Boston City Councilor At-Large Ruthzee Louijeune to Deliver Keynote Address at Bunker Hill Community College 2026 Commencement
Monday, March 16, 2026
Boston City Councilor At-Large Ruthzee Louijeune will deliver the keynote address at Bunker Hill Community College’s 52nd Commencement exercises on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at the MGM Fenway Music Hall in Boston.
“I am honored to serve as Bunker Hill Community College’s 2026 commencement speaker,” said Louijeune. “Education, and specifically public education, has shaped my life in profound ways, and it continues to shape the communities I serve. I am excited to celebrate this milestone with BHCC’s graduates and the families and supporters who lifted them through every challenge. Whether they go on to earn a bachelor’s degree, or they enter the workforce, the success of the Class of 2026 strengthens the future of Boston itself.”
“Like the Class of 2026, Councilor Louijeune represents the vibrancy of Boston’s present and the bright promise of its future.” said Bunker Hill Community College President Pam Eddinger. “As the first Haitian American elected to the Boston City Council, as an advocate for fair and affordable housing, and as a champion for critical investments in education, Councilor Louijeune’s vision of a Boston that offers economic opportunity and inclusion for all is one we at BHCC share. We are so happy that she will be our 2026Commencement speaker.”
Ruthzee Louijeune is serving her third term as Boston City Councilor At-Large. Born and raised in Mattapan and Hyde Park to working-class Haitian immigrants, Councilor Louijeune's journey is deeply rooted in the fabric of Boston.
As a lawyer, Councilor Louijeune fought for families facing eviction and foreclosure in Boston Housing Court. She defended voting rights in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, helped elect progressive prosecutors nationwide, and served as the senior attorney on Senator Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign. A fierce housing advocate, she drafted agreements that secured millions of dollars for first-generation homeowners as a member of Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance (MAHA).
As Chair of the Boston City Council’s Committee on Civil Rights and Immigrant Advancement, she expanded the Office of Returning Citizens, secured support for immigrants and new arrivals, defended LGBTQ+ rights, and convened a citywide civil rights forum. She also led the Council through the redistricting process after a federal court order, successfully passing a new district map. In her second term, Councilor Louijeune served as the City Council President where she worked to deliver citywide results and lead a Council grounded in equity and accountability. She has continued to champion public education through investments in student mental health, school facilities, fair wages for educators, and language access for families. She has advanced racial justice and public safety through community-centered violence prevention, survivor support, protections for returning citizens, and supporting the declaration of Boston as an LGBTQIA+ Sanctuary City.
Councilor Louijeune made history as the first Haitian American elected to Boston municipal government, the U.S. city with the second largest Haitian population per capita, and the first Haitian American to serve as President of the council. An alumna of Boston Public Schools, Columbia University, Harvard Law School, and Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Councilor Louijeune is trilingual, fluent in Haitian Creole and French, with conversational proficiency in Spanish.
In addition to Councilor Louijeune, Bunker Hill’s commencement will feature student and faculty speakers. For more information on BHCC’s commencement, visit bhcc.edu/commencement.