Michelle Wu becomes 1st woman and Asian American elected mayor of Boston

(Image credit: Allison Dinner/Getty Images)

published 3 November 2021

Michelle Wu has once again made history in Boston.

On Tuesday, the 36-year-old progressive became the first woman and person of color elected as the city's mayor. During her victory speech, Wu said it was clear that "Boston has spoken. We are ready to meet this moment. We are ready to become a Boston for everyone. We're ready to be a Boston that doesn't push people out, that welcomes all who call our city home. We're ready to be a Boston where all can afford to stay and to thrive. And yes, Boston is ready to become a Green New Deal city."

Wu's first foray into Boston politics was in 2013, when she became the first Asian American woman to serve on the Boston City Council; three years later, she became the first woman of color to serve as council president. In the mayoral race, Wu defeated fellow council member Annissa Essaibi George, who said in her concession speech that it was "no small feat" for Wu to become "the first woman, first person of color, and as an Asian American, the first elected to be mayor of Boston."

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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