Yancey's Camp Stands on Record

By Mukiya Baker-Gomez

Boston City Councillor Charles C. Yancey, early in his life, committed himself to fighting for equity and social justice and the people of this city against poverty, racism, discrimination, intolerance, and Boston's substandard education system.

Charles earned a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Tufts University and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University. Early in his educational career he recognized the importance of being well informed and well trained in order to effectively advocate for human and civil rights.

As a student at Tufts University, Charles had already begun to organize demonstrations to increase educational and employment opportunities for women and people of color. Charles founded the Community for Human Rights, mobilizing community and concern residents to fight against racial violence and bigotry in the City of Boston.

After his election to the City Council, Charles successfully championed the opening of MBTA Fairmount Commuter Rail stops in District 4. Not to mention distributing over 125,000 free books to children and families and getting a law passed requiring police officers to wear bulletproof vest.

Fighting for racial, social, and economic justice for the people of District 4 and throughout the City of Boston on a council where 70 percent of the members do not share his progressive views of justice and fairness has not been easy. Charles's leadership and commitment to social change and equality have been and continue to be attacked, not just by colleagues, but by city leadership, especially when they are uncomfortable with the changes that bring greater diversity to a very old process. Many believe that Charles's loss of the Council presidency was contrived higher up.

Charles's presidential term is noteworthy because of the record number of public hearings he hosted on the city's linkage programs, redistricting and expiring use, and a Boston firefighters contract settlement. Yancey's loss prompted Councillor Chuck Turner to say, "It's hard to believe that any white councillor, who did the job that Councillor Yancey did, would be denied the opportunity to continue in office for a second year."

Retaliatory attacks against Yancey and his progressive agenda continued as his colleagues contrived and passed a highly-contested redistricting plan, dividing parts of Mattapan and separating communities of interest and voters of color. Despite that, some councilors declared they would "never vote to divide a community of common interest."

The Council president has taken the unprecedented steps of not just endorsing and raising funds for a challenger, but also making untruthful and disparaging remarks about a colleague. Yancey and his supporters remain unfazed and committed to progress and equal justice.

Clarence Cooper, president of the Caribbean Political Action Committee: "He's an independent councillor who identifies with the needs of his constituents first."

Shirley Shillingford, president of the Caribbean American Carnival Association: "He's always there to address your needs in a timely manner ... He's an independent thinker who's not afraid to stand up. He speaks his mind and defends what he believes in."

Boston attorney Eddie Jenkins said that he has always been able to call on Yancey for neighborhood services: "He's always been there for us."

Ralph Cooper, president of the Franklin Field South Neighborhood Association: "If he's been doing a good job for 20 years, then I'd expect he'll do an even better job in the future. He wouldn't have been in office for 20 years if he hadn't been doing it right."

Greg Davis, executive director of Metro Boston Alive, a substance abuse education and referral organization: "He's not just a fighter for the recovery community, he's also a friend," Davis said.

The Boston Teachers Union, the School Bus Drivers Union, Greater Boston NOW, Local 615 SEIU, Massachusetts ACORN, the Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 12, the Boston Labor Council AFL-CIO, the American Federation of State & Municipal Employees, and the Massachusetts Organization of State Engineers & Scientists endorsed Yancey.

Louis Elisa, former president of the Boston Branch NAACP and Presidential Appointee: "No progressive person would ever consider changing a councillor or leader because he (or she) does not bow down at the altar of Boston's white political culture."

Senator Dianne Wilkerson, Representative Gloria Fox, and City Councilors Maura Hennigan, Chuck Turner, and Felix Arroyo have also endorsed Yancey.

Despite efforts to neutralize his commitment to District 4, Yancey continues to be a leader on public safety issues, advocating for speed bumps, carbon monoxide detectors, and anti-tobacco legislation, as well as school bus seatbelts and bus monitors. He has not stopped pressuring the Menino administration or other councillors to insure that women and people of color are included in Boston's vast economic opportunities, from seaport convention center construction to staffing at the Democratic National Convention.

Yancey's campaign platform includes measures to improve Boston's education system, increase jobs and economic development, increase home ownership and the production of safe and affordable housing, better training programs, and opportunities for youth and adults to work with and for the city of Boston, greater participation of women and people of color in all programs and activities in the city, improved public safety, better support for businesses and shopping areas in District 4, and fairness in distribution of city services, especially those related to public works and maintenance of streets and parks.

