The residents of Boston elected a mayor who made history nine months ago. Michelle Wu, the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, became the city’s first woman, the first person of color, the first mother, and the first millennial.
Now, she is in the news for a new reason: advocating for free public transportation as part of a bigger focus on affordability and reducing carbon emissions. In March, the city eliminated the $1.70 ticket for three bus lines that mostly serve low-income and minority communities. In response to budgetary worries, the city would use a Covid-19 assistance fund to replace $8 million in lost revenue. The weekly ridership on the first free bus line has increased by 48 percent, from 47,000 to 70,000.
Since entering city politics in 2013 as an at-large city councilor, Wu has distinguished herself as a policy-oriented individual. The Harvard Law graduate spearheaded legislation such as six weeks of paid parental leave for city employees, a ban on plastic bags, and restrictions on short-term rentals, making Wu an Airbnb target.
Personal experiences have made Wu acutely conscious of civic service inadequacies. At the age of 22, Wu put her Boston consulting job on hold and relocated to Illinois to care for her mother, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and her two younger sisters. She assumed the role of head of the household, moving her family to Boston and enrolling her sibling in public school shortly after graduating from college.
In an interview at City Hall in Boston, Wu, 37, described a vision for the city centered on addressing the climate issue.
What prompted the introduction of free public transportation?
I take the responsibility of being the first mother elected to this position very seriously, and it has given me a direct view of how big of barrier transportation can be in terms of cost, reliability, and accessibility.
Before my children were old enough to attend elementary school, they accompanied me to City Hall childcare for several years. We would board the bus, then transfer to the orange [train] line with a large double stroller containing two infants. And every choice I had to make between waiting for the bus, not knowing when it would arrive, and being extremely packed, or taking the commuter rail, which was much more dependable but cost three times as much, has influenced how I choose services now.
What is the long-term objective?
We intend to continue demonstrating that this method is effective and that this is an investment with rapid returns. So many families have told me that it has been a game-changer to not have to worry about having enough change to get to class and to know that this program is truly accessible to all. Therefore, we chose three routes that not only serve communities of color in low-income neighborhoods but also connect to planned or existing infrastructural upgrades. To demonstrate that we can provide faster, more affordable service to everyone.
Why are you leading the city with an emphasis on climate emergencies?
My oldest son, Blaze, was born during my first year on the council, which was also the warmest year ever recorded, according to numerous news articles. It was quite a burden to consider what that meant as I brought a new life into the world. When I consider what it means to offer our children and their children a chance to inherit a city and a world that they deserve in the remaining time we have, I realize that it comes down to the smallest of things. Because we know from our experience with the city government that you can accomplish great things by focusing on the details.
In northern places like Boston, planning for extreme cold is a given, and Boston has a heating standard — buildings are obliged to be heated in winter. However, as the temperature continues to rise, are you considering mandating air conditioning as well?
The vast majority of the approximately 120 school buildings in Boston were constructed before World War II. Only around 30 of them have modern HVAC systems, making temperature regulation a huge challenge in the winter, as well as in the summer and earlier in the school year as Boston’s temperature rises.
We recognize that the city government’s customary approach to providing relief during heat waves must change. Previously, cooling centers and air conditioning in community centers and basketball arenas were a primary priority during heat emergencies. We observed that fewer people were visiting these sites, and I’m certain the epidemic played a role. But even before that, the numbers had been declining. We are closely monitoring the temperatures and are in constant communication with our community leaders to determine the needs – to provide immediate relief but also to incorporate it into the city’s ongoing structural reforms.
Some neighborhoods, including Chinatown, Dorchester, East Boston, Mattapan, and Roxbury, are disproportionately affected by problems such as severe heat.
Yes, there is proven evidence of a temperature differential between some of our affluent communities and those with the fewest trees. The tree canopy is crucial to the design of livable communities. When it comes to which communities had direct access to transportation and which were neglected, there is generational environmental racism, and the effects are still felt today.
We frequently discuss the Green New Deal, but the Blue New Deal, which seeks to encourage vibrant oceans, has not received as much attention. What does that signify for Boston, given that it is part of your climate agenda?
We are a coastal city, and so much of what we say about it now is negative — that we must be concerned about flooding, or that sea-level rise is a threat and we must find ways to shift away from the ocean.
But what a gift and resource it is for us to have a direct link to the possible employment opportunities that exist there. Boston and Massachusetts are transitioning to wind energy and regenerative ocean aquaculture. Many coastal towns in Massachusetts feel considerably more connected to the ocean, the sea, and the coastline as a result of the state’s illustrious past and enduringly robust fishing sector. Rather than merely attempting to alleviate the negative effects of being a coastal city, there is so much to be gained by grabbing the advantages.
Where will all these developments eventually lead to Boston?
I am optimistic and determined that Boston will become the greenest city in the United States and a city for everybody.
What does it mean to you to be the first person of color to serve as mayor of Boston?
I spend time in our schools each week. We review at least one school, if not numerous schools, regardless of what else is happening in the city. [When I was their age], I never even considered that I could be in this capacity, let alone dreamed of it, so I hope that my being in this role expands the field of possibility for anything they may dream of becoming.
