching your kids at home, how is it
to be a son or a daughter of Michelle Wou
when you are talking about these topics, you know, I
mean they're very young, but they go out and they
probably get some comments, right.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
And yeah, I think there's something very both meaningful but
also a little bit it's just very heavy raising children
in this era where my kids know all of the
issues very well.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Right.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
They have studied climate change even in second grade and
fourth grade last year. They're about to start third grade
and fifth grade this year. But from very very young age,
they know of things that are scary and they have
seen with their eyes what it looks like to be
in politics and to be in government in this moment,
(10:49):
I think they are. You know, we try to find
the words to explain that to them. And that makes
sense that there are differences of opinion that you know,
we try to stand up for what's right. The other
thing about raising kids where you try to empower them
to be strong leaders, is that already at ages eight
and ten.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
They think they know everything. And therefore you have to
listen to them.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Seventeen and you'll see they know everything.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
They know everything, but at some point and I want
to make sure, like us as a community and I'm
a mother, I don't know how it was the experience.
I know how it was the experience for most of
us in our group. But Michelle, I don't know how
you do it. You're talking about your two kids that
actually they can listen and understand, but now being a
mayor having a baby, never mind being pregnant, like now
(11:36):
you have a baby and two days later you were working.
There are a lot of our listeners and our audience
that have probably these questions.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
I have it.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
I asked that question all the time.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
How do you do the mother thing and the mayor
thing and then reelection and like everything else on top
of it. You're a daughter, you're a wife. How is
it for you? How difficult? Because I had postparton depression.
I don't know if that happened to you. Probably you
didn't even have time to be depressed. How do you
(12:06):
do it?
Speaker 1 (12:07):
What is it like to bring your baby everywhere? Because
a lot of women don't have that opportunity.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Either we're working moms and we cannot bring our kids everywhere.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Or our pets right our dogs.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
I am inspired every day by the example of moms,
working parents, but especially the moms who are just getting
it done in our neighborhoods. And you know, I'm in
front of the cameras on a daily basis, and so
people see a little bit the kind the level of
juggle and balancing that that has to involve when you
(12:43):
are working and you have a family. But there are
so many families who without cameras, without the attention, are
doing the impossible of trying to make sure that they're
doing right, taking care of their kids, setting a great
exampleing hard, providing for their family, and trying to lead
(13:04):
and contribute to the community and earn that income. So
I am blessed and very privileged to have a support
system and to be able to have the options to
try to juggle how we've been juggling. My husband has
taken a step back from his career and you know
since once I became mayor and has been running all
(13:24):
over the city with me or even to d C
with me to try to, you know, to manage that
we can government think the.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
World is changing to that type of environment of social acceptance,
right because if you think about it, most of the
women are elevating their careers and their professional lives, and
they're the bread winners. Sometimes it has the head of
the household, lots of single women.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
How do you.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
How can you explain one of those mothers, like it's
okay to bring your baby with you, It's so okay
to breastfeed a'mamantarom beve alimental publico. I mean like that
takes guts because it's it's it's interesting, right for some people,
it's rare.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
There's no right way. There's no perfect way to raise
a child, is I guess, is what I want to say.
And sometimes we hold ourselves to the expectations or the
unfair standards that are held out, particularly for working parents.
Particularly for moms in society where you have to be
(14:36):
either a great, perfect mom or you have to be
either a great perfect employee, and the second that you
show that you are both of those things at the
same time, it's either unprofessional or you're not doing a
good job raising your kids or this or that, And
all those systems serve to do is to push people
out of leadership in the workforce and in fact to
(14:56):
miss out for all of us, to miss out on
the talent that is there. And so I try to
do the juggle, not because I'm trying to make a statement,
not because I'm trying to you know, prove something or
other things. I'm doing what is right for my family
in this very special time that we're very lucky to
have these options to do. When a baby is young,
(15:19):
they got to eat and yeah, but.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
How do you feel about women or parents that are
fighting for that six month time that they can become
parents and actually focus at their home.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Right, everyone should have the full range of options, that
is that they can afford to raise their families how
they want, how they want to make those choices. And
so I'm very proud that when I had my first
two kids, serving as a city councilor in fact when
my old after right after my oldest son was born
now he's ten. Now, we I authored and passed the
(15:54):
first ever paid parentally bordinance for the City of Boston
for our city workers. Now as mayor, we have expanded
that to just about all of our city workers through
collective bargaining and the contract process. But we are the
only developed country in the world that doesn't provide for
some kind of federal paid print to leave program. We
(16:16):
still pretend even once babies are born that between age
zero you know, from birth to five that somehow they're
invisible and the families are going to figure it out.
