The race for Boston’s District 7 City Council seat, representing neighborhoods such as Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway, and parts of the South End, has drawn at least two candidates following the arrest of current councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson on federal public corruption charges.
Said Ahmed, a Roxbury resident and founder of Boston United Track and Cross Country—a free track and cross-country program for children in Boston—filed his campaign paperwork in October but officially announced his candidacy on Wednesday. Ahmed told the Boston Herald that the delay was due to preparations for his platform and website, not Fernandes Anderson’s legal troubles.
“I wish the best of luck for the councilor. She’s dealing with a tough situation… and I don’t want to say anything,” Ahmed said. “I can say she was trying her best in the community. I don’t know what’s going on right now.”
Ahmed emphasized the focus of his campaign, saying, “I want to make sure we focus on Said Ahmed, Coach Ahmed’s campaign.”
Ahmed came to Roxbury as a 12-year-old Somali refugee in 1995. A graduate of Boston English High School, he attended the University of Arkansas, where he was a four-time All-American middle-distance runner and an NCAA national champion. After retiring from competition, Ahmed returned to Roxbury to give back to the community, establishing Boston United Track and Cross Country to provide free athletic opportunities for local children. He also serves as the deputy director of the Somali Development Center, which offers resettlement support to Somali and African immigrants.
“Roxbury gave me home and access to opportunity,” Ahmed said. “That’s where I became a high school national champion, an NCAA national champion, and ran for the United States of America right after I became an American citizen.”
Ahmed’s campaign platform focuses on improving schools, addressing unsafe roads, increasing elderly care, expanding green spaces, and ensuring the development of affordable housing. “Our district is victimized by lip service,” Ahmed said. “When you’re an elected official, your job is to fix those issues. I believe there’s so much that we can improve in our community.”
Another candidate, Said Abdikarim, also brings a compelling story. Abdikarim, who previously ran for a citywide council seat in 2021, settled in Roxbury as a nine-year-old Somali refugee after spending four years in a Kenyan refugee camp, according to the Dorchester Reporter. He has volunteered on political campaigns for Mayor Michelle Wu, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, District 7 Councilor Tito Jackson, and the late Mayor Tom Menino.
“The first time I decided to run for office I wanted to be a voice for change,” Abdikarim said in a speech in the council chambers last winter. “Not only do I stand before you as an immigrant man but I’m also a Black man who lived in four different public houses. It’s not really easy to be in politics because when I ran I could see how hard it was, and I can only imagine how hard it is for you guys to do your job, not a lot of people give you credit.”
The campaign comes amid the fallout from Fernandes Anderson’s arrest on federal charges. Prosecutors allege the councilor stole thousands of taxpayer dollars in an “egregious” kickback scheme. Despite the charges, Fernandes Anderson has vowed to remain in office. “To my people, District 7 constituents: You know that I am always transparent with you and always available,” she said Wednesday. “My job is to show up and fight for you, and I will continue to do just that — the people’s work.”
Fernandes Anderson has faced other controversies during her tenure, including campaign finance violations, a state ethics violation for hiring family members to paid staff positions, and criticism for failing to properly take the oath of office during her second-term inauguration.
Ahmed and Abdikarim both say they are ready to bring meaningful change to the district.
