District 7 Council Candidates Talk Art and Politics

Six candidates running for the vacant District 7 City Council seat made a rare appearance in the South End last week, taking questions from a small crowd of supporters gathered in the Piano Craft Guild’s basement gallery.

The forum, hosted by the Piano Craft Guild Tenants Association, was meant to foster a dialogue on art and politics. Moderator David Reno said he’s held similar forums in the past – most recently during the last mayoral race – and finds the juxtaposition a helpful way for politicians to engage with the artist community.

“Being a politician and an artist are not mutually exclusive,” he reminded the crowd.

For many candidates, speaking about art in Boston was a chance to champion affordable housing, which some said does not currently exist.

“Everybody talks about affordable housing, but there really is no affordable housing,” said candidate Althea Garrison, a former state representative who was the nation’s first transgendered person to be elected to the state legislature.

Garrison, who has run for various city and state offices no less than a dozen times, currently serves as vice president of the Upham’s Corner Housing Commission and said she wants to improve access to affordable housing and tackle transportation issues.

Tito Jackson, a former campaign adviser for Governor Deval Patrick, called for a district-wide master plan and further partnering with Northeastern University. If elected, all efforts to support local businesses and increase the job market would incorporate the artist community, he said.

“Every single artist is a business person and needs to be thought of as [one],” he said, adding, “I would love to continue to see more units across the city that are available to artists.”

Artist Arni Cheatham, a resident of the Piano Craft Guild, questioned the support his community would receive from candidates after the March 15 election. The economic crisis has hit artists especially hard, and many are “in survival mode,” he said.

“We as artists do not have a safety net,” he said. “I need to be able to ask you for help with this organizing effort. We need a touchpoint in your office.”

Candidate Danielle Renee Williams, a former constituent services coordinator for District 7 Councilor Chuck Turner, said she plans to spend $20,000 of her salary to secure an office within the district if elected to the post.

“I know people want someplace to go where they can talk honestly,” she said. “I’m an organizer, I’ve done that role for some time now.”

Candidate Cornell Mills, a small business owner and the son of former state senator Dianne Wilkerson, said he’ll run a “mobile office,” and is determined to be available to constituents.

“You can’t be everything to everyone but I do want to hear all your concerns,” he said.

Mills has built much of his campaign around public safety and pointed to the SoWa arts district as an example of a formerly dangerous area made into a vibrant public space.

“As a community we have to get back to this idea of community policing,” he said, adding that Northeastern should be a part of the conversation.

Candidate Roy Owens, who described himself as “pro-life and pro-family,” said restoring arts programs in schools and homes would benefit the African American community. 

“We do need to have fathers become more involved with their families in terms of the arts,” he said. “Right now, we need help.”

As for his own experience?

“I used to be an actor, that was crazy.”

Candidate Natalie Carithers was not present at the meeting. More information on Carithers can be found on her website.

District 7 includes a segment of the South End in addition to Roxbury, parts of Dorchester and the Fenway area. The special preliminary election to fill the District 7 seat will be held Feb. 15 and will narrow the field to two candidates. The final election is March 15.