Ayah Al-Zubi
She/Her
Election history: 2nd time candidate
She/Her
Election history: 2nd time candidate
Ayah Al-Zubi moved to Cambridge to attend Harvard, from which she graduated in May 2023. She has been involved in after-school sports programs in area schools, for instance coaching a basketball program at Baldwin Elementary School (through Harvard’s Phillips Brooks House Association).
She ran for city council in 2023 and was eliminated in the final round of transfers.
Ayah is a member of Boston DSA and advocates for Democratic Socialism.
Ayah's housing stance, broadly summarized, is "yes" for subsidized, income-restricted housing and "no" for market-rate housing. She also supports expanding tenant protections and strong rent controls.
Our Affordable Housing Overlay currently supports this progress, but explicitly up-zoning for our market-rate will exacerbate the declining livelihood of the working class people.
I don’t believe we can solve the housing crisis by relying on the same market-driven mechanisms that helped create it.
My story is not a unique story. There are other people who are living in situations where they feel like they are not heard, and their landlords are taking advantage of that.
I would want to focus on making the #1 bus free, as well be an advocate at the state level with elected officials in pushing our MBTA to be more accessible, more frequent, and more safe.
We moved around a lot, growing up. It wasn't until I came to Cambridge and felt a deep sense of community that I became dedicated to giving back. That's part of why I ran in 2023. We came in 10th of the 9 seats. We're back at it again.
| Organization | Cambridge? | Union? | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston DSA | on June 19, 2025 | ||
| UAW | |||
| Cambridge Bicycle Safety | |||
| Harvard College Democrats | this cycle | ||
| Run For Something | on Aug. 17, 2025 | ||
| Cambridge Residents Alliance | this cycle | ||
| Our Revolution Cambridge | this cycle | ||
| Committee of Interns and Residents SEIU | this cycle | ||
| 32BJ SEIU | this cycle | ||
| Massachusetts Sierra Club | this cycle |
Housing policy, development, governance
Housing policy, development, governance
Pedestrian and cycling safety, policy, infrastructure, governance
Pedestrian and cycling safety, policy, infrastructure, governance
Lengthy panel on progressive issues; largely yes/no questions; only 9 respondents. This is the first year this has appeared.
Lengthy panel on progressive issues; largely yes/no questions; only 9 respondents. This is the first year this has appeared.
Various questions relevant to interests of the MIT Grad Sudent Congress and broader community
Various questions relevant to interests of the MIT Grad Sudent Congress and broader community
Questions about how Cambridge can support Palestinians locally, divestment from Israel, and protesting and ICE.
Questions about how Cambridge can support Palestinians locally, divestment from Israel, and protesting and ICE.
Housing, zoning, governance, infrastructure
Housing, zoning, governance, infrastructure
Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association City Council Candidate Night 2025
Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association City Council Candidate Night 2025
Porter Square Neighborhood Association and Baldwin Neighborhood Council City Council Candidate Forum at Lesley University
Porter Square Neighborhood Association and Baldwin Neighborhood Council City Council Candidate Forum at Lesley University
"This year, we turned the traditional format upside down: community members with lived experience will speak first, and candidates will listen and respond. We heard directly about pressing issues like housing, mental health, and food security—and learn how candidates plan to act on them."
"This year, we turned the traditional format upside down: community members with lived experience will speak first, and candidates will listen and respond. We heard directly about pressing issues like housing, mental health, and food security—and learn how candidates plan to act on them."
Zoom-based panel run by 350Mass, Mothers Out Front, Green Cambridge, Elders Climate Action, others.
Zoom-based panel run by 350Mass, Mothers Out Front, Green Cambridge, Elders Climate Action, others.
Ayah Al-Zubi, who finished 10th last time, one place away from holding office, said this campaign has been different because she has a much larger cadre of volunteers. She’s had to learn how to run a team and manage conflict. “It’s been chaotic but fun,” she said.
Though she’s 24, she says people she talks with don’t bring up her age. “I think people are looking for fresh energy in politics.”
Oct. 27, 2025 — Michael F. FitzgeraldAyah Al-Zubi, who finished 10th last time, one place away from holding office, said this campaign has been different because she has a much larger cadre of volunteers. She’s had to learn how to run a team and manage conflict. “It’s been chaotic but fun,” she said.
Though she’s 24, she says people she talks with don’t bring up her age. “I think people are looking for fresh energy in politics.”
“Harvard’s a complicated topic,” Al-Zubi said. “We have to support them and also hold them accountable especially right now when they’ve cut their union members.”
Oct. 22, 2025“Harvard’s a complicated topic,” Al-Zubi said. “We have to support them and also hold them accountable especially right now when they’ve cut their union members.”
