David L Ryan/The Boston Globe via AP, File.
Who is Kim Janey? Kim Janey is the 55th Mayor of Boston, who is also the first woman and first Black Mayor in the city. Before she was mayor, Janey was a member of the Boston City Council since January 2018 and was elected president of the Council in January 2020. In the council, Janey mainly focused on education and social justice. Now as the Mayor, Janey’s main focus is to get the pandemic under control in Boston.
Being the first woman and first Black Mayor is a major accomplishment for Boston, and it can open up new doors to what else the city can accomplish. Jessica Webber, a Science teacher at Malden High, said that “[she] hope[s] this means that more and more women will feel inspired to run for office.” She also agrees that this is a huge step forward and thinks that it is important to have this kind of representation for young girls and young girls of color to “see themselves being reflected in positions of power.”
Yahaira Marquez, an English teacher at Malden High, expressed that “the moment that [she] became aware of Kim Janey as Acting Mayor of Boston, [she] was, admittedly surprised, and then immediately filled with a sense of pride and hope.” She adds on by saying “as a woman of color, [she] understands struggles, obstacles, and has had to live through experiences on a personal level that previous mayors would not be able to understand as they have lived lives with different opportunities and privileges.”
When first finding out about the news, it was shocking, but definitely very exciting. This could be a great opportunity for younger girls and younger girls of color to see someone that is in such a high position that represents them. Moving forward, more women and women of color could start pursuing higher positions now that they have someone to look up to and follow.
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