Janey (Boston mayor)

Janey (Boston mayor)
Name	Kim Janey
Office	Acting Mayor of Boston
Term start	March 22, 2021
Term end	November 16, 2021
Predecessor	Marty Walsh
Successor	Michelle Wu
Office1	President of the Boston City Council
Term start1	January 2020
Term end1	January 2022
Birth date	1965 or 1966
Birth place	Boston, Massachusetts
Party	Democratic
Alma mater	University of Massachusetts Boston

Janey (Boston mayor) is an American politician who served as acting mayor of Boston in 2021 after the appointment of Marty Walsh as United States Secretary of Labor. A former member and president of the Boston City Council, she was the first woman and the first African American to serve as Boston's mayor, holding the office in an acting capacity during a period of transition before the 2021 Boston mayoral election. Her tenure drew attention from municipal leaders, community organizations, and state officials including Maura Healey and Charlie Baker.

Early life and education

Born and raised in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, she is the daughter of parents who worked in local Boston Public Schools and community organizations, and she was active in neighborhood institutions such as the YMCA and local civic associations. She attended Boston Latin Academy and later studied at the University of Massachusetts Boston, where she completed a degree in political science and community development programs linked to regional nonprofits. Her early career included work with the Pine Street Inn, Project Hope, and community development corporations operating in Roxbury and Mattapan, as well as roles with the Massachusetts Office for Refugees and other human services providers.

Political career

She was first elected to the Boston City Council representing District 7, which includes parts of Roxbury, Dorchester, and Jamaica Plain, after campaigning on issues raised by neighborhood organizations, tenant associations, and coalitions aligned with the AFL–CIO and local NAACP chapters. On the council she partnered with colleagues including Andrea Campbell, Michelle Wu, and Annissa Essaibi George on zoning, housing, and public safety measures, and she served on committees coordinating with municipal agencies such as the Boston Police Department and the Boston Public Health Commission. In January 2020 she was elected President of the Boston City Council, a role that positioned her in the line of succession to the mayoralty under the city's charter after the departure of an incumbent mayor. Her council work intersected with state officials from the Massachusetts Legislature and federal representatives from Massachusetts's 7th congressional district and Massachusetts's 8th congressional district.

Acting mayoralty (2021)

When Marty Walsh left the mayoralty to join the Biden administration, she became acting mayor under the terms of the Boston City Charter, assuming executive responsibilities and chairing meetings that coordinated with the Massachusetts State House and the U.S. Department of Labor. As acting mayor she occupied the Boston City Hall office and led responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in partnership with the Boston Public Health Commission, public hospitals including Boston Medical Center, and philanthropic partners such as the Barr Foundation and The Boston Foundation. Her administration worked with state-level leaders including Governor Charlie Baker and federal officials including representatives to secure vaccine distribution and economic relief for small businesses, collaborating with chambers of commerce like the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.

Policies and initiatives

During her tenure as council president and acting mayor she emphasized priorities promoted by local community groups, including affordable housing initiatives in collaboration with the Boston Planning & Development Agency, tenant protections supported by the Massachusetts Tenants Advocacy Coalition, and police reform measures advocated by activist organizations such as Black Lives Matter Boston and the Massachusetts ACLU. She advanced funding for street safety projects with the Boston Transportation Department and supported partnerships between the Boston Centers for Youth & Families and neighborhood nonprofits. Her administration issued executive orders and coordinated with agencies including the Boston Public Schools and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to expand services for families affected by the pandemic, and she engaged with regional transit authorities like the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority regarding service restoration.

2021 mayoral election

She ran in the 2021 Boston mayoral election to succeed Marty Walsh on a platform emphasizing housing affordability, public safety reform, and pandemic recovery, competing against candidates including Michelle Wu, Annissa Essaibi George, Andrea Campbell, and John Barros. Her campaign drew endorsements from local elected officials, labor groups, and community organizations, and it navigated debates hosted by civic institutions such as the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and media outlets including the Boston Globe and WBUR. In the preliminary and general election contests she faced vigorous fundraising and voter outreach efforts involving coalitions organized by community groups, neighborhood associations, and political action committees aligned with statewide figures like Maura Healey. She placed third in the general election, and Michelle Wu won the mayoralty.

Post-mayoral activities and later career

After leaving office she returned to work with nonprofit organizations, consulting with community development corporations and civic groups, and she participated in panels sponsored by academic institutions including Northeastern University, Harvard Kennedy School, and Tufts University. She remained involved in Boston civic life through boards and advisory roles connected to housing policy, public health initiatives, and workforce development programs run by locally based foundations such as The Boston Foundation and national organizations including the Urban Institute. Her post-mayoral work has included public speaking engagements, media appearances on outlets like WGBH and CNBC, and continued collaboration with elected officials in the Massachusetts Legislature and municipal partners across the Greater Boston region.

Category:People from Boston Category:Mayors of Boston Category:African-American mayors in Massachusetts