Mayor of Dorchester 2016: Deirdre HabershawDeirdre Habershaw, 33, is the 2016 Mayor of Dorchester. A Savin Hill native, Deirdre is raising her two daughters with her husband Auston in the Ashmont-Adams neighborhood. She works full-time at City Hall and is a devoted civic activist. Deirdre raised over $12,000 to support this year’s Dot Day events. We caught up with her this week as she prepares for Sunday’s parade.

Reporter: Congratulations on a landslide victory, Mayor Habershaw! What made you decide to run?

Mayor Habershaw: Thank you. It was a hard fought victory. Honestly? My brother triple dog dared me, and there’s just no comeback for that. But seriously, I followed through on it because I love our community and I am proud of all the different organizations and people across Dorchester who are doing great things in our neighborhoods. The parade is the opportunity to celebrate them and I wanted to do my part in giving back to support the parade.

Reporter: Describe your campaign. What kind of fundraising did you do?

DH: We did a number of different things. I set up the Crowdrise page for online donations. Sold 50/50 raffle tickets, hosted a pub crawl with members of the Greater Boston Fire Fighters Pipes and Drums, held an Art Auction at Nancy Anderson’s Carriage House, and the Hunt family organized a house party that featured a Dorchester Trivia Contest.

We tried to hit up every corner of the neighborhood and have a variety of events that would appeal to lots of different people.

Reporter: How much did you raise, and what do you think was the most successful event?

DH: I raised $12,000 for the parade this year. The most profitable one-day event was the Art Auction, but the majority of funds were actually raised by generous friends and neighbors giving donations. I’d come home from work to several checks in my mailbox.

If we were judging success in just pure fun the Pub Crawl was the most successful. I’d do that again if I could convince the band to come out!

Reporter: What’s your favorite part of Dorchester Day? In other words, where are your people most likely to find you on Sunday?

DH: It is really hard to pick just one. I grew up in Savin Hill, went to school Saint Ann’s, lived in Cedar Grove, am now in Ashmont Adams and have friends and family all over Dorchester so, pinning me down to one place is going to be hard.

I’ve brought the kids to watch the parade every year, so I haven’t marched in probably six years. I am looking forward to that the most. Dot Ave has changed so much in that time and I have so many new and old friends in different pockets that I am really looking forward to seeing all of them. I will definitely hit up Councillor Baker’s block party (at Columbia Road at Dot Ave), and I am going to try and make as many house parties as I can before the sun goes down.

Reporter: What is the best part of being mayor?

DH: I don’t know yet. You’ll have to ask me next year! The best part of running is seeing just how generous and supportive our community is.

As mayor, what will your first executive order be? Automatic seating and unlimited pancakes at McKenna’s for the Mayor of Dorchester. Would that be too much of an abuse of power?

Reporter: You have two daughters. Does political prowess run in the family?

DH: I definitely have the political bug on both sides of my family tree, but it is early to say whether either of my girls will be bitten by it. The first words Madelyn learned to read were “Marty Walsh” so, maybe that is an indication.

I have two intelligent, imaginative, and resilient kids on my hands. So I know they will be great at whatever they choose to do.

Reporter: Anything else you’d like to say to the people of Dorchester? DH: Mostly just a huge “Thank you!” not just for donating or giving me encouragement and assistance with fundraising, but for making Dorchester the great place that it is.

It is hard to describe to people who don’t live or work here just what it is about Dorchester that makes us love it, but it definitely has something to do with the people. I would never want to live anywhere else and I am extremely fortunate to be able to stay in Dorchester and raise my kids here. So I want to thank everyone who has ever loved Dorchester, who’ve made it what it is and who continue to sustain it and make it better.