Mayor Wu says fuss over mis-sent holiday invites was fueled by 'political motive'

Mayor Michelle Wu said a kerfuffle last week over party invitations mistakenly sent to white city councilors was missing some key context — that she holds numerous holiday events with officials of all backgrounds and that, for the first time, the Boston mayor, as a person of color, was hosting the annual holiday dinner for "Electeds of Color."

Wu hosted the event for officials of color across the state at the Parkman House on Beacon Hill last Wednesday. But the invitation also went out to white city councilors — and then was taken back. Wu's staff apologized for the error. But the mishap drew local and national media attention. 

Wu told Radio Boston Monday that officials of color have long gathered for a dinner around the holidays.

"This is the first time that the mayor is able to host as a member of this group because prior to me, all the elected mayors were not members of this group," Wu said. "And so I think there's maybe a shock that that presents to some people, of what does leadership look like."

The Democrat suggested the media storm around the mis-sent emails resulted from a leak by officials in the city council with "a little bit of a political motive."

While some critics asked how such a dis-invitation by a Boston mayor would have played out if people of color were excluded, Wu pointed to the obvious: "We did not have enough elected officials of color in previous administrations, dating way back, to even think about hosting something like this."

Still, outgoing Councilor Frank Baker called the withdrawn invitations "divisive." 

Wu also noted that recent stories, documentaries and podcasts serve as reminders of Boston's divisive and difficult past with regard to race, including the recently released Charles Stewart podcast and TV series by the Boston Globe and HBO.

"We're still very much a city that is living with our legacy of being very divided and you see that segregation in all different spaces today," Wu said.

Wu spent much of Monday's Radio Boston interview discussing her anxieties and optimism for Boston Public Schools, including her timeline for releasing details about the district's long-term schools facilities plan. She also spoke about the recently passed $82 million police contract.

She said she was headed after the interview to the Parkman House for the annual holiday get-together for all elected officials.

"The invitations went out long before this other party," she said.

Wu said she is proud to be part of an affinity group for electeds of color.

"This is our city, this is reflective of our community, and we are advocating for the policies that benefit everyone," she said, "and I look forward to having many spaces to celebrate with many different groups."