Boston's mayor hosted a separate holiday party for “elected people of color” on Wednesday night – defending the gathering and insisting there would be much more if people of all races could come together.
Michelle Wu's party was controversial from the start: invitations were emailed to all 13 City Council members, only to be retracted 15 minutes later by the seven white city councilors.
Wu was asked Wednesday afternoon, just before the party, if she thought it was divisive and replied, “No.”
She said there were other ways for all people to celebrate together, but insisted that the Voters of Color party was an appropriate way to celebrate “identity, culture and heritage” in her city.
The Boston Herald reported that there were seven white council members who were not invited — and six people of color who were.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu defended her Elects of Color holiday party on Wednesday.
“This is a group that has been around for many, many years,” said Wu, Boston’s first Asian American mayor.
“We celebrate all kinds of connections and identity and culture and heritage in the city.”
“Just yesterday we held our official Hanukkah lighting at City Hall.
“We have lit trees and want to be a city where everyone’s identity is recognized and where there are spaces and communities we can support.”
She said the invitation to white people was “an honest mistake” and refused to accept that dividing people by race could be offensive.
“I think we've all been in a situation where an email was sent and there was an error with the recipients,” she said.
“So it was really just an honest mistake.”
“There are several ways we celebrate with everyone.” “There are several parties that the entire city council and all of our elected colleagues are invited to.”
The 38-year-old daughter of Taiwanese immigrants said that she and her team “had one-on-one conversations with everyone to help people understand that it was really just an honest mistake that happened when entering the email field.”
She added, “And I look forward to celebrating with everyone at the holiday parties we'll be hosting alongside this one too.”
“And it is my intention that we can once again be a city that lives our values and creates space for all types of communities to come together.”
Some of those excluded from the party because they were white shrugged it off, while others said it was a sad state of affairs.
“We stopped getting to know each other and started attacking each other,” said Frank Baker, who is white.
He said it was part of the “aftermath” of the pandemic and a failure to “connect at heart.”
But those invited said it was fine.
“If there were Asian elected officials who wanted to form a party, that would be great,” said Ruthzee Louijeune, a Black woman — and the first Haitian American to serve on the council.
“If there were Muslims who would have a party, that would be great – because we are still breaking those barriers and still trying to create a place of safety and say: you too are welcome in these sacred spaces.”
Wu's invitation to Wednesday's party was mistakenly sent to all city councilors by her aide Denise DosSantos.
DosSantos followed up the email 15 minutes later, apologizing for the invitation and clarifying that it was only for the city's councilors of color.
“I wanted to apologize for my previous email regarding a Christmas party tomorrow,” wrote DosSantos, a Black woman.
“I accidentally sent this to everyone and I apologize if my email may have been offensive or came across as such. “We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.”
There was no excuse for actually planning to host a segregationist party.
Wu (pictured in October) sparked backlash after he planned a race-based Christmas party for “voters of color.”
Wu's director of city council relations, Denise DosSantos, reportedly accidentally invited the chamber to the exclusive event and apologized for any offense
The move quickly divided the Boston City Council. Some said they did not feel insulted by the party, while others questioned Wu's judgment.
Wu was elected mayor of Boston in November 2021, making her the city's first female and first Asian American mayor.
Michael McCormack, an attorney and former five-term Boston city councilman, said Wu's hosting of an exclusive party was not typical of her office, arguing that former mayors Tom Menino and Ray Flynn invited the entire chamber.
“The problem is that Boston and race are unfortunately synonymous,” McCormack said.
“I just hope it was a mistake.” No one in the mayor’s office should be proud of that.”
However, Wu's spokesman Ricardo Patron said Wednesday that the mayor was asked by the group Elects of Color to host the annual party and that the host and location change each year.
He said the party was just one of many held over the holiday and that Wu was planning a larger holiday party next week for all of her cabinet members, city councilors and the entire legislature.
Baker said he didn't think the additional, exclusive party was a “good move” given rising tensions on the City Council, but said he wasn't personally offended.
City Councilwoman Tania Fernandes Anderson defended Wu, saying, “Just as there are groups that come together based on shared interests or cultural backgrounds, it is completely natural for elected officials of color to gather for a holiday celebration.”
“I think it's unfortunate that given the current temperatures we're pushing this division further,” he said, adding: “I'm not easily offended.”
“To offend me, you have to do a lot more than not inviting me to a party.”
Others defended the move. City Councilman Brian Worrell, who is black, said the holiday party was an example of Boston government reflecting “all kinds of specific groups.”
“We are creating space and rooms for all sorts of specific groups in the city and city government,” Worrell told the Boston Herald.
“This is no different, and Elected Officials of Color have been around for more than a decade.”
Worrell also reportedly said that DosSantos had a good working relationship with the city council and that he took no offense at the way the incident unfolded.
“As she said in her follow-up email, she meant no harm,” he said.
Some critics questioned Wu's judgment, saying hosting an exclusive party was not typical of her position as mayor and the move might not have succeeded if it had been carried out by former mayors such as Ray Flynn (left) and Thomas Menino (right). .
The event was announced after Mayor Wu's City Council Relations Director Denise DosSantos (pictured) accidentally invited the entire chamber and not just “elected people of color.”
Councilwoman Tania Fernandes Anderson said in an email to DosSantos and Wu's team that the email invitation was “not intended to offend anyone and there is absolutely no confusion.”
Fernandes Anderson opined that there was “no need at all for an apology”: “Just as there are groups that meet because of common interests or cultural backgrounds, it is completely natural for elected officials of color to gather for a holiday celebration .”
She continued: “Many groups celebrate and come together in different ways, and it's not about excluding anyone.”
“Instead, it’s about creating spaces for like-minded people to socialize and support each other.”