District 7 has been without representation since last July, following the indictment of former councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson on criminal charges. The race to represent the neighborhoods of Fenway, Roxbury, the South End, and parts of Dorchester was hotly contested, with Miniard Culpepper beating out Said ‘Coach’ Ahmed by only 599 votes.

Culpepper, a lifelong public servant and organizer, said his experience in the district pushed him into office. “I think people knew who I was. They knew the work that I had done. And they knew I was a more experienced candidate and that I would deliver and fight for them,” he said. 

Having worked for change at the local, federal, and now municipal levels, he called the connective tissue between his work justice, fairness, and equal opportunity. He also does not see much of a difference between his institutional and grassroots roles. 

“The goal is to help people and improve the quality of life. In both roles, even though you have different resources, different means, the goal is still the same,” he said. “The bottom line is to improve folks’ quality of life, whether it’s putting food on their table or putting a roof over their heads.”

Though the work is the same, Culpepper said the politics of council chambers are very different from those of the halls of Congress. “In Congress, when they go into session, it’s usually all set. It’s just a matter of moving forward with who the party has selected. It’s kind of nonpartisan on the council.” 

He said that the most important thing he has learned is the role these politics play in the role of the council. As an example, he gestured to the election of Liz Breadon as Council President.

The race was considered a forgone conclusion following District 1 Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata’s claim to have gathered the support necessary to secure the position in November. Just days before being sworn in, the councilor withdrew from the race.

Culpepper said he was focused on managing the processes of the election, but that his support was always behind District 4’s Brian Worrell. “I just thought he was the best person and the more experienced person to lead the council at this time.” He added that in his time in governance, he had only rarely seen the election of leadership happen in real time.

Still, the councilor has faith in City Hall’s ability to produce positive outcomes for the residents of Boston. “I think City Hall is a place where you may have different ideas and different approaches to helping folks. But I think the majority of folks in City Hall want to help people,” he said. 

Culpepper identified housing as the greatest issue facing both his district and the city at large. “A big thing is to expand homeownership,” he said. As Vice Chair of Housing and Community Development, he said he will work with Chair, Councilor Enrique Pepén, to come up with strategies that improve the quality of life in District 7 and put folks in homes, preferably ones they own.