BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The city of Boston has a new mayor -- and for the first time, a woman and person of color will be taking the lead.
Former Boston City Council President Kim Janey became Acting Mayor of Boston on Monday night, following former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh's confirmation as U.S. Secretary of Labor.
Janey, 55, is from Roxbury and is a graduate of Reading Public Schools and Smith College. She began her career working for Massachusetts Advocates for Children, a nonprofit children's advocacy group in downtown Boston that aims to remove systemic barriers to education.
Janey subsequently won a seat on the Boston City Council in 2017 -- becoming the first woman to represent District 7 -- which includes Roxbury and parts of Dorchester, Fenway and the South End. She later became president of the council in January of 2020.
Even though Janey's role is temporary -- many Boston residents are marking the transition as a historic moment in the city's politics.
"I think Boston definitely needs a change, especially with you know everything that's gone on in the last year," one man said. "I think someone new in charge and someone representing minorities will be huge for the city."
In order to promote a smooth transition, former Mayor Walsh said he has been holding meetings and planning sessions with Janey over the past two months.
Janey will be officially sworn in on Tuesday morning. She has not yet specified if she will seek a full term in the upcoming mayoral race in November.
WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas (@JamesRojasWBZ) reports.
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Written by Rachel Armany
(Photo: Getty Images)