Coffee with Candidates: John Barros

Boston — Our Coffee with Candidates series returns with conversations with the five major candidates seeking to be the next mayor of Boston.

Our mayoral series begins with Boston 25 News Anchor Kerry Kavanaugh’s conversation with John Barros. Barros is the former Chief of Economic Development for the city of Boston, a position he served in under Marty Walsh’s administration.

Among a historic field of candidates in Boston, Barros is the only man in this race considered a major candidate.

Barros is also a small business owner. He’s a husband and a father. The son of Cape Verdean immigrants, he’s a lifelong resident of Roxbury and Dorchester.

Kavanaugh and Barros recently met up for coffee at the Square Root Café in Roslindale.

He told Kavanaugh he got involved in community organizing at a very young age. But at that time, he never dreamed of running for mayor.

“When I was young, it was never part of the agenda. In fact, nobody at City Hall looked like me,” Barros said. “I didn’t feel safe going to other neighborhoods as a young black man. Boston’s changed a lot. And as it’s changed, and as opportunities have shown itself, and as I’ve done my work, people around me have said, well, you should think about public office. You should think about running.”

Kavanaugh also spoke with Barros about Boston’s the affordable housing crisis, a top issue for voters.

Watch the video to see how Barros plans to tackle that plus the rest of their extended conversation.

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