Editor's Note: In November of 2018, Ayanna Pressley became Massachusetts'聽first African American woman elected to Congress.
Boston City Councilwoman Ayanna Pressley (left) and 精东影业SSW Professor Tiziana Dearing
As the first African American woman to serve in the 106-year history of the Boston City Council,聽聽has broken down previously insurmountable walls along the road to success. As a survivor of sexual abuse and assault who has publicly shared her story of resilience, she provides a beacon of hope to many who suffer. As a public servant steadfastly devoted to solving some of the intractable problems of the people of Boston, she is a fierce proponent of social justice.
Each of these realities, in addition to the multitude of traits she brings with her to her office, help to form the portrait of an individual worth celebrating. This past month, the Boston College School of Social Work provided the forum to do just this, inviting Pressley to provide the keynote address at this year鈥檚 Diversity Conference.
The theme of the conference, not surprisingly, was 鈥淧owerful Women鈥� and early in her talk, Pressley acknowledged that she was 鈥渉umbled that you would think I am a powerful woman.鈥� She credited her mother with instilling in her the values and the strength to find success in her own life.
鈥淢y mother made sure that I knew early on that I knew my rights and my responsibilities, and that I was never denied or deprived of any opportunities,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e often felt like it was my mother and I against the world. There were many times when we felt invisible, or silenced鈥� But on Election Day, I felt powerful. Even at three years old, four years old, five years old, as we entered the election booth and pulled that curtain, she made sure that I knew that our voices mattered鈥� But also鈥� that I had a role to play advocating for safer streets, better schools, and better jobs. So聽迟丑补迟听powerful woman,聽, 鈥� she crystallized that pathway of public service.鈥�
Pressley and 精东影业SSW Dean Gautam Yadama
Today, Pressley carries on the vision provided to her by her mother at an early age, as she remains committed to ensuring that a diversity of voices are heard in the city of Boston, working on issues that matter to the underrepresented. She chairs the聽, which she created in 2010; she has supported efforts to diversify economic and wealth building opportunities for women and people of color; and she has fought tirelessly to strengthen support services for families of homicide victims and sexual assault survivors. In 2013, she formed the聽聽coalition to ensure issues uniquely impacting women and girls and the LGBTQ community were part of the 2013 Boston mayoral race debate.
鈥淒iversity is not about some contrived moment of kumbaya where we pat ourselves on the back about how progressive we are,鈥� said Pressley. 鈥� It鈥檚 not a bumper sticker. It鈥檚 not a motto. It鈥檚 an actualized value. It is the recognition that we are strengthened by a diversity of perspective, a diversity of opinion, a diversity of thought, and so when your government bodies have not achieved gender and racial parity that means that you鈥檙e only seeing one side of the story, so the issues that you work on are compromised, and the innovative solutions that you can come up with, are also compromised.鈥�
Pressley underscored the importance of this kind of collective fellowship being important in the current political climate, now more than ever, as imminent threats to our nation鈥檚 democracy challenge a community of mindful individuals to fight, together, to preserve our nation鈥檚 institutions.
鈥淭he only path forward is to create spaces to heal, and then to be intentional鈥� lifting as we climb.鈥�
But she encouraged a next generation of leaders to worry less about 鈥渂eing someone鈥� and more about 鈥渄oing something鈥� while staying true to what matters to you. 鈥淐rystallize your purpose first,鈥� she explained.
鈥淧ower is about standing fully in your truth鈥� Be authentically you. Real recognizes real.鈥