District 7 has long been the heart and soul of Boston, but as climate change accelerates, we are on the frontlines of a new crisis.
Extreme heatwaves, worsening flooding, poor air quality, and environmental degradation are already hitting our neighborhoods harder than others — and unless we act now, the future of Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway, and the South End will become even more precarious.
This is about more than saving the environment — it’s about saving lives, preserving our communities, and creating new opportunities for economic and social justice.
The Bigger Picture: Climate Inequity and Federal DEI Rollbacks
Across the country, marginalized communities — especially Black, Brown, and immigrant neighborhoods like District 7 — suffer the most from environmental neglect.
Historically, racist policies like redlining and industrial zoning packed polluting industries into our neighborhoods. Now, federal attacks on DEI policies have weakened environmental justice programs, stripping protections and funding that once prioritized communities like ours for climate investments.
If District 7 doesn’t act aggressively, we risk being left behind once again in the city’s race toward sustainability.
District 7 neighborhoods can be up to 10°F hotter than greener, wealthier parts of Boston because we lack sufficient tree cover and park space.
James Grant
The Climate Threats Facing District 7 Today
Urban Heat Island Effect:
District 7 neighborhoods can be up to 10°F hotter than greener, wealthier parts of Boston because we lack sufficient tree cover and park space.Flooding and Sewer Overflows:
Aging stormwater systems cause regular street flooding during heavy rains, damaging homes and businesses.Air Quality and Asthma:
Children in Roxbury and Dorchester face some of the highest asthma hospitalization rates in Boston, largely due to poor air quality from traffic and industry.Displacement Through Green Gentrification:
Even as green investments arrive, rising land values threaten to displace long-time residents unless protections are put in place.
What District 7 Must Do
District 7 must demand a seat at the table — and ensure we are leading Boston’s climate resilience efforts, not waiting at the back of the line.
1. Expand Urban Tree Canopy and Green Spaces
Launch a District 7 Tree Equity Plan to plant thousands of new trees, especially in heat-vulnerable zones.
Create more community gardens, pocket parks, and cooling centers.
2. Invest in Green Infrastructure
Build rain gardens, permeable sidewalks, and bioswales to reduce flooding naturally.
Retrofit public buildings with solar panels and green roofs.
3. Champion Clean Energy Access
Expand solar energy incentives for renters, multi-family buildings, and low-income homeowners.
Establish community solar projects where residents can share renewable energy.
4. Strengthen Environmental Health Protections
Monitor and regulate air pollution hotspots, especially near highways and industrial zones.
Fund asthma prevention programs and clean air zones around schools and clinics.
5. Prevent Green Gentrification
Pair green investments with strong anti-displacement policies: rent stabilization, affordable housing guarantees, and community land trusts.
How Your City Councilor Will Lead
If I am elected as your City Councilor, I will:
Pass the District 7 Climate Equity Act, ensuring every city climate investment is evaluated for racial and economic justice impacts.
Fight for a District 7 share of Boston’s Climate Ready funding to prioritize heat mitigation, flood resilience, and clean energy access here first.
Create a District 7 Green Jobs Corps, training residents for careers in solar installation, urban forestry, environmental remediation, and sustainable construction.
Hold developers accountable for contributing to green infrastructure and community benefits, not just private profit.
Champion participatory climate budgeting, letting residents decide where resiliency investments go first.
Why It Matters: Climate Justice Is Racial Justice
Without deliberate action, environmental racism will worsen — and federal rollbacks on DEI mean we can’t count on Washington to save us.
But if we lead boldly:
We protect our children’s future.
We lower energy bills for working families.
We create new good-paying green jobs for District 7 residents.
We make District 7 a national leader in environmental justice innovation.
Our Future Is Green, Equitable, and Ours to Build
District 7’s legacy has always been one of resilience — of rising up and fighting for dignity, survival, and prosperity.
Climate resilience is the next chapter of that fight.
Donate to this campaign and vote for me:
Together, we will plant trees, clean our air, flood-proof our homes, and power our future with the sun and the wind — while ensuring that the benefits stay right here with us, the people who have always called District 7 home.
Our environment. Our economy. Our future. Let’s build it — stronger, greener, and together.