Earlier today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the 2023-2024 SPARK Boston Council, which aims to connect young adults to local government leaders, city services, and one another. The council comprises 43 members who come from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds—ranging from public service and higher education to scientific research.
Appointed as the Director of SPARK Boston is former council member, Anthony Nguyen. Tasked with overseeing this new iteration of the council, Nguyen plans to use his experience to empower council members and create space for advocacy in underrepresented and overlooked neighborhoods. Indeed, this commitment to inclusivity extends to the council itself; 16 members are multilingual, and the group represents nearly all of Boston's neighborhoods. As such, Nguyen expressed his enthusiasm for working with a team he sees as future leaders, first responders, organizers, business owners, homeowners, and teachers of the city.
Last year, the SPARK Boston Council led numerous impactful projects that not only strengthened community bonds but also addressed pressing socio-economic challenges. Among these were community fridges to tackle food insecurity in winter months, partnerships with the Mayor's Office of Civic Organizing to aid neighborhood cleanup in Mattapan, and voter registration events to encourage civic engagement among young adults.
According to Chief of Community Engagement Brianna Millor, the 2023-2024 council members will carry forth the legacy of past councils who prioritized community-first approaches to address the city's most pressing issues. Millor also remarked her eagerness to support SPARK Boston in creating meaningful change throughout the year.
Housed in the Mayor's Community Engagement Cabinet, SPARK Boston is tasked with advising Mayor Wu on issues affecting millennial and gen-z populations. Given its mandate to work closely with city departments and community stakeholders alike, the council creates innovative solutions and provides free programming for its peers.
