Democratic Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is facing criticism after a member of her administration sent out an email invitation for a Christmas party that excluded white officials.
City Council relations director Denise DosSantos mistakenly sent out the email to all city council members inviting them to an “Electeds of Color Holiday Party.”
“On behalf of Mayor Michelle Wu, I cordially invite you and a guest to the Electeds of Color Holiday Party on Wednesday, December 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the Parkman House, 33 Beacon Street,” DosSantos wrote.
Fifteen minutes later, DosSantos sent out another email apologizing for sending the email to all council members, indicating that it wasn’t supposed to be sent to white members of the council.
“I wanted to apologize for my previous email regarding the Holiday Party for tomorrow. I did send that to everyone by accident, I apologize if my email may have offended or came across as so,” DosSantos wrote, according to Boston 25 News. “Sorry for any confusion this may have caused.”
Councilman Frank Baker, who is white, said that the idea of a race-segregated party was divisive.
“I do find it divisive, but what are you going to do about it,” he said. “You don’t want me at a party, I’m not going to come to a party.”
Wu defended the party, which has reportedly been going on for years, saying that there were all kinds of events designed for different groups of people.
“I can understand someone might be confused or worried if certain people weren’t being invited at all or were being left out of any type of celebration. But I assure you, everyone on the Boston City Council has got an invitation to multiple types of events and holiday parties,” Wu said.
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Wu has been accused of racial discrimination in the past over her comments and her administration’s policies. Earlier this year, Wu was sued by a group of white restaurant owners who say they were targeted for city fees in part due to their ethnic heritage.
According to the restaurant owners, Wu and the city singled them out for a $7,500 outdoor dining fee, a fee which only applied to establishments in their neighborhood. The lawsuit was later withdrawn after a series of legal setbacks for the restaurant owners.
Wu was also criticized for a joke about being “used to dealing with problems that are expensive, disruptive, and white.”