Senator Lydia Edwards Contact information

Lydia Marie Edwards, born in 1981, is an American attorney and politician. She served as a member of the Boston City Council from the 1st district from 2018 to 2022 and has served as a member of the Massachusetts Senate from the 1st Suffolk and Middlesex district since 2022. She resigned from the Boston City Council at the end of April 2022.

Lydia Edwards successfully secured re-election to the Massachusetts State Senate, representing the 3rd Suffolk District, in the general election held on November 8, 2022.

Raised by her mother, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and current union worker with the Veterans Administration, Edwards earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fordham University, a Juris Doctor from the Washington College of Law, and a Master of Laws in taxation from Boston University School of Law.

Edwards has worked as a public interest attorney with Greater Boston Legal Services and served as the deputy director within the Mayor’s Office of Housing Stability. She was elected to the Boston City Council in November 2017 and assumed office in January 2018. She represents the North End, East Boston, and Charlestown.

During her tenure, Edwards led efforts to protect Boston’s affordable housing stock through innovative and bold policy proposals. She spearheaded reforms to Inclusionary Development and Linkage and passed through the council a real estate transfer fee on the sale of properties valued at over $2 million, with all proceeds dedicated to affordable housing.

Edwards pushed to reduce airport pollution, expand water transportation, address traffic congestion, ensure community voice in major energy projects, rebuild public housing and stop proposed highway expansion. She solidified her role in the community as a bridge-builder, convening and organizing community meetings to take on larger conversations like Suffolk Downs in East Boston, the Bunker Hill Redevelopment project in Charlestown, and climate resilience in the historic North End.

She spearheaded the effort to get the city’s charter amended and democratize the $3 billion city budget through participatory budgeting. Lydia advocated for greater transparency in city government while maintaining fiscal responsibility. She has fought to reform the Zoning Board of Appeals to reduce influence-peddling in the development process.

As a State Senator, Lydia is continuing to fight for workers, renters, unions, immigrants, teachers, to make our commonwealth more affordable, more inclusive, and more democratic. She lives in East Boston and loves to run along the waterfront, and practice martial arts. Sometimes, she even skydives.