Beatriz Gómez-Mouakad Running For Somerville City Council

SOMERVILLE, MA — Beatriz Gómez-Mouakad, an architect and construction project manager with a long track record of community involvement, is running for Somerville City Council in Ward 5.

A native of Puerto Rico, Gómez-Mouakad has lived in Somerville for 18 years. She and her husband, Chico, have two children in the Somerville Public Schools: Isabela, 14, and Marco, 11.

"I love this city, built by immigrants and the working class," Gómez-Mouakad said. "My neighbors welcomed us and have been with us in our happiest moments and our most difficult times. That is why I am running for City Council – to share that community spirit. This is a time of great opportunities for Somerville, and I believe that together, we can build a vibrant, sustainable and equitable future for all in this city."

Gómez-Mouakad is a senior project manager for a major Boston hospital, leading large development projects. Previously, she developed affordable housing at Just-A-Start Corporation and did strategic planning at Massport.

Gómez-Mouakad has volunteered for design review committees for the city and several nonprofits. Sh also has a proud record in sustainability, winning awards for her housing developments, and is currently working on a LEED Silver project with one of the largest solar arrays in Boston.

"I want to put my skills and experience to work for Ward 5, which is being transformed by the Green Line expansion," she said. "The GLX has created enormous development opportunities, but also new challenges. We need to ensure that working-class and middle-class people in our community are not priced out, and that we have the right infrastructure to meet everyone’s needs."

As a bike commuter and a mom whose children walk independently throughout the neighborhood, Gómez-Mouakad said she is committed to making streets safer, including through better design and traffic-calming measures.

"We need to ensure that everyone can move safely through our city – whether they’re driving, biking, walking, in a wheelchair, or pushing a stroller," she said.

Gómez-Mouakad will also prioritize making Somerville a welcoming community for all. She advocated for immigrant families during the COVID crisis, whose urgent needs often went unmet due to language barriers, cultural differences, and systemic inequality.

"I believe diversity is one Somerville’s greatest strengths: culturally, economically and in our social fabric," Gómez-Mouakad said. "This is why I will work hard every day to ensure that our city is truly equitable, inclusive and accessible, so people from all backgrounds can thrive here."

To learn more about Gómez-Mouakad’s campaign, including detailed policy priorities, see http://www.elect-gomezmouakad-ward5.com. Follow her on Twitter at @bgm_ward5 or on Facebook at http:/www.facebook.com/gomezmouakad.ward5.