Ruthzee Louijeune, serving her third term as City Councilor At-Large, is a grounded, thoughtful, and inclusive leader. A dedicated public servant, Councilor Louijeune is committed to fostering shared prosperity in Boston with a focus on justice and equity. Born and raised in Mattapan and Hyde Park to working-class Haitian immigrants, Councilor Louijeune's journey is deeply rooted in the fabric of Boston. Her first job was as a walking tour guide with the youth organization MYTOWN, where she offered a people-centered history of Boston’s neighborhoods. While a student activist, Councilor Louijeune contributed to redesigning the student assignment process under Mayor Menino and served as a Ward Fellow for former State Representative Marie St. Fleur.

As a lawyer, Councilor Louijeune fought for families facing eviction and foreclosure in Boston Housing Court. She defended voting rights in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, helped elect progressive prosecutors nationwide, and served as the senior attorney on Senator Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign. A fierce housing advocate, she drafted agreements that secured millions of dollars for first-generation homeowners as a member of Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance (MAHA).

In her first term as an At-Large City Councilor, Councilor Louijeune centered civil rights and equity in every aspect of her work. As Chair of the Committee on Civil Rights and Immigrant Advancement, she expanded the Office of Returning Citizens, secured support for immigrants and new arrivals, defended LGBTQ+ rights, and convened a citywide civil rights forum. She also led the Council through the redistricting process after a federal court order, successfully passing a new district map.

As Vice Chair of the Committees on Government Operations and Housing and Community Development, Councilor Louijeune advanced affordable housing and homeownership, resilient school buildings, teacher diversity, and stronger student support, resulting in concrete budget wins for communities too often left behind.

In her second term, Councilor Louijeune served as the City Council President where she worked to deliver citywide results and lead a Council grounded in equity and accountability. She made housing affordability a top priority by passing legislation to prioritize the conversion of surplus municipal buildings into affordable housing, securing additional city housing vouchers via the budget, and advancing anti-displacement strategies like the Acquisition Opportunity Program (AOP). She strengthened health and human services by codifying the Office of Returning Citizens (ORC) to ensure long-term reentry support and passing a pharmacy notice petition to strengthen the requirements of closing pharmacies to give seniors and vulnerable populations more notice when their local pharmacy closes.

Councilor Louijeune has continued to champion public education through investments in student mental health, school facilities, fair wages for educators, and language access for families. She has advanced racial justice and public safety through community-centered violence prevention, survivor support, protections for returning citizens, and supporting the declaration of Boston as an LGBTQIA+ Sanctuary City. She has also expanded civic participation by passing a home rule petition for Ranked Choice Voting (RCV), strengthening remote public participation, and deepening engagement across Boston’s neighborhoods and ensuring City Hall works for everyone.

Councilor Louijeune makes history as the first Haitian American elected to Boston municipal government, the U.S. city with the second largest Haitian population per capita, and the first Haitian American to serve as President of the council. An alumna of Boston Public Schools, Columbia University, Harvard Law School, and Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Councilor Louijeune is trilingual, fluent in French and Haitian Creole, with conversational proficiency in Spanish. Her multifaceted background and unwavering dedication to serving her community make her a transformative leader shaping the future of Boston.