And then once you start kindergarten, then you get free kindergarten,
then you get free education. But in fact, those are
the most important years for brain development, for families to
be able to keep putting money on the table, and
(16:37):
for families to bond and grow together. So we are
fighting every day in Boston to be home for everyone.
And when I say that, I mean the safest city
in the country, but also the most family friendly city
with policies that support that.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Speaking of safetiness in safe CITs, a lot of our
community messages also come up out the bike lanes and
what the structure has become on the roads and how
it has incremented traffic. How is the infrastructure you affecting
(17:12):
us when we're driving around, How do you feel or
why did you decide to create these bike lanes? The
parking situation is tough in the city. There's no way
of growing Boston because we have the ocean right, you
can't expand that.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
So why is it that you decided to go that route?
Speaker 4 (17:33):
I'll say we have become known nationally for our safety
statistics when it comes to driving down gun violence and
homicides and crime to the lowest levels on record in Boston,
and I see my job as mayor first and foremost
is keeping our community safe. Everything else relies on that. Safety, though,
is not just about being free from violence and all
(17:56):
the things that we think about when we bring in
our police officer and community members. It's also safety on
the streets, just getting to where you need to go.
And in many cases in our city and in other cities,
we saw preventable horrible tragedies happening on the roads when
either a senior was crossing the road and it wasn't safe,
(18:18):
or a young child or someone who was riding a bike.
And so everywhere that you see something that changed on
the roadways, whether it's a speed hump or a bike
lane or some kind of other new divider, it's because
someone in the community who lived near there or who
uses that street reached out and said, I do not
(18:40):
believe my life is safe unless we make some changes.
And it's hard because the roads are used so differently
by everyone many people, and I understand this, juggling kids
and schedules. You're trying to get where You're trying to
get as fast as possible. But when you zoom down
that side street because Google Maps told you to take
this shortcut through someone's neighbor to get to where you
need to go, the people who live in that neighborhood
(19:03):
no longer feel like they can have their kids play
in their front yards because it's so dangerous when the
cards are driving so fast, so they want the cards
to go over a speed hump, have to slow down
so their kids can walk around and enjoy their childhoods.
And so it's all a balance and much of what
we have done now over the last three and a
half almost four years is continue what was first put
(19:25):
in place under Mayor Menino, laying out where the connected
routes would be to be safe for cyclists or pedestrians,
and then finishing the different links that have to happen
so that those routes can actually be safe so we
can move more people and therefore actually reduce or fixed traffic.
And we're doing everything we can so that everyone can
not just live in our city, but get around our city.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
How do you explain that getting around mass and casts
it is so tough?
Speaker 1 (19:53):
And I probably you guys feel the same way I feel.
Want it breaks my heart.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
It breaks my heart because those children or those adults
are somebody's ex husband, husbands, sons, daughters. How did we
get there? Why does it look like we haven't done anything? However,
I know because I know you've worked done it. What
can you tell our audience about Mason Cass and why
(20:19):
it's becoming Because I've seen it Seattle, horrible, Philadelphia terrible, Boston.
You see it in that area, but it's not taking
over downtown yet, right, we don't want to get to
that point.
Speaker 1 (20:32):
How are you managing it?
Speaker 2 (20:34):
What's the plan for Mason Cass How can we deal
with all these challenges.
Speaker 4 (20:39):
Whenever there's a national challenge that cities are sort of
left trying to pick up the pieces or address on
our own. It is very complicated and it's very tough.
And the opia crisis, how to deal with addiction, and
how to deal with homelessness, and how to deal with
mental health, especially when it's all combined together, that is
(21:01):
a very complicated challenge that every city is trying to address.
