Janey, Levi to serve as inaugural fellows for Berry Institute

Jan. 21—SALEM — Former Boston Mayor Kim Janey and transgender rights advocate Jennifer Levi will be the inaugural fellows of the Berry Institute for Politics at Salem State University this spring.

The university, in an announcement Thursday, said the institute will invite prominent journalists, activists, policymakers and other public servants to campus as fellows each spring to share their knowledge, skills and experiences with students who are exploring and pursuing careers in politics and public service.

This spring semester, students will have opportunities to meet one-on-one and in small groups with Janey and Levi in a number of settings. This includes multiple visits to campus to host student office hours, class lectures, gathering over a meal and coordinating workshops or other guest speakers, according to the university.

"We couldn't be more grateful for the time and wisdom that Mayor Janey and Director Levi will be offering our students this spring," said Salem State President John Keenan. "There is an invaluable amount of knowledge and inspiration that will come from students having interactions with these remarkable leaders who have lessons to share about making a difference. Welcoming these inaugural fellows to our campus is a true honor and will have a lasting impact on our students."

Janey, who served as acting mayor of Boston for eight months last year, was Boston's 55th mayor of the city and made history as its first woman and first Black mayor. Prior to that, Janey was elected to the Boston City Council in 2017 as the first woman to represent District 7, which includes Roxbury and parts of the South End, Dorchester and Fenway. In 2020, she was chosen by her peers to serve as council president.

She has 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, as well, much of that time with Massachusetts Advocates for Children, where she championed systemic policy reforms to increase equity, excellence, access, and opportunity in Boston Public Schools. Prior to that, she worked as a community organizer, advocating for affordable, quality child care.

"As a daughter of educators and as Boston's former mayor, I am excited to engage students at Salem State University and share insights that I hope will inspire the next generation of civic leaders," said Janey.

Levi serves as the Transgender Rights Project director for the GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) and is a professor of law at Western New England University. Levi led the legal fight against former President Donald Trump's transgender military ban in both Doe v. Trump and Stockman v. Trump, and was also co-counsel in two landmark marriage equality cases, winning the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in Massachusetts (Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, 2003) and Connecticut (Kerrigan v. Department of Public Health, 2008).

A nationally recognized expert on transgender legal issues, Levi has dedicated their career to fighting for the rights of women; children; the poor; and gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) clients.

"I am beyond excited, as one of two inaugural Berry IOP Fellows, to work with Salem State students on the most pressing political LGBTQ+ issues of the day," said Levi. "What gives me hope for our future is the passion and energy new voices and visionaries bring to the work."

The Berry Institute, named for late political titan Sen. Fred Berry of Peabody, was established in 2019 as a nonpartisan program to engage and inspire a diverse community of learners to pursue careers in political and public service.

"Through one-time and ongoing engagement, fellows will serve as resources and mentors to students, supplementing what they are learning through their academic courses," said Samantha Giffen, coordinator for the Berry IOP. "We are pleased that these inaugural fellows will kick off a program aimed at broadening students' horizons as they determine how they want to make an impact on the world."