GABRIELA COLETTA ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR DISTRICT ONE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL SEAT IN UPCOMING SPECIAL ELECTION

BOSTON (December 27, 2021) – Gabriela “Gigi” Coletta announced her candidacy for Boston City Council to represent the District One neighborhoods of Charlestown, East Boston, and the North End. A special election will be held in the coming months following the expected election of current Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards to the Massachusetts Senate. Coletta served as Councilor Lydia Edwards Chief of Staff for three and a half years and prior to that led her successful campaign in 2017 as her campaign manager. She is currently the External Relations Manager at the New England Aquarium where she leads efforts to ensure the downtown waterfront remains resilient, inclusive, and accessible for all Bostonians.

“District One faces unique challenges and this moment requires an experienced leader to tackle our most urgent issues. We are dealing with a housing affordability and displacement crisis, inequities in our public education system, and a significant threat to our waterfront communities due to sea-level rise and climate change,” said Coletta. “I’m running because I will be the bold and effective advocate this district deserves. I will fight for the community’s best interest and protect the vitality of our neighborhoods from day one. I will hit the ground running to best represent a broad coalition of residents and utilize my experience to push for bold policy solutions while prioritizing constituent services to improve the quality of life for all residents.”

Coletta intends to utilize her lived experience as a public servant, lifelong East Bostonian, and renter as anchors for her campaign.

“Over the last decade, I’ve seen my neighborhood become developed with units that many individuals in this district can’t afford. As a renter in this community, I was rent-burdened up until last year when I moved into an apartment with my partner, Sebastian,” said Coletta. “The real estate market is increasingly out of reach for many who would like to plant their roots and grow in this district and is displacing many of our neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet. Homeownership feels so far away to me and so many people in all three communities and across Boston. Whether your family has lived here for four generations like mine, or you just arrived four days ago, you should have access to affordable options for both homeownership and rental opportunities.”

Additional topics she intends to focus on in her campaign include creating and maintaining equitable access to an excellent education for all children across the district, prioritizing excellent city services by reforming Boston’s 311 for better transparency and accountability, and pushing the City of Boston for greater investments in coastline resiliency to protect the district from the dangers of flooding due to climate change.

Coletta has already garnered enthusiastic and broad support from Charlestown, East Boston, and the North End.

“When she was Chief of Staff, I worked directly with Gabriela on a number of issues including the Bunker Hill Housing Redevelopment,” said former Department of Public Works Commissioner and Charlestown resident Joanne Massaro. “She was always responsive, understanding the issues and their complexity while helping guide the community to a fair resolution. Gabriela knows how to get it done and she’s shown she’s ready to take this role on. I’m proud to support Gabriela for District One City Councilor.”

“Gabriela has been an effective advocate on issues related to Boston’s waterfront both in City Hall and at the New England Aquarium,” said North End Waterfront resident Cheryl Delgreco. “She understands the urgent need for Boston to develop a comprehensive plan to invest resources into coastline resiliency to protect us from sea-level rise due to climate change.”

“While in her previous capacity in City Hall, Gabriela has shown an understanding of the importance of immigrant families not just in Boston but in the nation,” said Ana Alonzo, East Boston resident, and National Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Alliance organizer. “She has supported immigrant families in their fight for justice and has helped uplift the stories of immigrants that have made Boston and enriched its communities.”

“Gabriela understands that basic city services add up to make a big impact in the quality of life for residents of the North End,” said lifelong resident Marco Imbergamo. “I’m confident she will continue to prioritize responsive constituent services if elected as our City Councilor.”

“I worked with Gabriela on a number of issues related to BPS and she was always incredibly responsive and thoughtful to our suggestions and concerns,” said BPS parent and Charlestown resident Janelle Bruno. “It’s clear she understands the complexities of BPS and can jump right in to support families as they navigate the system which is a huge plus for the residents in our community.”

Coletta intends to run a robust, grassroots campaign focused on listening to residents, having inclusive discussions about the issues, and will bring her vision for the district directly to voters. To learn more visit about gabrielacoletta.com, Facebook at @GigiforDistrictOne, and Twitter @Gigi4District1.