Wife of Boston Mayoral Candidate Connolly Hopes to Bring Armenian Flavor to City Hall

It is exactly this kind of relationship and open willingness to work with others that Meg Connolly said her husband John, will foster if elected mayor of Boston. “John will absolutely continue this relationship and take an interest in the issues that matter to his constituents,” she said.

She also sees other overlaps between her husband’s vision and the issues important to Armenians in the area. “Armenians bring so much to the Greater Boston community. So many people in the community contribute in different ways because of the values they came here with and because they understand the struggles and are very grateful for what they have because of their history. [Armenians] value education so highly, social justice and generosity,” she said.

“The love of education is one reason that I believe John would resonate well with the Armenian community. Education is huge for him as well.”

The couple has three children: Clare, 5, Edward (Teddy), 4, (named after her Armenian uncle, Edward, who died of pancreatic cancer shortly after Teddy’s birth) and Mary Katherine (MaryKate), 2 months, named after Meg’s beloved grandmother.

Clare Connolly is already in the Boston school system.

“Improving the opportunities and quality of education for all people in the city, especially children who are under-served is a huge passion of his as shown by his work on the City Council and his work as a teacher,” his wife said.

John Connolly  had worked as a teacher at the Boston Renaissance Charter School and a school in New York’s Lower East Side.

“John has a real personal investment in the city as a parent with children growing up here,” she added.

Meg Connolly praised her husband’s independence of thought. “He got into this race before Mayor Menino, whom we have a great respect for, announced his departure. I think that shows a real dedication to his vision and ideas and his ability to make difficult decisions and take a stand. He is not bogged down by outside interests or union interests. He isn’t owned by anyone.”

Meg Connolly stressed her commitment to community mental health, issues of trauma facing the immigrant population and the trickle-down effects of exposure to violence.

“I would welcome a role as a psychologist taking a huge interest in the intersection of mental health and public health, the experience of the diverse range of immigrants coming to our city and their varied experiences. I would be extremely committed to making sure that our city is as warm and welcoming as possible, taking real time to listen and learn of their experiences whether it be housing, jobs, educational opportunities, mental health service and public health services,” she noted.

She added that with her background she could “bring a real dedication to the interests of Armenians in the Greater Boston area and those in Armenia. I would be really interested in bringing together a trade delegation to see how we might come together and visit Armenia to understand their needs: social, physical, mental health, public health, medical facilities  and infrastructure of the country.”

She is not the only member of the family with ties to Armenia. She said, if her husband is elected mayor, she would also work with John’s uncle, Greg Connolly, a professor of public health at Harvard University, who has worked to curb the smoking epidemic in Armenia, a leading public health issue there.

Voters in Boston go to the polls on November 5.