At Final City Council Candidate Forum, YWCA Gives Disadvantaged Cambridge Residents a Platform

Eleven Cambridge panelists representing traditionally disadvantaged voices in the city shared their stories with City Council candidates, centering Cantabrigians as the “soul of the community” at a forum held by Cambridge’s Young Women’s Christian Association, Cambridge Community Foundation, and the Cambridge Economic Opportunity Commission.

The Thursday panel, which is the last in-person forum before the city’s Nov. 4 elections, brought six issues to the forefront: housing affordability, food insecurity, immigration, mental health, and challenges faced by young and elderly residents.

But while panelists’ stories varied — from YWCA residents who struggled with obtaining steady housing to service providers for undocumented immigrants — they were united by a desire to empower local voices in front of the 15 candidates in attendance.

“Local voices are essential. Local solutions are possible, and local action is needed now more than ever,” said CCF president Geeta Pradhan.

Pradhan framed the need for “local action” as integral — especially as Cambridge readies itself for the financial blows of the Trump administration’s federal cuts and the ongoing government shutdown.

After panelists spoke, candidates were asked to reflect on the stories shared, before answering questions in front of a packed crowd of more than 100 residents.

During their remarks, incumbents and challengers alike agreed that constituent perspectives were invaluable to policy-making.

Incumbent Ayesha M. Wilson said she had to hold back tears when listening to the panel, “because this was a flashback to my own experiences as a kid in Cambridge.”

“I am committed to bringing more of our community together to help each other. I promise to work with each of you and all of our nonprofit partners. This work is important, and I will make this my priority to make sure that we are centering you and your needs,” she said.

Candidates also applauded panelists — especially the two student attendees — for their willingness to speak at the forum.

“When I was at your age, I couldn’t talk like you guys did,” said challenger Peter Hsu. “All those things, they never crossed my mind.”

During the question and answer segment, much of the conversation focused on housing — an increasingly pressing concern for Cambridge voters as the city faces soaring housing costs. In a Nov. 2024 survey, housing affordability concerns were the top two issues identified by Cambridge residents as priorities.

Candidates were asked how to best preserve the character of the city while developing additional affordable housing.

“The character of my neighborhood are the people who live in my neighborhood, not the facade of a building or the height of a building,” McGovern — who has championed affordable housing development throughout his time in office — said.

Challenger Ned Melanson echoed McGovern’s sentiments, saying housing development was integral to rebuild what he sees as the “soul” of the city: its residents.

“The soul of the community is its people,” he said. “We need more affordable housing, that is, for the soul of the city to be restored.”

Councilor Sumbul Siddiqui said resident perspectives were particularly important as the City Council anticipates deliberations on rezonings for several major thoroughfares in the city in the coming months.

“We have corridor zoning coming up. We have Central Square zoning coming up, on Mass Ave., on Cambridge St. There’s so much potential,” Siddiqui said.

“We need to hear your voices, because this is going to be housing for the future, and we need as much of it to be affordable to those who need it,” she added.

—Staff writer Dionise Guerra-Carrillo can be reached at dionise.guerracarrillo@thecrimson.com.