Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JARED WICKERHAM/GETTY IMAGES (OPENING DAY) self-renewal through helping others, is an ongoing commitment, whether in the halls of Alcoholics Anonymous, in policies to help the dispossessed, or in words of comfort to the broken-hearted. "He's so effective in the role of comforter-in-chief because he's been there," says State Representative Tom Calter, who used to share an office with Walsh. "He knows what it's like to face despair and loss." After returning from rehab, Walsh rose to become president of the local. In 1997, he won a special election to the Massachusetts House. He soon moved up in the union ranks as well, taking the helm of the power- ful Boston Building Trades Council while earning a degree at Boston College. When Mayor Thomas Menino decided to leave City Hall, Walsh jumped into the crowded race. Pundits predicted his ties to labor would turn voters off. He laughed at their stories. "Labor built the city, industry built the city," he says. "And now as mayor, my relationships with organized labor come in handy because I under- stand being on both sides of the aisle." During the race, Boston saw something new: the rise of the recovery community as a political force. "When they needed me," says Walsh of the people he helped, "I tried to be there for them. And when I needed them, they were there for me." The outpouring of support from ex-drunks and former druggies—and its impact on voters—was unexpected. So was the way he consolidated support from African American, Latino, and other minority rivals after his first-place primary finish over John Connolly, a Harvard-educated city councilor. Both candidates sounded like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when taking on the police department for failing to make the force ref lect the diversity of the city. But it was Walsh, the white Dorchester guy, who secured the coveted backing of City Councilor Felix Arroyo, former State Representative Charlotte Golar Richie, and neighborhood development guru John Barros, to beat Connolly in communities of color by a margin that won him the election. Walsh's final election victory brought the Irish back into power at City Hall. But it's not a return to business as usual. He lives in a tidy apartment close to the woman he calls "the love of my life," Lorrie Higgins. But the city will have to get used to more than just a "first girlfriend." Walsh is a labor guy who negotiates comfortably with megamillion-dollar developers and a staunch Catholic who faced down religious conservatives to back gay marriage. He supports teachers unions and helped to start a charter school. He just says no to pot dispensaries and yes to Uber taxi service—offend- ing and pleasing constituencies without regard for predictability. Walsh, drawing on the power of believing again in belief itself, says he'll do what's best for the city in spite of the naysayers a nd skept ics. "The word can't—I just don't like it," he says. "Anything can be done. Anything is possible." BC ABOVE: Mayor Walsh threw the first pitch on opening day in Fenway Park this April. RIGHT: A handpainted sign made by volunteer Renee Zych for Walsh's mayoral campaign. Inaugurated in January, Mayor Martin Walsh looks out over Faneuil Hall from his office. *Legacy "I want Boston's economy to be global. I want Boston to be the high-tech capital in the United States. And I want our public schools to be world-class." *Boston's Greatest Strength "In light of what happened last year at the marathon, no one can deter us from wanting to be successful, and Boston has a tremendous heart." *Favorite Pastimes "I like going to dinner with [my girlfriend] Lorrie and just hanging out. I like puttering around the yard. Hydrangeas—I love them. They remind me of the Cape." *Toughest Political Decision "The death penalty. I voted against it. I was a state rep for about four months, and I spoke to a lot of people. I prayed on it. I ultimately voted against it and knew that I had made the right decision." *Popping the Question to the "First Girlfriend" "I'm not going to pop it in a magazine, I can tell you that!" WORDS TO LIVE BY Mayor Walsh talks about Boston and politics, kicking back and character. continued from page 45 and yes to Uber taxi service—offend- ing and pleasing constituencies without regard for predictability. of believing again in belief itself, 46 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM VIEW FROM THE TOP