When I came into office four years ago, Boston had
truly a humanitarian crisis in that area. There were two
hundred plus people who had been living on the streets
for years at that point, in structures that they had built,
(21:22):
wood palettes and propane tanks. Fires that were happening because
people were just using the gas tanks and blankets. There
were violence, unsafe of course, the overdoses from drug use,
and for many years at that point the city had
basically had an area where it was sort of out
(21:45):
of sight, out of mind, you could look away. And
we decided that we were going to try to do
something about it, to create for the first time housing
with services, with a pipeline to treatment. Hundreds of people
have come in through that we no longer have encampments
and tents. The number of people who are experiencing overdoses
is down in Boston. The number of people living on
the street is down. The number of people who need
(22:07):
cooks is not down though, because it used to be
concentrated all in one area that was a little further
away from the neighborhoods. And now even though the street
counts are down and the numbers show that we've made
some important steps, it is feeling for some smaller targeted
areas in our city like it is very much closer
to where people are living, and that is not acceptable.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Right as a mom, the safety of.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
Your children begins in your home and then the moment
you open your door, and so if you see needles
on the ground, or if you're worried about whether the
park is safe or walking to home, that is not acceptable.
And I am by no means saying that we have
fixed the problem or that we should be taking any
kind of victory lap.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
We are now doubling down.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
So we have now moved past Boston having encampments, We've
created an infrastructure. We're able to take steps now that
we couldn't have taken years ago when it was over
and over again to just sweep the area, but then
everyone would come back. We are now expanded to twenty
four hours of public health, public safety and coordinated response outreach.
We are now doubling down on some of the enforcement
(23:15):
options that are available and moving people into treatment through
many different ways. We're working with local providers where now
we have beds for detos that are reserved and available
immediately with transportation immediately as opposed to waiting to find
someone to bed and then they missed out on that window.
And so we're making progress, but I know we have
(23:35):
to do more in particularly neighboring also, and probably you.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Believe the same thing. This is not only a city problem.
You have to talk private sector of pharmaceuticals. There's a
lot that comes into place there because it's a business.
When you're treating these patients, these people that have addictions,
you're moving product.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
There's much more awareness now and after some major lawsuits
that really have started to hold some of the pharmaceutical
companies accountable, there's now funds that go out to manage
at least in terms of the families who have survived
those who lost their lives to overdoses and other kinds
of impacts. So we're still very much in the middle
(24:19):
of it. But it's also difficult being the only city
in a larger area that is really stepping up because
many of the individuals who are coming and seeking shelter
and treatment. In Boston, we will always be a center
city that welcomes and tries our best to support everyone
who is in our city. But when people aren't able
to find these resources in their home communities, that does
(24:41):
put additional strain on Boston and other cities who are
stepping up.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
What can we do as a community, as residents, What
can we do to help you clean our streets? How
can we report these situations?
Speaker 1 (24:53):
How can we support the efforts that.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
You are having, Because it's very easy to point that
is very easy to say, like, oh, is the mayor's
fault when we know there's so many layers on top
of it, but oz, we need to also take accountability.
How can we support you clean our city and help
these people.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
Well, I would say I always appreciate and am grateful
for the accountability. Right my name is there on the ballot,
and this is an issue that I know is so
important to everyone and that we need to continue making
progress on, so I welcome all of the feedback from
every place. We have many opportunities for people to give
(25:35):
us the specific details and to work alongside us to
help steer these efforts, And sometimes I feel there's a
disconnect because we're often working with a small group of
neighborhood association leaders, for example, who are dedicated and know
these issues. But then if you are just if you
maybe you moved to the neighborhood more recently, or you're
not plugged into that place that you know this group
(25:56):
that's meeting every single quarter, every single month with the
Boston Police and other places, you might not know what's happening.
So we need help getting the word out come to
these meetings, get plugged in with the neighborhood associations. There
are ongoing conversations just about every way with the small
business owners, with residents in the South End and Roxbury
and other neighborhoods that have been more directly impacted.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
There are many ongoing.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
Advisory committees or task forces that are doing this work.
But we want to make sure that everybody knows how
to share the feedback because we can only take steps
forward in the right way, if we know exactly what's
happening on the ground and hearing from everyone.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Mocha ciente canne see those cucellos. There's a lot of
our community and residents that feel that they have not
been listened. Canos o t o The you know is
(27:04):
as ala saxis ala saxon es.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
No individual neamos las.
