MA's First Black Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley To Speak On Race

BROOKLINE, MA — Freshman Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley is coming to Brookline to talk about race. Town Meeting Member Raul Fernandez, who is also running for Select Board next month, is hosting a conversation on race, islamophobia, and anti-semitism featuring a conversation with the congresswoman on how race has impacted her experience in Congress so far.

Pressley was the first black woman elected to the Boston City Council, and the first black woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts.

She ran and bested incumbent Mike Capuano in the primary election and run unopposed in the November 2018 general election. Pressley was sworn in on Jan. 3, to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 7th congressional district, representing much of Boston, Cambridge and Chelsea, Everett and Milton.

The conversation Tuesday is meant to be a platform for members of the community to participate in a community conversation about racism.

This event was inspired by YW Boston’s Stand Against Racism campaign, which has the aim of bringing communities together to raise awareness of racism and empower action toward eliminating it, according to the invitation.

After Pressley speaks, there will be a "panel of Brookline community leaders from various religious and racial communities" to discuss how racism, islamophobia, and anti-semitism impact individuals and community.

"Now more than ever, we must come together and identify the actions we can collectively take to make Brookline stronger," reads the invitation.

The discussion comes as a Brookline Firefighter seeks reinstatement following his firing upon disclosing his supervisor left a voicemail on his phone that contained a racial epithet and is suing the town.

Fernandez is a Brookline Town Meeting Member and an associate dean for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at Boston University. He is also a lecturer in educational leadership and policy studies and has led equity and inclusion workshops around the country and internationally, according to his bio.

To see more about the hour and a half event Tuesday, April 23 at 7 p.m. at Congregation Kehillath Israel, on Harvard Street check it out here.

More on Pressley:

• Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley Says Goodbye To Boston
• Ayanna Pressley Beats Incumbent Capuano In Historic Boston
• Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley Wants To Dismantle ICE
• I See Right Through You And So Do The American People: Pressley
• Residents Ask Town To Apologize For Firing Black Firefighter

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).