Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the new SPARK Boston 2022-2023 board. The diverse group of 40 members will spend the next 12 months working to connect young adults to leaders in city government, city services and each other. The SPARK Boston Council will advise Mayor Wu on city policies and programs for 20-35 year olds.
“Boston’s future depends on having a community of knowledgeable and connected leaders in every generation,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This year’s SPARK Boston Council spans many cultures, languages and corners of our city, all united by a passion for civic engagement. I look forward to collaborating with new members as we work to make Boston a city for all.
SPARK Boston Council 2022-2023 members live in Boston neighborhoods and come from a wide variety of cultural and professional backgrounds. A fifth of the Council hail from Boston, while others grew up as far away as Syria, Venezuela and Jamaica. New members come from a wide range of labor industries, including public service, higher education and scientific research. Sixteen members are multilingual.
“This is a pivotal moment for SPARK Boston, as Boston’s first millennial mayor appoints its first council,” said Audrey Séraphin, director of SPARK Boston. “I’m thrilled to be working with these bright young minds to bring Boston’s largest age group together again, both virtually and in person, after a challenging two and a half years for our community.”
For the first time, new SPARK Council members will be supported by eight returning SPARK Captains, who will provide mentorship and organizational assistance critical to the continued growth and success of the program.
“I’m excited to step into SPARK next year as one of the new captains,” said a returning board member. Dianna Bronchuk of Roslindale. “I have learned and engaged with so many new opportunities in Boston through SPARK, and I look forward to introducing them to new board members in this role.”
“It’s such an honor to keep working to improve our city, especially now as captain,” said Antoine Nguyen, a permanent resident of Dorchester. “I am thrilled to help lead the new council to achieve our potential as a talented and diverse family dedicated to civic engagement.”
SPARK Boston, hosted in the Mayor’s Office of Community Engagement, is responsible for advising Mayor Wu on issues affecting millennial and Gen Z populations and working with city departments and community stakeholders to create innovative solutions. The Council meets monthly with City Hall leaders and creates free programs for their peers, including constituent resources, events highlighting ongoing city initiatives, and professional networking opportunities and social in Boston’s many neighborhoods.
More than 34% of Boston residents are between the ages of 20 and 34, according to the Boston Planning and Development Agency. Boston at a Glance 2022.
“I am honored and thrilled to be part of the SPARK Council, where I feel our voices and lived experiences will make a difference in the city’s public services and policy priorities,” said a new council member. Kiwan Sim from east Boston.”
“I am so grateful to have the opportunity to serve on the 2022-2023 Boston SPARK Board,” said Kennedy Avery, new member of Beacon Hill. “Enthusiastic and innovative young people have long been committed to improving the City, and I look forward to working with my peers to connect the innovation and energy of the City’s youth to the levers of power within the hotel. of town.”
This year, the SPARK Boston program received 110 applications for the 2022-2023 Council, demonstrating a strong and sustained interest in participation and engagement. Projects for the SPARK Boston Council 2021-2022 included the creation of the Allston-Brighton Tenants Garden Contestthe ongoing Pint with a Planner series, the Collection of household items for Haitian migrants with the IFSI, the 2021 Living and Learning Debt SurveyRat City Arts Fest and countless voter registration pop-ups and neighborhood social events.
The 2022-2023 Council includes:
- Sydney Neugebauer, Allston
- Anthony O’Neil, Allston
- Bianca Beltran, Back Bay
- Kennedy Avery, Beacon Hill
- Janine Jay, Beacon Hill
- Olivia S. Harris, Brighton
- Cristen Mathews, Brighton
- Steven Murnane, Jr., Brighton
- Christopher RockwellCharlestown
- Liza PerryCharlestown
- Abby Jamiel, Dorchester
- Brenna Galvin, Dorchester
- Alexa Monfort, Dorchester
- Yakeisha L. Gray Sinclair, Dorchester
- Tania Jaime Lopez, Dorchester
- Taufiq Dhanani, Dorchester
- Emmy Carragher, Dorchester
- Ki Wan Sim, East Boston
- Liz Cory, Fenway-Kenmore
- Ashley Garrett, Hyde Park
- Katharine Martinez, Hyde Park
- Jenn Meakem, Jamaica Plain
- Eryn-Ashlei Bailey, Jamaica Plain
- Lendsey Thicklin, Mattapan
- Hannah HoovenMission Hill
- Hannah Schur, North End
- Melissa Mazzeo, North End
- Daniel Semeniuta, Roslindale
- Melissa Beltran, Roxbury
- Sheikh Hasib, Roxbury
- Jasmine Rose, Roxbury
- Aly Madan, Roxbury
- Nohely Vargas, Roxbury
- Kyle Miller, Roxbury/Jamaica Plain
- Rafael Trujillo, seaport
- Sarah Ballinger, South Boston
- Nicholas Fils-Aime, South End
- Ihsan Kaadan, West End
- Zachary Kinnaird, West End
- Eduardo Sanchez, West Roxbury
The SPARK Council captains for the 2022-2023 term are:
- Alessandra Panares, Allston-Brighton
- Richard Meinke, Allston-Brighton
- Anthony Nguyen, Dorchester
- Kristyn Berry, Dorchester
- Mia Healy-Waldron, East Boston
- Thomas Pelkey, Jamaica Plain
- Dianna Bronchuk, Roslindale
- Caitlin Zeytoonian, South Boston
For more information, please visit boston.gov/sparkboston
Comments are closed.