Above: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, left, and Council President Ruthzee Louijeune conferred during a council ceremony in Jan. 2022. Chris Lovett photo
By Sherri Cajuste
Special to the Reporter
With Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on a “working leave” after the birth of her third child on Jan. 13, the city’s first-ever Haitian-American city councillor, Ruthzee Louijeune, is ready to step in as needed to help fulfill any official duties.
Boston’s city charter calls on Louijeune, who also serves as the president of the city council, to carry-out specific duties if the mayor is unable to due to travel or illness.
In this case, Mayor Wu is still the full-time mayor, although she has been working remotely from home and maintaining a limited public schedule.
It’s a moment without precedent in Boston’s history, since Wu, 40, is the first woman to serve as the elected mayor of the city. Therefore, the birth of her daughter Maya earlier this month was the first for a sitting mayor in Boston’s history.
Above, Mayor Wu is shown with her daughter Maya on Tuesday during a cabinet meeting in Boston City Hall. Mayor's Office photo
ouijeune is a trailblazer in her own right. In 2021, she became the first Haitian-American person to be elected to the city’s 13-member council. In 2023, Louijeune won a second term to the council with the most votes of anyone running for citywide council. The 37-year-old attorney will seek a third term this year.
Last week, Louijeune, born in Boston to Haitian immigrant parents, said that she is prepared to take on additional duties— if needed— as Mayor Wu and her family adjust to life with a newborn at home.
Above: Council President Ruthzee Louijeune with the council’s gavel. Chris Lovett photo
“The Mayor is not formally taking any leave,” said Louijuene. “She has made the decision to scale back on her public appearances, but she is not taking a formal leave. So, there will be moments where I will be attending things on behalf of the city and her team members will continue to also do their work and we will continue to do our work on the Council as well.”
Related— Dorchester Reporter editorial: On motherhood and mayoral duties
Mayor Wu will rely on her own senior team for most duties. But there may be times when Louijeune will need to represent the city in an official capacity if the mayor is unable to be present.
“As stated in the charter, that in the time of a vacancy in the office of the Mayor or if for any cause she shall be unable to perform her duties then the City Council [president] steps in,” said Louijeune.
Both the mayor and Councillor Louijeune will be on the ballot this fall. This week, Josh Kraft, the son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, officially filed paperwork to run for Mayor of Boston. Louijeune will be running for one of four at-large seats on the council.
"With Mayor Michelle Wu being the first Mayor in Boston to have a child while serving in her role, what her pregnancy offers is that women can also and shouldn't be judged and have the ability and the choice to take leave or not if that works for them and continue to be leaders in politics and the business community,” Louijeune said in an interview last week. “This shows that women don’t have to give up professional success in order to be mothers and caregivers."
Sherri Cajuste is the founder of Haitians of Boston, which partners with BostonHaitian.com and BNN, Inc. Follow Haitians of Boston on Instagram.