- Michelle Wu on Wednesday night held a holiday party for ‘electeds of color’ – but mistakenly sent out the invitation to all 13 members of the City Council
- Wu, the first Asian American to be elected mayor of Boston, on Wednesday night defended the segregated gathering
- She said she looked forward to ‘celebrating with everyone’ at another holiday event, and said the white people had been invited in ‘an honest mistake’
Boston’s mayor on Wednesday evening held a segregated holiday party for ‘electeds of color’ – defending the gathering and insisting there would be plenty more when people of all races could get together.
Michelle Wu’s party was controversial from the start: invites were emailed to all 13 members of the city council, only for them to be rescinded from the seven white councilors 15 minutes later.
Wu on Wednesday afternoon, shortly before the party, was asked if she thought it was divisive, and replied: ‘No.’
She said that there were other opportunities for all people to celebrate together, but insisted that the ‘electeds of color’ party was an appropriate way to celebrate ‘identity and culture and heritage’ in her city.
The Boston Herald reported there were seven white council members, who were not invited – and six people of color who were.
Michelle Wu, the mayor of Boston, on Wednesday defended her ‘electeds of color’ holiday party
‘This is a group that has been in place for many, many years,’ said Wu, the first Asian American mayor of Boston.
‘We celebrate all kinds of connection and identity and culture and heritage in the city.
‘Just yesterday we hosted our official City Hall Hanukkah lighting.
‘We have had tree lightings, and we want to be a city where everyone’s identity is embraced, and that there are spaces and communities we can help support.’
She said the invitation to white people was ‘an honest mistake’, refusing to accept that dividing people by race could be offensive.
‘I think we’ve all been in the position at one point where an email went out and there was a mistake in the recipients,’ she said.
‘So there was truly just an honest mistake.
‘There are multiple ways that we celebrate with everyone. There are several parties where all the entire city council and all of our elected colleagues have been invited to.’
The 38-year-old daughter of Taiwanese immigrants said that she and her team had ‘had individual conversations with everyone, so people understand that it was truly just an honest mistake that went out in typing the email field.’
She added: ‘And I look forward to celebrating with everyone at the holiday parties that we will have beside this one as well.
‘And it is my intention that we can again be a city that lives our values and creates space for all kinds of communities to come together.’
Some of those disinvited from the party because they were white shrugged it off, while others said it was a sad state of affairs.
‘We stopped getting to know each other, and we started attacking each other,’ said Frank Baker, who is white.
He said it was part of ‘the wake’ of the pandemic, and a failure to ‘connect at the heart’.
But those invited said it was fine.
‘If there were Asian elected officials who wanted to have a party, that would be great,’ said Ruthzee Louijeune, who is black – and the first Haitian-American to serve on the council.
‘If there were Muslims who wanted to have a party, that would be great – because we are still breaking those barriers, and still trying to create a place of safety and say: you too are welcome in these hallowed chambers.’
Wu’s invitation for Wednesday’s party was sent out to all councilors in error by her aide, Denise DosSantos.
DosSantos followed up the email 15 minutes later apologizing for the invite, clarifying that it was only meant for the city’s councilors of color.
‘I wanted to apologize for my previous email regarding a Holiday Party for tomorrow,’ DosSantos, a black woman, wrote.
‘I did send that to everyone by accident, and I apologize if my email may have offended or came across as so. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused.’
There was no apology for actually planning to host a racially segregated party.
Wu (pictured in October) sparked backlash after planning a race-based Christmas party for ‘electeds of colour’
Wu’s director of City Council relations, Denise DosSantos, reportedly invited the chamber to the exclusive event by accident, and apologized for any offense caused
The move quickly divided Boston’s city council, with some saying they were not offended by the party while others questioned Wu’s judgement.
Wu was elected Mayor of Boston in November 2021, becoming the city’s first female and first Asian American mayor.
Michael McCormack, an attorney and former five-term Boston city councilor, said Wu’s hosting an exclusive party is not typical of her office, and argued former mayors Tom Menino and Ray Flynn would have invited the entire chamber.
‘The problem is that Boston and race, unfortunately, are synonymous,’ McCormack said.
‘I’m just hoping it was a mistake. It’s not something that anyone in the mayor’s office should be proud of.’
However, Wu’s spokesman Ricardo Patron said on Wednesday that the mayor was asked to host the annual party by the Electeds of Color group, and the host and location changes each year.
He said the party was just one of a number that were happening over the festive season, and Wu was planning a larger holiday party next week for all her cabinet members, city councilors and the entire legislature.
Baker said he didn’t see the additional, exclusive party as a ‘good move’ given heightened tensions in the city council, but said he was not personally offended.
The Boston City Council comprises of seven white council members and six of color. Pictured (L-R) is Brian Worrell, Kendra Lara, Sharon Durkan and Julia Mejia
(L-R) Erin Murphy, Ruthzee Louijeune, Frank Baker and Gabriela Coletta
(L-R) City Council president Ed Flynn, Ricardo Arroyo, Liz Breadon, and Michael Flaherty
Councilwoman Tania Fernandes Anderson defended Wu, saying: ‘Just like there are groups that meet based on shared interests or cultural backgrounds, it’s completely natural for elected officials of color to gather for a holiday celebration’
‘I find it unfortunate that with the temperature the way it is, that we would further that division,’ he said, adding: ‘I don’t really get offended too easily.
‘To offend me, you’re going to have to do much more than not invite me to a party.’
Others defended the move, with black city councilor Brian Worrell saying the holiday party was an example of Boston’s government reflecting ‘all kinds of specific groups.’
‘We make space and spaces for all kinds of specific groups in the city and city government,’ Worrell told the Boston Herald.
‘This is no different, and the Elected Officials of Color has been around for more than a decade.’
Worrell also reportedly said DosSantos has a good working relationship with the city council and he didn’t take offense to the way the incident unfolded.
‘As she said in her follow-up email, she meant no ill will,’ he said.
Some critics questioned Wu’s judgement as it is claimed hosting an exclusive party is not typical of her mayoral office, and the move may not have flown if carried out by former mayors such as Ray Flynn (left) and Thomas Menino (right)
The event was revealed after Mayor Wu’s director of City Council relations Denise DosSantos (pictured) accidentally invited the entire chamber instead of only ‘electeds of color’
Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, in an email to DosSantos and Wu’s team, said the email invite ‘should not offend anyone and there is absolutely no confusion.’
Feeling there were ‘no need for apologies at all’, Fernandes Anderson said: ‘Just like there are groups that meet based on shared interests or cultural backgrounds, it’s completely natural for elected officials of color to gather for a holiday celebration.’
She continued: ‘Many groups celebrate and come together in various ways, and it’s not about excluding anyone.
‘Instead, it’s about creating spaces for like-minded individuals to connect and support each other.’