Speaker 4 (27:18):
Collaboration entre to part communian paras l solution vera ramente
and don't say most importante party, the severe al redentees
I carmener the question or action pertabien i una infrastructura
(27:50):
participants continue amente call last assocition so association, the calabar rio,
the participate in la la and kara departmento ded kwando,
(28:13):
un projecto plan casees contact, participate pres possible implemented la kara,
persona quire senso the lat differentias entre la. It's hard
(28:44):
to find that is so important, and with you know,
not everyone's sometimes we hear that it's important to be.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Anyway.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
Let me back up and say the point of our
government is for everyone's voices to steer things that we
can do by ourselves, and so feedback and being hurt
really is the most important part of our job. At
the same time, we often talk about the same problems
over and over again. But because we might not have
agreement among all of the members of our community, do
(29:16):
you stay doing nothing and watching it get wages decide?
Speaker 1 (29:20):
But it wants a piece of you.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
It's like I want to sit down with Michelle, I
want to sit with Mayor Wu. I want her to
listen to me, and they want that devoted attention. It's
very hard. I mean, I'm a businesswoman and I have
a lot of people to respond to, not not I'm
not you at all, and I can only imagine what
it is for you to be pulled in so many ways.
Speaker 4 (29:42):
Well, then, all of the leaders who are part of
our cabinet, our department heads. This is not a city
wheree is deciding any of the most important decisions alone.
We we have an entire team and that includes collaboration
(30:03):
between city government and our neighborhood associations, community partner organizations,
faith leaders. There are many ways to get involved, and
so if you have a particular interest, or if you
have a particular question, or you want to talk about
a particular project, please reach out, but also join the
ongoing organization that is there, the structures that are there
(30:27):
in our community for the conversations about everything that's happening
in our neighborhoods.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
I wish I had more time to extend this conversation
because I have so many questions for you. But before
we leave, twenty twenty six, it's such a big year.
We have so much happening. We have the World Cup
coming to Boston. You have the tall ships, the two
fifty at the anniversary of the United States. We have
(30:53):
over eighty thousand conventions coming into our city. How are
you going to manage all that infrastructure because if it's
hectic and crazy out there, I'm sure that you know
that you don't want to be stuck in traffic. How
are you going to manage that? And how our community,
all the diverse community, Latinos, African, American, Asian, everybody, how
(31:16):
can we maximize and capitalize from that opportunity because that's
a huge opportunity for us.
Speaker 4 (31:23):
Well, first, I want to say twenty twenty five is
a very important year too, So I will need to
make sure that I've asking for everyone's vote. And if
I am blessed to have the chance to continue in
this role in that year. Then it's going to be
an incredible, incredible moment for the city of Boston with
(31:44):
all of the national, international visitors and attention that will
be on the city. Many of these planning efforts are
well underway in partnership with coordinating committees and with the
state and other entities, and we've been also working We've
sat down recently with the MBTA to say how will
we move so many people. They will be serving more
(32:04):
writers than they ever have at one moment before. So
this is going to require some real investments in infrastructure,
in small business and economic development opportunities, and we're going
to ensure that our city is really reflected in the
face that we show to the world, but also the
benefits and the opportunities that will hopefully be sustained and
(32:28):
be felt long after these events are moving onto the
next city.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
Michelle, I am routing for you.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
I'm hoping that everybody has now the facts, the knowledge,
the resources to know who you are voting for. There's
an opportunity for you to learn more. Where can they
find more information about my mayor re election.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
Our website is Michelle for Boston dot com.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Thank you everybody so much for listening, for tuning in,
get us up ales and get to download that iHeart
app and select Kaipasa Boston as your favorite podcast. Don't
forget to tune in ninety seven seven and gemin Arty
four or five.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
We'll see you next week.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
With more guests, with more resources and more tools to
keep you up with a leg up and also to
give you more to get to become a better person.
Grazia's Michelle Wu Grazias, Mayor of Boston. We're very, very
honored to have you here at kipasa Bolston.
Speaker 3 (33:29):
Thank you so much. Don't forget to vote
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