Copyright MassLive
A Boston city councilor said this week she has enough support from her colleagues to become the City Council’s next leader. But in addition to the professional news, she had big personal news too: she’s pregnant with her first child. “This is a time of growth in every sense of the word — personally, with my family, and professionally as I prepare to lead the council,” District 1 Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata told the Boston Globe. Coletta Zapata was first elected in a special election in 2022 and was successfully reelected to her second full term last week. The City Council selects a new president each term, with the campaigning typically taking place among councilors and behind closed doors. Councilors Brian Worrell and Julia Mejia have also said publicly they are vying to succeed current President Ruthzee Louijeune. Though the vote will not take place until Jan. 5, after the new council is sworn in, Coletta Zapata said in a statement on Instagram this week that she expected to come out on top. “The strength of this Council lies in our ability to respect one another, even when we disagree, and to work with purpose and integrity,” she wrote. “When we lead witih respect and unity, we model the kind of civic leadership our city deserves — and we get more done for the residents who count on us." The councilor did not say which of her colleagues were supporting her, but told the Globe she had “more than a majority.” She also told the newspaper she was expecting to give birth in May, and was still unsure whether she would take maternity leave, though her “intent is to continue working.” “Like any new parent, I will listen to my doctor and ensure that we’re prioritizing my baby’s health and well-being, and making sure that I’m ready to lead effectively,” she told the Globe. Coletta Zapata would be the second elected official in Boston to give birth in the past two years, after Mayor Michelle Wu welcomed her first daughter and third child, Mira, in January. The mayor chose not to take maternity leave and brought newborn Mira with her to City Hall events around Boston starting a few weeks after the birth, even toting the baby with her and breastfeeding when she was called to testify before Congress in March. Though Coletta Zapata appeared certain of the results of the January council president vote, not all of her colleagues were in agreement. Mejia wrote in a statement on Instagram that she was “deeply concerned about the process.” “In a time marked by dangerous erosion to our democracy at the federal level, here in Boston we have an opportunity to model behavior that inspires confidence in our leadership,“ she wrote. ”We must demonstrate respect for our processes, all the voices that make up this body, and our constituents. I urge my colleagues to break the habit of rushing through votes before thoughtful and transparent deliberation can occur. We still have time for a thorough and democratic process as the official vote will not take place until January.” Mejia, who is a frequent advocate for more transparency in city government, had already broken from tradition by announcing publicly on social media that she was seeking the presidency. She shared a series of videos about the process of selecting the City Council president, saying she would prioritize transparency if chosen. “Given all of the discourse and mistrust in government we have an opportunity to restore trust in that body,” she said in one video posted last week, pointing behind her to City Hall.
