December 2025 marks a massive milestone: the conclusion of my first term serving as your Councilor At-Large. Looking back on these past two years, I am filled with immense gratitude for the trust you placed in me.

When I stepped into this role, I promised to bring a unique blend of lived experience and a deep commitment to our neighborhoods. Looking at what we’ve achieved, I am incredibly proud of how we turned that vision into action.

Over the past 2 years together, we have been relentless.

We filed 120 pieces of legislation, tackling the most critical issues facing our city—from fighting for affordable housing and protecting our LGBTQIA+ community, to deeply investing in the next generation. My team and I have poured over 4,400 hours into youth development and launched Santana’s CAPE.

None of this was done in isolation. Every win was a collaboration with you, the community.

This is just the beginning. 2026 brings a whole new term, and I cannot wait to continue this work.

But first, let’s look at some of our successes.

When we look at our Legislative filings in my first term, the numbers speak for themselves.

Over the last two years, I have filed 120 total pieces of legislation, serving as the Lead Sponsor on 62 of them.

That is 120 times we identified a problem and put a solution on paper.

While I filed legislation on issues across the entire city, these four categories topped our filings:

Public & Community Safety Holistic Solutions: 15 items filed
Youth Development, Empowerment & Education: 14 items filed
Housing Affordability & Access: 12 items filed
LGBTQIA+ Equity: 12 items filed

I take my role as Chair of both the Public Safety & Criminal Justice and Education committees seriously.

In 2025 alone, I spent 3,000 minutes chairing hearings.

To put that in perspective, that is enough time to watch the entire
Lord of the Rings trilogy four and a half times.

Those hearings acted as a launchpad for action, ensuring the lived experience of residents and the expertise of advocates were heard and translated into movement toward structural change.

2025 Major Wins

$1.7 Million in Grants Secured for Community Safety

I led the charge to secure $1.7 million in Shannon Grant funding. This investment powers community-based violence prevention strategies.

Codifying Equity

I led the successful effort to codify both the Mayor's Office of LGBTQIA+ Advancement (MOLA) and the Office of Youth Engagement & Advancement (OYEA). By permanently establishing these vital departments, I ensured they are no longer temporary initiatives, but protected fixtures of Boston’s government.

Backing Policy with Resources

I fought to secure the budget to match my advocacy, winning $100,000 in new, dedicated funding for MOLA. This guarantees the office has increased financial power to serve the community.

Investing in our youth is the most strategic move we can make. I am driven to translate my experience growing up in Boston into concrete policy changes that amplify youth voices and invest resources into the systems that empower them.

The numbers tell the story of an uncompromising commitment.

2024: 1,200 hours invested in youth development

2025: 4,400+ hours invested

That is a nearly 4x increase in time dedicated to training, mentoring, and empowering Boston’s next generation in just one year.

In 2025, I officially launched Santana’s Youth Force, welcoming 20 inaugural members.

These young residents organized three neighborhood cleanups and co-hosted the Alice Taylor BHA Unity Day. Additionally, they helped draft the ordinance to codify the Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement. I actively solicited their feedback on key filings, ensuring the youth perspective was baked directly into our legislative DNA.

Working alongside my Youth Development Director, Wilmer, we ensured our interns didn't just work for the office—they worked on themselves.

We curated 11 tailored workshops covering everything from workforce trends to personal development and partnered with 32 local organizations to open doors, offering critical connections to both the members of Santana’s Youth Force and young people across the entire city.

I also filed legislation and held a hearing to analyze the past successes and future opportunities of City of Boston Youth Jobs, as well as submitted filings advocating for resources and fostering safe community spaces for LGBTQIA+ youth.

In 2025, we launched Santana’s CAPE
(Community, Action, Policy & Engagement)
to ensure residents are at the forefront of decision-making and policy cultivation.

This initiative brought together a diverse coalition of community leaders and advocates. Over the past year, we rolled up our sleeves during 3 in-person summits and 9 virtual working sessions.

This collective effort directly influenced the legislative agenda. Participants helped advocate for and shape three specific hearing orders tackling our housing crisis:

Legalizing Triple Deckers
Legalizing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
Supporting Single Room Occupancy Units (SROs)

Santana’s CAPE is proof that when we work together, we can tackle Boston's most pressing challenges.

As we say in this office:
If the community isn't involved,

it doesn't happen at all.

There is no issue too small when it affects your peace of mind. From the pothole you drive through every morning to complex challenges that keep you up at night, we are here to listen and act.

The demand for our help has grown significantly—

from 300 cases in 2024 to over 450 cases in 2025.

This increase isn't just a number; it is a vote of confidence. It means you trust us to fight for you.

Our Impact

300+ Cases Resolved: We cut through the red tape to deliver results, ranging from small infrastructure fixes to navigating complex housing emergencies.

130 Active Cases: We are currently working hard to resolve ongoing infrastructure and community issues to ensure no concern goes unheard.

Dedicated Support

This work is powered by my amazing Constituent Services Director, Indus, who works tirelessly to ensure every Boston resident has access to the resources and support they need, exactly when they need it most.

The best ideas don't come from inside City Hall—they come from coffee shops, living rooms, and street corners. In addition to being with you at events and meetings driven by your neighborhood’s unique needs and celebrations, we made it a point to be physically present.

Grew our community office hours from

8 sessions in 2024 to 17 sessions in 2025.

These were true listening sessions held directly in your neighborhoods alongside community and civic organizations.

Engagement also means protection.

In the face of rising threats from the federal government, we took action to protect our most vulnerable neighbors by hosting a Virtual Know Your Rights Training with the MIRA Coalition, ensuring our immigrant community felt safe and empowered.

For my office, Pride is not a calendar month—it is a daily commitment. In a political climate that targets marginalized communities, visibility is an act of resistance.

For Pride in 2024, we welcomed 20 organizations and 100 individuals.

In 2025, we grew the celebration to over 300 attendees and hosted representation from more than 60 local LGBTQIA2S+ organizations.

We refused to leave anyone behind, hosting dedicated events to uplift Trans neighbors, Bi+ individuals, and the Intersex community.

In addition to Pride events we also hosted:

Trans Day of Visibility Community Reception
Bi+ Visibility Community Action & Engagement Session
Intersex Awareness Day Documentary Screening & Discussion

These events were community driven mobilizations supported by legislative filings to support the needs of Boston’s LGBTQIA+ Community.

As Sister Brother Freddie of the Boston Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence eloquently reminded us this year:
“Just because we are joyful doesn’t mean we are complacent. Just because we are joyful doesn’t mean we’re not angry. If it takes a little spite for you to be joyful — well, maybe that’s Boston in 2025.”

What’s Next?

We have laid a powerful foundation—codifying equity offices, securing millions for safety, and igniting a youth movement 4,400 hours strong.

The victories of this first term have only sharpened my resolve for the work ahead. As we look toward 2026, I am ready to double down on our progress and fight even harder for the neighborhoods we love.

Thank you for trusting me to serve. Let’s keep building.

First Term In Review: 2024-2025