Politics & Government
City Of Boston: MAYOR JANEY NAMES LORENA LOPERA AND RAFAELA POLANCO GARCIA TO BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE
See the latest announcement from the City of Boston.
July 23, 2021
BOSTON - Thursday, July 22, 2021 - Today, Mayor Kim Janey announced the appointment of Rafaela Polanco Garcia and Lorena Lopera to the Boston School Committee. The move follows her commitment in June to fill two vacancies and move the committee forward with greater equity, opportunity and accountability. Polanco Garcia is a Boston Public Schools (BPS) parent and serves as Director of Parent Engagement and Organizing at St. Stephen’s Youth Programs. Lopera is also a BPS parent and Executive Director of Latinos for Education. Mayor Janey selected Polanco Garcia and Lopera from a slate of candidates presented by the Boston School Committee Nominating Panel, which worked independently to conduct the public application and interview process that attracted 23 applicants. Both women were sworn-in by Boston City Clerk Maureen Feeney right before the mayor’s announcement.
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Polanco Garcia is an immigrant who lives in public housing in South Boston and has a background in law and bilingual advocacy. Her activism on behalf of the Latinx community in education includes working on the No on 2 campaign in 2016, helping to pass a sanctuary schools resolution, and passing the Student Opportunity Act. Since 2015, she has served as the Director of Parent Engagement and Organizing at St. Stephen’s Youth Programs in the South End.
In addition to the member appointments, Mayor Janey announced plans to extend Racial Equity and Leadership (REAL) training to all members of the Boston School Committee.
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"These are two very thoughtful choices by Acting Mayor Janey that ensure that new voices and new perspectives are represented on the School Committee,” said John Riordan, the Boston Municipal Research Bureau representative on the School Committee Nominating Panel. “In Ms. Polanco Garcia, she’s selected a BPS parent who has been a champion of parent engagement and has the ability to reach parents who may not feel connected to the school system. In Ms. Lopera, she’s selected a BPS parent and longtime advocate who will bring important experience in pushing the school system to make continued improvements."
This press release was produced by the City of Boston. The views expressed here are the author’s own.
