Boston City Council passed a resolution recognizing Nov. 28 as National Day of Mourning and discussed the establishments of the Office of Inspector General and the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Advancement during its Wednesday meeting at City Hall Plaza.
Councilor Benjamin Weber presented a resolution recognizing Nov. 28 as National Day of Mourning in the City of Boston, co-sponsored by City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune and Councilor Henry Santana.
“Thanksgiving is not a celebration for all,” Weber said. “Instead, it serves as a reminder to Native Americans that they were decimated by colonization and continue to suffer the effects.”
Santana said he is “proud to stand in solidarity with our Native American and Indigenous communities,” honoring their “resilience and strength.”
Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson spoke in support of the resolution and said Boston residents should research the history of Native American genocide, which she considers to be “the worst holocaust that exists in our history.”
Councilor Julia Mejia and Anderson also proposed the establishment of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Advancement.
The Office of LGBTQ+ Advancement is not yet codified within the City’s legal code, meaning future administrations could dissolve it at any time.
“It is important for Boston to reaffirm its commitment and inclusion and equity, because anyone can be in a position of power at any moment in time and say, ‘We don’t need this,’” Mejia said.
Anderson said this ordinance is particularly important with the current political state of the country.
“We should stand tall and firm on the face of adversity and we should speak the truth, especially now in the temperatures or the climate that we are moving toward,” Anderson said.
Anderson also said to individuals far right on the political spectrum to “just stop it.”
“It’s not harmful to be inclusive,” Anderson said. “Everybody deserves these rights.”
Mejia said this ordinance is “more than just a symbolic gesture.”
“It’s a structural commitment to ensuring safety recognition and an equal access to resources of every resident here in Boston,” Mejia said.
The ordinance was referred to the Committee on Government Operations for further discussions.
Additionally, Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata presented an ordinance establishing the Office of Inspector General within the City of Boston. This ordinance also remained in the Committee on Government Operations for further deliberations and adjustments.
During a hearing Nov. 14, the Council discussed issues with the proposed Office of Inspector General overlapping responsibility with the Finance Commission, or FinCom, Coletta Zapata said.
Colleta Zapata said there were suggestions to expand FinCom’s “current duties and authorities” authority as opposed to developing an entirely separate office.
Mejia said the ordinance can provide an opportunity to establish and maintain trust in governmental bodies.
“There are a lot of folks who are unhappy with the way we do business,” Mejia said. “Having an office that is independent will really give us at least something to show good faith that we are here trying to do the people’s business without political interest.”
Councilor Liz Breadon said she is concerned FinCom will not be able to accomplish its aims with its staff cuts and limited funding.
“I’m really excited to get into this, to be in this conversation about how we might modernize the FinCom and make sure it’s adequately resourced,” Breadon said.
