by Josh Kraft
Boston has always been more than a city, it’s a spirit. It’s grit and grace. It’s tradition and transformation. It’s neighbors who look out for each other, families who dream bigger for their children, and communities who rise together no matter the challenge.
This is the Boston I love with all my heart. It’s where I’ve worked for the past 35 years, celebrated milestones with family and friends, and stood shoulder to shoulder with neighbors who believe in the promise of community. I’ve spent my life listening, learning, and leading in service to others, from creating opportunities for young people to supporting families when they needed a partner, when they needed an ally. It was never about politics, it was about partnerships.
This fall, Boston faces a crossroads. And the choice for voters is not just about leadership styles, it’s about the kind of city we want to build together.
Mayor Wu is smart, energetic, and deeply committed to her vision. But too often, that vision feels like it’s for the Boston she imagines, not always the Boston we live in. It’s a vision heavy on ideology, light on collaboration. It’s leadership from the top down, more about politics than partnership, more about headlines than hands-on solutions.
My vision is different. It begins with listening. It builds on collaboration. It centers real families in real neighborhoods, not theories or talking points. I believe in building bridges, not battles. I believe leadership should be about lifting people up, not ignoring their voices if they don’t align with political ambition.
We can’t afford a Boston where housing slips further out of reach, where working families shoulder the burden while opportunity skips over them, or where neighborhoods feel like afterthoughts. We need quality schools in every neighborhood, not just a privileged few. Our children cannot afford crumbling buildings and unsafe buses.We need a Boston that works for all of us.
That’s why I’m running. Not to manage decline, but to spark renewal. Not to divide us into winners and losers, but to unite us around what makes Boston extraordinary: our resilience, our innovation, our humanity.
For me, politics is not performative, I see service as a promise.
And I’ve spent my life proving that promise. In schools, on playgrounds, and in living rooms across this city. I’ve worked with kids who needed someone to believe in them and with families who deserved more than words. I know that when you meet people where they are, when you invest in their potential, the entire city rises.
That’s the Boston I believe in. A city where housing is attainable, where jobs are plentiful, where streets are safe, and where government is a partner, not a showpiece. A city where every child has opportunity, every family has stability, and every community has a seat at the table.
The choice before us is clear. Do we want four more years of politics as performance or do we want a future built on service, results, and unity?
Boston is ready to lead, not just the nation, but the world in showing what a city built on community, courage, and compassion looks like. And together, we can make that future real.
Boston is not just my home—it’s our shared future. And with your support, I believe we can build a city that truly works for all of us.
Josh Kraft is a candidate for Mayor of Boston.