Mayor Michelle Wu and Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement Celebrate 30 Years of Boston Mayor's Youth Council

Mayor Michelle Wu and the City of Boston’s Office of Youth Engagement (OYEA) celebrated the 30-year anniversary of the Mayor’s Youth Council (MYC). Since the first Council year commenced in 1995, the MYC has empowered nearly 1,000 Boston high school students to grow in their capacity as civic leaders, represent their peers in City government, and collaborate with City officials. The anniversary event held last Wednesday at MassArt brought together notable program alumni, current Youth Councilors, and family and friends. 

Over the last three decades, Mayor’s Youth Councilors have organized youth town halls and events, engaged in service projects, and created awareness campaigns to help address challenges facing Boston’s youth. Youth Councilors have developed their leadership skills, commitment to public service, and understanding of local government.

“For the past 30 years, the City of Boston has been able to directly collaborate with our young community leaders through the Mayor’s Youth Council, giving members a platform to create the change they want to see,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I am proud to celebrate this anniversary and support all generations of changemakers of our City.”

One of the four focus areas of the Mayor’s Youth Council this year involved planning and hosting the 30-year anniversary celebration, which also served as the current cohort’s end-of-year celebration. Current Councilors received awards for their accomplishments this year from MYC staff.

“I loved the planning process for the MYC 30th,” said Youth Councilor Miracle Ebbi. “It was fun to find the right venue. I was excited to meet a lot of MYC alumni at the 30th event and to join the alumni community myself.” 

“On the planning committee, we spent a lot of time finding alumni and building our network,” said Youth Councilor Jolie Nguyen. “It was so interesting to learn about the history of MYC in the last 30 years.”

"As a former member of the Mayor’s Youth Council, it is an honor to be a part of its 30th anniversary. The Council played a critical role in helping me discover my interest in working with the City of Boston,” said City Councilor John FitzGerald. “During my time on the Mayor’s Youth Council, I met other members from all across the city that have become future colleagues and friends. The Mayor’s Youth Council is a great opportunity for youth to get exposed to public service and it was an incredible honor then and now."

"The Mayor’s Youth Council has been a launchpad for so many of Boston’s brightest young minds, including my own sister, whose experience on the Council was nothing short of transformative. I have no doubt that MYC will continue to empower young people, not only to find their voices, but to use them to shape the future of our city." said Council President Ruthzee Louijeune.

Other initiatives of the 2024-25 Council included planning and executing a series of peer-led focus groups at youth-serving community organizations around Boston to enhance the findings of OYEA’s “Youth Speaks Boston” needs assessment. In addition, Mayor’s Youth Councilors worked alongside community partners to identify impactful locations around the city for publicly-accessible vertical gardens that will grow fresh produce. The MYC “Safe Steps Committee” collaborated with the City of Boston Streets Cabinet to advocate for the creation of new crosswalks and educate their peers on social media about how to request crosswalks in their neighborhoods. 

“As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Mayor’s Youth Council, we honor three decades of unwavering commitment to amplifying the voices of Boston’s young people. This milestone reflects the powerful role youth play in shaping policies, strengthening communities, and driving meaningful civic change,” said Pedro Cruz, Executive Director of the Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement. “The City of Boston remains deeply proud to support a generation of leaders who continue to inspire and influence the future of our city.” 

Boston residents entering grades 9-12 are now invited to apply for the 2025-26 Mayor’s Youth Council by Friday, July 18, 2025. To learn more about MYC, visit boston.gov/myc.