District One City Council candidate Gabriela “Gigi” Coletta picked up key endorsement this week from City Councilor Kenzie Bok, Councilor Ricardo Arroyo, former Councilor Felix Arroyo and Rep. Adrian Madaro.
Bok, who represents Beacon Hill, Back Bay, Fenway–Kenmore, Mission Hill, and the West End, was a longtime political ally of Coletta’s former boss Councilor/Senator Lydia Edwards and worked closely with Coletta when she served as Edward’s Chief of Staff.
“I am thrilled to support my friend Gabriela Coletta for District One City Councilor,” said Bok in a statement. “Before I was Councilor, I was a housing policy maker and advocate and in that role I saw Gabriela go to bat negotiating on behalf of public housing tenants in Charlestown. I know that as a Council colleague, she’ll be a fierce champion for housing justice and that she has deep experience in how to effectively secure housing affordability across the district.”
Of the endorsement Coletta said, “I am humbled to have City Councilor Kenzie Bok’s endorsement. She is a fierce advocate for housing justice across the city and I look forward to working with her so that every Bostonian has access to safe, stable and dignified housing that is truly affordable.”
Coletta also picked up endorsements from former City Councilor Feliz Arroyo and current City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo.
“I’m honored to receive the trust of former Council Member Felix Arroyo and Councilor Ricardo Arroyo,” said Coletta. “They have been in the fight for generations and their dedication to helping marginalized communities is the kind of leadership we will build together.”
Coletta also picked up Rep. Madaro’s endorsement as well. Coletta served as Madaro’s community liaison once he assumed office and ran his campaign’s field operation during his successful run in 2015,
“I’m excited to endorse my dear friend, Gabriela Coletta, to be our next city councilor,” said Rep. Madaro. “I’ve known Gigi for many years. Like me, she grew up on Eagle Hill in a family of activists fighting for East Boston, attending meetings, rallies, and protests — all experiences that fostered in her a deep love for our community. Gigi shares our neighborhood’s values, understands our history and struggles, and cares about helping people and moving our community forward. She is the type of partner we need in city government. I am proud to stand beside Gabriela Coletta in her campaign to become our next city councilor.”
Coletta will be hosting a virtual campaign kickoff on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, at 5:30 pm to officially launch her candidacy.
“I’m so grateful for the broad support and the coalition of residents from across the district,” said Coletta. “Please join us for a night to kickoff this campaign surrounded by community members who share our vision for a vibrant and inclusive district.”
In just the first month of her candidacy, Coletta has raised over $70,000 and secured the endorsement of over seventy community leaders including various former and current elected officials. Those interested in attending can visit www.bit.ly/gc-kickoff for more information on how to join the event.
Coletta said she 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.
So far Coletta and former director of the Mayor’s Office of Women’s Advancement, Tania Del Rio, have emerged as serious candidates for the seat that will be vacated by Senator Edwards on April 30. Edwards was recently sworn in as First Suffolk & Middlesex State Senator.
Coletta is currently the External Relations Manager at the New England Aquarium where she advocates for a more resilient, inclusive, and accessible waterfront for all Bostonians.
Coletta ran Edward’s successful campaign for District 1 City Councilor in 2017 and then served as Edwards’s chief of staff until last summer.