A self-described “organizer by heart,” Al-Zubi has a community-centered mindset that made her stand out when she first ran for office in 2023. Then a newly minted Harvard College grad, she captured the attention of many Cantabrigians, particularly progressives looking to bet on a young, idealistic candidate. Despite the energy around her campaign, she came just shy of victory. Out of the 24 competitors in the 2023 race, she placed 10th in No. 1 votes in the city’s ranked-choice system electing a nine-person City Council.
Oct. 15, 2025 — Jane PetersenA self-described “organizer by heart,” Al-Zubi has a community-centered mindset that made her stand out when she first ran for office in 2023. Then a newly minted Harvard College grad, she captured the attention of many Cantabrigians, particularly progressives looking to bet on a young, idealistic candidate. Despite the energy around her campaign, she came just shy of victory. Out of the 24 competitors in the 2023 race, she placed 10th in No. 1 votes in the city’s ranked-choice system electing a nine-person City Council.
“We’re one of the world’s most powerful institutions. Harvard can definitely do a lot more,” challenger and recent graduate Ayah Al-Zubi ’23 said.
Oct. 15, 2025 — Ann E. Gombiner and Dionise Guerra-Carrillo“We’re one of the world’s most powerful institutions. Harvard can definitely do a lot more,” challenger and recent graduate Ayah Al-Zubi ’23 said.
Her top priority as a candidate, though, is increasing Cambridge’s housing capacity. She’s in favor of current policies such as inclusionary zoning and continuing to support Cambridge’s community land trust, but offers new ideas as well. In her platform, she advocates for the construction of publicly owned social housing to rapidly increase the number of units available, especially affordable ones.
“We’re trying to create mixed and integrated neighborhoods where people can get to know their community members more and feel like they’re a part of something bigger [and] build community,” she said.
Oct. 15, 2025 — Jane PetersenHer top priority as a candidate, though, is increasing Cambridge’s housing capacity. She’s in favor of current policies such as inclusionary zoning and continuing to support Cambridge’s community land trust, but offers new ideas as well. In her platform, she advocates for the construction of publicly owned social housing to rapidly increase the number of units available, especially affordable ones.
“We’re trying to create mixed and integrated neighborhoods where people can get to know their community members more and feel like they’re a part of something bigger [and] build community,” she said.
Al-Zubi wept when talking about the closing of the Transition Wellness center, whose residents she had worked with as an organizer. She said they had abruptly lost access to food, health care and services they gained in that space. “I’m emotional about it because our city is not centering neglected people,” she said.
Sept. 23, 2025 — Michael FitzgeraldAl-Zubi wept when talking about the closing of the Transition Wellness center, whose residents she had worked with as an organizer. She said they had abruptly lost access to food, health care and services they gained in that space. “I’m emotional about it because our city is not centering neglected people,” she said.
Challenger Ayah Al-Zubi ’23 has proposed the construction of new social housing in Cambridge, an idea garnering support across the field. Social housing is a form of publicly funded development that includes mixed-income units, some affordable and others even reaching market rate.
“What we would need to do to make that happen is leverage our triple A bond rating and create a revolving loan so that our city can invest directly into housing that we know can sustainably remain affordable,” Al-Zubi said.
Sept. 12, 2025 — Shawn A. Boehmer, Dionise Guerra-Carrillo, and Jack B. ReardonChallenger Ayah Al-Zubi ’23 has proposed the construction of new social housing in Cambridge, an idea garnering support across the field. Social housing is a form of publicly funded development that includes mixed-income units, some affordable and others even reaching market rate.
“What we would need to do to make that happen is leverage our triple A bond rating and create a revolving loan so that our city can invest directly into housing that we know can sustainably remain affordable,” Al-Zubi said.
“This one is near and dear to my heart as a Muslim,” said recent Harvard graduate Ayah A. Al-Zubi ’23, the youngest candidate in the race. “Policing was built to patrol enslaved folks back in the 18th century. If a system is broken, fundamentally, we cannot expect it to continue to serve the people,” she said.
Sept. 27, 2023 — Muskaan Arshad, Julian J. Giordano“This one is near and dear to my heart as a Muslim,” said recent Harvard graduate Ayah A. Al-Zubi ’23, the youngest candidate in the race. “Policing was built to patrol enslaved folks back in the 18th century. If a system is broken, fundamentally, we cannot expect it to continue to serve the people,” she said.
Al-Zubi said living off campus in Central Square during her senior year made her realize Cambridge has a "massive" affordable housing crisis, which she said she believes is the city’s "biggest issue."
Aug. 7, 2023 — Julian J. GiordanoAl-Zubi said living off campus in Central Square during her senior year made her realize Cambridge has a "massive" affordable housing crisis, which she said she believes is the city’s "biggest issue."