Mayor's 2017-2018 SPARK Boston Council selected

"Having the largest amount of millennials of any other U.S. city, it is critical to continue to make sure the next generation of Boston residents are able to be civically-engaged and offer their opinions and potential solutions to problems of today and tomorrow," said Mayor Walsh. "I look forward to working with these talented young people and hearing their ideas on how to make Boston a better city for all Bostonians."

 

The SPARK Boston Council is comprised of 38 Boston residents, who live in 20 different neighborhoods across Boston. This group includes entrepreneurs, designers, social workers, restaurant professionals, undergraduate and graduate students, community organizers, veterans and representatives from many other industries across the public and private sectors. Approximately a third of the Council are native Bostonians, while others grew up as far away as France, Cape Verde, India and Spain.

 

"SPARK Boston offers Boston millennials the chance to be characters in the story of our ever-changing city, not just readers," said Amy Mahler, SPARK Boston Director. "This year's Council will create new programming and resources to answer the policy and social needs of our peers, advocate for and connect millennials to City leaders and programs, and engage our generation in Boston's civic life."

 

SPARK Boston, housed in the Mayor's Civic Engagement Cabinet, is responsible for advising Mayor Walsh on issues affecting the millennial population and working with City departments and community stakeholders to help solve those issues. The Council holds general meetings once a month and puts on programs focusing on connecting millennials with these partners. Programs include neighborhood meet-ups, salary negotiation workshops, and Chief Chats, a new series of events which allows citizens to hear directly from Mayor Walsh's Cabinet Chiefs on a variety of issues and ask questions on those subjects.

 

The 2017-2018 Council includes:

 

Alexis Walls, Allston
Jackie Lender, Allston
Neel Desai, Back Bay
Mikaila Waters, Back Bay
Michael Winston, Bay Village
Paige Friedlander, Beacon Hill
Catalina Ocampo, Brighton
Patricia Cahill, Brighton
Emily Murphy, Charlestown
Jenna DeAngelo, Chinatown
Agostinha Depina, Dorchester
Gabrielle Sims, Dorchester
Christopher Walker, Dorchester
Yusuf Ali, Dorchester
Francis Huynh, Dorchester
Kevin Walther, Downtown Crossing
Devon Williams, East Boston
Daniel Shea, East Boston
Siddhi Doshi, Fenway
Darcel Hunt-Finegold, Hyde Park
Rosa Herrero de Andres, Jamaica Plain
Carmel Levy, Jamaica Plain
Paul Gels, Jamaica Plain
Fernando Rodriguez, Jamaica Plain
Shanice Wallace, Mattapan
David Wu, Mission Hill

Helen Sharma, Mission Hill
Rourke Harrington, North End
Maggie Walsh, North End
Andrea Clavijo, North End
Ying Wang, Roslindale
Keveisha Robinson- Clark, Roxbury
Matt Parker, Roxbury
Michael Yu, South Boston
Shane Dunn, South Boston
Alexandria de Aranzeta, South End
Constance Fontanet, South End
Michaela Hughes, West Roxbury

 

For more information, visit sparkbos.com.