~ Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and the City's Office of Youth Engagement (OYEA) recently celebrated a significant milestone - the 30-year anniversary of the Mayor's Youth Council (MYC). Since its inception in 1995, the MYC has been empowering Boston high school students to become 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, as well as family and friends.

Over the past three decades, MYC members have organized youth town halls and events, participated in service projects, and launched awareness campaigns to address challenges facing Boston's youth. Through these experiences, they have developed leadership skills, a commitment to public service, and a deeper understanding of local government.

Mayor Michelle Wu expressed her pride in celebrating this milestone and supporting generations of changemakers in the city. "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," she said. "This platform has allowed members to create the change they want to see."

One of the four focus areas for this year's MYC was planning and hosting the 30-year anniversary celebration. This event also served as an end-of-year celebration for the current cohort. At the event, MYC staff recognized current Councilors for their accomplishments this year.

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Youth Councilor Miracle Ebbi shared her excitement about being part of the planning process for the anniversary celebration. "It was fun to find the right venue," she said. "I was excited to meet a lot of MYC alumni at the event and join the alumni community myself."

Jolie Nguyen, another Youth Councilor involved in planning for the anniversary celebration, reflected on how much she learned about MYC's history during this process. "On the planning committee, we spent a lot of time finding alumni and building our network," she said. "It was so interesting to learn about the last 30 years of MYC."

City Councilor John FitzGerald, a former member of the Mayor's Youth Council, expressed his honor at being part of the 30th anniversary celebration. He credited MYC for helping him discover his interest in working with the City of Boston. "During my time on the Mayor's Youth Council, I met other members from all across the city who have become future colleagues and friends," he said. "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."

Council President Ruthzee Louijeune also shared her thoughts on MYC's impact, highlighting how it has been a launchpad for many of Boston's brightest young minds. "My own sister's experience on the Council was nothing short of transformative," she said. "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."

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In addition to planning for the anniversary celebration, this year's MYC also undertook several other initiatives. These included conducting peer-led focus groups at youth-serving community organizations around Boston as part of OYEA's "Youth Speaks Boston" needs assessment. They also worked with community partners to identify locations 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 new crosswalks and educate their peers on social media about how to request crosswalks in their neighborhoods.

Pedro Cruz, Executive Director of OYEA, emphasized the significance of this milestone in recognizing three decades of commitment towards amplifying the voices of Boston's young people. He stated that this achievement reflects the powerful role youth play in shaping policies, strengthening communities, and driving meaningful civic change. "The City of Boston remains deeply proud to support a generation of leaders who continue to inspire and influence the future of our city," he said.

As the 2024-25 Mayor's Youth Council comes to an end, Boston residents entering grades 9-12 are invited to apply for the 2025-26 Council by Friday, July 18, 2025. To learn more about MYC and its impact on the city, visit boston.gov/myc.

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