Wu, Bok, and Livingstone Endorse Edwards

Special to The Times

Sometimes a single election can make a huge impact. On Tuesday, December 14th, there will be a special election for the State Senator who represents Beacon Hill. For someone who will take bold action on the interlocking regional issues of climate change, housing affordability, and transportation access, and for someone who will be the best partner to our Boston neighborhoods at the State House, we—Mayor Michelle Wu, Rep. Jay Livingstone, and Councilor Kenzie Bok—urge you to vote for Lydia Edwards.

Councilor Lydia Edwards represents East Boston, the North End, and Charlestown on the City Council, where she has been a remarkable colleague to Michelle and Kenzie. She has authored and led passage of a series of important pieces of legislation: reforming the Zoning Board of Appeals to make it more transparent, embedding the federal obligation to affirmatively further fair housing in our zoning code, expanding a property tax reduction for low-income homeowners, and most recently taking steps to divest the City of Boston from fossil fuel stocks. At Suffolk Downs in East Boston, she successfully fought for better environmental protections, higher labor standards, and more housing affordability. Mayor Wu has endorsed her because we urgently need her as a legislative partner at the State House.

But Lydia is also a fierce advocate for the day-to-day needs of our residents. Every budget season, she comes to Kenzie with a long list of specific projects from all the corners of her district that need Public Works repairs, an additional trash can, or the consistent attention of a street-sweeper. Given the number of state roads and state parks like the Esplanade in our district, we need that kind of block-by-block care from our State Senator as well, to partner with Jay when we’re asking state agencies to take action.

Local business leaders like Tom Kershaw have also credited Lydia for the speed and effectiveness with which she recently got a proposed Tourism Destination Marketing District passed through City Council, enabling the hotels in our area to band together and more effectively encourage tourism to downtown Boston. At the height of the pandemic, Lydia also launched the city pilot program called High Roads Kitchens to both bail out local restaurants and raise worker pay. She will be an advocate for local business and industry workers at the State House throughout this economic recovery.

Lydia is the only candidate in this race with the experience, thoughtfulness, and tenacity to get complex legislation through at the State House to tackle our most urgent issues.

When Jay met her a decade ago as opposing counsel, she impressed him with her effective advocacy for her client. She impressed even more with her advocacy leading the push for the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. Lydia and a coalition of domestic workers managed to get that bill introduced and passed in a single term—an impressive feat at the State House!

Lydia identified with the domestic workers because her mom, an Air Force veteran, also worked multiple jobs for low wages as a single mother of twin girls. Again and again throughout her career, Lydia has jumped into the fray on behalf of the most vulnerable—even learning any useful language along the way, from Portuguese to Spanish to American Sign Language. She has the heart, and the mind, and the determination that we need in our next State Senator.

As Beacon Hill’s city and state representatives, we’re proud to join with a large number of local residents supporting Lydia, like Naomi Aberly, John Achatz & Mary Farrell, Gretchen Bennett, Suzanne & John Besser, Bob Binney & Janet Veasey, Gordon Burnes & Suzie Tapson, Ania Camargo, Sharon Durkan, Muriel Finegold, Amos & Barbara Hostetter, Dan & Karen Cord Taylor, and many more. We all agree how important it is that Beacon Hill get out and vote in this election, whether by mail or at an early vote site or in-person on December 14. Early voting will be available at City Hall, the BCYF Quincy in Chinatown, and the Paris Street Community Center in East Boston on Saturday, December 4 from 11AM-7PM, on Tuesday December 7 from 12PM to 8PM, and on Thursday, December 9 from 12PM to 8PM. You can also vote early at City Hall between 9AM and 5PM any day during the week of December 5th through 10th.

Please join us in supporting Lydia Edwards for State Senate!

Mayor Michelle Wu endorsing Lydia Edwards for State Senate at Belle Isle Marsh, a fragile East Boston salt marsh in need of environmental protection.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.