Mukiya Baker-Gomez is Yancey's campaign manager and chief of staff for state Representative Gloria L. Fox.

Ezedi Alleges Leadership Vacuum

By Ego Ezedi

Our community, our district is at a crossroads on November 4 and that is why I am asking for your vote. We have an entrenched District 4 councillor who serves our district on a part-time basis and does not fulfill the most important responsibility of his job: delivering basic city services. As I campaigned across the district door to door, the most frequent comment I heard was "we have never seen our councillor on our street." This is after his being in office for 20 years.

His public record is clear: He has taken claim for a police station, built in 1988 ... he has been promising a local library since 1997 ... as Council President he votes himself a pay raise while constituents are losing jobs and neighborhood kids are losing summer jobs ... in March 2000, he votes against the construction of new schools in his own district ... in June 2002, he misses over 10 critical budget votes in one day, which affect his district and the City ... he even misses his own swearing-in ceremony to office.

After 20 years in office, Charles Yancey has marginalized himself as an elected official and our district continues to be impacted as a result. He effectively takes credit for work in this district that other elected officials, such as his fellow councillors, the administration, or state elected officials, have provided. Leadership is lacking in District 4.

The future of our district has great potential. I believe in real, responsive and responsible leadership. What does that mean? It means working with business, community leaders along with non profit organizations, creating partnerships to develop thoughtful housing, commercial, and job opportunities for our district. As an aide for Cong. Capuano I was able to accomplish the following:

Economic Development: I worked with various business, religious, and community groups in the economic development of the Mecca in Grove Hall. We created over 500 permanent jobs, restored the economic vitality of the commercial district ... the Mecca CVS is the largest-grossing store in New England today. We can do the same for our other commercial districts.

Housing: Grandfamilies Act - I developed and assisted in policy and legislation addressing the need of affordable housing for grandparents who care for grandchildren. Grandparents needed to have custody of their grandchildren thereby receiving financial assistance towards housing needs. I facilitated these resources toward Dorchester and Mattapan, where this problem was most urgent. This is the only such program in the country and now used as a model in other urban municipalities.

Homebuyers Program - affordable housing program, in which I assisted in the research and crafting of legislation for first-time homebuyers of triple deckers ' Triple Decker Plus Program' to keep one unit affordable through financial incentives and assistance in down payments.

Senior Housing - 202 Housing: I assisted in the development of this program that provided seniors with affordable housing by negotiating with developers grant assistance to create more affordable senior housing.

Youth Development Program - I worked on a grant of $290,000 that was awarded to Dorchester and Mattapan utilized through the Baker House, whose efforts assist in the coordination and collaboration of most all public safety issues regarding our the youth in our district. Its comprehensive scope which includes Area C, B-3, DA, court administrators among others continues to help our district.

Jobs - I worked with the Private Industry Council as a career counselor and placed over 350 people in jobs. I won an award as the individual who excelled at this responsibility.

Education - Through partnerships in which I was deeply involved, Roxbury Community College received a $750,000, FIASE Grant. This provided technical upgrading of the library, minority business development center funding, satellite learning site, online, distance learning.

Franklin Park Zoo - I collaborated with the administrators and community leaders, an educational program was developed offering courses in biology and zoology was funded with $400,000.

Veterans - I worked for the creation of a veteran satellite office at the Harvard Community Health Center; previously no veteran local services were available in the community.

At this time I would like to share some personal comments with you about how I would further change the direction of this district. It is clear that the "protest politics" of my opponent along with his "embraced isolation" from his peers, the administration, and constituents are methods which yield very little for our district. As a full-time councillor, I will have district hours meeting with constituents directly. My relationship with my colleagues will be based on mutual respect and understanding, to engender an environment of good governance and not acrimony. And, while we have made tremendous progress in creating a more harmonious city, inequality and injustice will not be tolerated.

We have serious problems that require serious solutions: affordable child care, housing, and quality education. The people of District 4 deserve better. As other districts have prospered, District 4 has been mired in a state of mediocrity, at best. I have developed an action plan for District 4, through the efforts and assistance of many responsible individuals. It's time for a change. I again humbly ask for your vote on Nov. 4.