Councillor Essaibi-George

For the past eight weeks, our Preschool 2 classroom in Dorchester spent two days a week learning all about their elected officials, the voting process, and how ideas become laws.

With their newfound love of government, they decided to collectively run for office, and began reaching out to local elected officials to invite them in for a visit, with the goal of seeking endorsements of their campaign.

On Tuesday, August 16, Boston City Councillor At-Large Annissa Essaibi George visited this class to speak with the children about their campaign, the Boston City Council, and her role as a Councillor At-Large. As the Chair of the Committee on Homelessness, Mental Health & Recovery, she is committed to a leadership role of taking on the complex issues associated with family homelessness.

During the visit, the Preschoolers updated Councillor Essaibi-George – who they now call Annissa – on all they’ve learned about politics. Annissa enthusiastically offered her endorsement of their campaign. She told them, “I would be your biggest cheerleader. I would cheer you on, every step of the way.”

It’s not only beneficial for our children to get to know their local officials, but for officials like Councillor Essaibi-George to get to know programs like Horizons, so she can better understand the issue of homelessness and how dedicated programs like ours make a difference. These types of partnerships help us strengthen our voice at the policy-making level, to ensure the families we serve get access the critical services they need.