Ayesha Wilson
She/Her
- Currently
- City Councillor
- Election history
- Elected to council 2023; served 2 terms on school committee
She/Her
Ayesha Wilson grew up in Cambridge public housing and attended Cambridge Rindge and Latin. She earned a Master's in Social Work and has worked as Mental Health Clinician and a Senior Teacher-Counselor for Cambridge Housing Authority's Work Force Program, an after-school educational enrichment and work-readiness program for low-income teens in Cambridge public housing.
Ayesha is seeking re-election after serving her first term on the Council. She is the only active union member among incumbents and she's the 3rd Black woman to serve. Prior to being elected to the Council, Ayesha served two terms on the School Committee.
In general, Ayesha's housing position is "yes" - she supports the Affordable Housing Overlay amendments, talks about allowing multi-family housing across Cambridge, and states how most people in Cambridge live in market-rate housing.
She's also written and spoken in favor of rent stabilization or control.
I'm not afraid of heights. I grew up in Jefferson Park, right nextdoor to Rindge Towers, where many of my friends lived.
I really despise that we have this [bike lane] conversation in the matter of life and death.
I also believe we need to revisit the Vision Zero plan. This commitment was made pre-pandemic. Does this commitment still work for us post-pandemic?
| Organization | Cambridge? | Union? | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge Citizens Coalition | this cycle | ||
| A Better Cambridge | this cycle | ||
| Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus | this cycle | ||
| Greater Boston Labor Council | this cycle | ||
| Run For Something | this cycle |
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.
Housing policy, development, governance
Housing policy, development, governance
Housing, zoning, governance, infrastructure
Housing, zoning, governance, infrastructure
Wilson, who is in her first term, says that it has been eye-opening to come to the council after having been on the School Committee. She said “I may not have a planning degree … but I have a Ph.D. in advocacy. And I can open up eyes to” new perspectives.
Sept. 23, 2025 — Michael FitzgeraldWilson, who is in her first term, says that it has been eye-opening to come to the council after having been on the School Committee. She said “I may not have a planning degree … but I have a Ph.D. in advocacy. And I can open up eyes to” new perspectives.
“We cut the service towards the Transition Wellness Center. That was a $3 million price tag. But yet, over the next five years, we’re spending $150 million in terms of bike lanes in our streets,” Wilson said.
Sept. 8, 2025 — Shawn A. Boehmer, Ann E. Gombiner, and Dionise Guerra-Carrillo“We cut the service towards the Transition Wellness Center. That was a $3 million price tag. But yet, over the next five years, we’re spending $150 million in terms of bike lanes in our streets,” Wilson said.
Councilor Ayesha Wilson, cosponsor of an order to cancel the [separated bike lane] project, said, “This isn’t a life, I mean, this isn’t — I really despise the fact that we have this conversation in a matter of life or death.” Minutes later, she dismissed cyclists’ deaths as “sadly, accidents happen.”
Aug. 11, 2025 — Catherine Benedict, John B. Corcoran and Alexa GombergCouncilor Ayesha Wilson, cosponsor of an order to cancel the [separated bike lane] project, said, “This isn’t a life, I mean, this isn’t — I really despise the fact that we have this conversation in a matter of life or death.” Minutes later, she dismissed cyclists’ deaths as “sadly, accidents happen.”
Ayesha M. Wilson was the only councilor to not issue a statement on Toner’s criminal charge.
March 22, 2025 — Matan H. Josephy and Laurel M. ShugartAyesha M. Wilson was the only councilor to not issue a statement on Toner’s criminal charge.
“I spent so much of my childhood in the towers,” Wilson said of Cambridge’s affordable housing developments. “You can’t tell me that there isn’t culture in those buildings, that there isn’t family, and love, and community and all of that in those buildings, because there is. I’ve experienced it firsthand.”
“The people is what makes up the character of our community,” she added. “So if we’re not building and creating opportunities for more and more people to be able to have homes here, to call Cambridge home, then what exactly are we doing?”
Oct. 26, 2023 — Samuel P. Goldston“I spent so much of my childhood in the towers,” Wilson said of Cambridge’s affordable housing developments. “You can’t tell me that there isn’t culture in those buildings, that there isn’t family, and love, and community and all of that in those buildings, because there is. I’ve experienced it firsthand.”
“The people is what makes up the character of our community,” she added. “So if we’re not building and creating opportunities for more and more people to be able to have homes here, to call Cambridge home, then what exactly are we doing?”
“Too often, living in Cambridge means seeing your friends and community get priced out year after year. I’ve had to work multiple jobs throughout my career in order to be able to stay in the city I love, and Cambridge can only work when our firefighters, teachers, small-business owners and union members like me can afford to live here,” Wilson said. “As a parent of a 1-year-old, I know how hard it is to make ends meet here even with a middle-class income, and it’s almost impossible for many people who grew up in a single-parent first-generation immigrant household like I did.”
July 10, 2023 — Marc Levy“Too often, living in Cambridge means seeing your friends and community get priced out year after year. I’ve had to work multiple jobs throughout my career in order to be able to stay in the city I love, and Cambridge can only work when our firefighters, teachers, small-business owners and union members like me can afford to live here,” Wilson said. “As a parent of a 1-year-old, I know how hard it is to make ends meet here even with a middle-class income, and it’s almost impossible for many people who grew up in a single-parent first-generation immigrant household like I did.”