Josh Kraft: From Nonprofit Leader to Boston's Next Mayor? | Que Pasa Boston Exclusive

In this groundbreaking episode of Que Pasa Boston, host Gabriela Salas sits down for an intimate, exclusive conversation with mayoral candidate Josh Kraft, who opens up about his vision for Boston's future and the profound childhood experiences that shaped his leadership philosophy.
Kraft shares never-before-heard stories about growing up in a family dedicated to community service and how his transformative work with the Boys & Girls Club gave him unique insights into Boston's diverse neighborhoods. This compelling interview reveals the personal side of a public figure poised to potentially reshape the city's political landscape.
The conversation delves deep into Kraft's comprehensive plans for addressing Boston's most pressing challenges, including his strategies for the Mass & Cass area, boosting Hispanic economic development, and harnessing the growing Latino buying power to strengthen Boston's economy. Kraft also reveals his personal connection to Boston's vibrant Hispanic community and why he believes cultural diversity is central to the city's identity and future.
Whether you're a concerned Boston voter, interested in urban policy, or passionate about community development, this episode offers valuable insights into the man who might become Boston's next leader. Gabriela Salas's thoughtful questioning brings out Kraft's authentic voice while exploring how his nonprofit background offers a distinctive approach to city governance.
Don't miss this essential conversation about leadership, community, and the future of one of America's most historic cities.
BostonMayor #JoshKraft #ElectionCoverage #BostonPolitics #QuePasaBoston #HispanicEconomics #MayoralRace #GabrielaSalas #CommunityLeadership #BoysAndGirlsClub #BostonNonprofits #LatinoVoters #UrbanPolicy #MassAndCass #BostonNeighborhoods #PoliticalLeadership #BostonLatino #CommunityDevelopment #BostonFuture #CulturalDiversity #EconomicEmpowerment #BostonElection2025 #ExclusiveInterview #BostonCommunities #LeadershipJourney #PoliticalCandidate #BostonVoters #CityGovernance #BostonHispanic #CommunityAdvocacy​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​


Josh Kraft: ¿De Líder Sin Fines de Lucro a Próximo Alcalde de Boston? | Exclusiva de Que Pasa Boston
En este episodio revolucionario de Que Pasa Boston, la presentadora Gabriela Salas se sienta para una conversación íntima y exclusiva con el candidato a la alcaldía Josh Kraft, quien revela su visión para el futuro de Boston y las profundas experiencias de su infancia que moldearon su filosofía de liderazgo.
Kraft comparte historias nunca antes escuchadas sobre crecer en una familia dedicada al servicio comunitario y cómo su trabajo transformador con el Boys & Girls Club le dio perspectivas únicas sobre los diversos vecindarios de Boston. Esta entrevista cautivadora revela el lado personal de una figura pública preparada para potencialmente remodelar el panorama político de la ciudad.
La conversación profundiza en los planes integrales de Kraft para abordar los desafíos más urgentes de Boston, incluyendo sus estrategias para el área de Mass & Cass, impulsar el desarrollo económico hispano y aprovechar el creciente poder adquisitivo latino para fortalecer la economía de Boston. Kraft también revela su conexión personal con la vibrante comunidad hispana de Boston y por qué cree que la diversidad cultural es fundamental para la identidad y el futuro de la ciudad.
Ya seas un votante preocupado de Boston, interesado en políticas urbanas o apasionado por el desarrollo comunitario, este episodio ofrece valiosas perspectivas sobre el hombre que podría convertirse en el próximo líder de Boston. El cuestionamiento reflexivo de Gabriela Salas extrae la voz auténtica de Kraft mientras explora cómo su experiencia en organizaciones sin fines de lucro ofrece un enfoque distintivo para la gobernanza de la ciudad.
No te pierdas esta conversación esencial sobre liderazgo, comunidad y el futuro

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Real stories, real people. There's is Capasa Boston with Gabrie
La Salas, keeping our neighborhoods connected right here on Geminar
Ey four five.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
One of the.

Speaker 3 (00:10):
Boss said, I'm super excited today because we have a
guest that he doesn't even have an idea where I'm
going to start with my conversation. These guests of mine
has a very popular last name. But that last name
I associated with completely different situations and moments than most people.

(00:31):
When you hear the name of Craft, you think of Patriots,
and you think of the NFL and a gilt stadium.
But when I think of Craft, I think of Mashpie,
Cape cut Ribs, and Scooby Doo.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
And I'm gonna tell you why. People.

Speaker 3 (00:53):
You have to understand that when I came into the
United States from Mexico, I arrived in into a family
as a nanny, and I was actually babysitting for Andrew Tippett,
and that was my introduction to the Patriots.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
What that means is that.

Speaker 3 (01:11):
Every summer we used to go to Cape Cod and
spend time in Mashpee, and I used to spend some
time at your summer home with your family, Mara, your
mom your belated mom.

Speaker 2 (01:23):
And your dad.

Speaker 3 (01:25):
And in one of those reunions, I met somebody that
was talking about a dog and how they wanted to
make a movie, and then that movie was gonna be
with these real people, and I kept thinking, am I
hearing correctly?

Speaker 2 (01:38):
And when I heard it was like, wait a second,
that's a cartoon, that's Scooby Doo.

Speaker 3 (01:43):
So every time that I think of Craft is because
I went to Cape Cud to your family's home, and
I met the director and executive producer of Scooby Doo.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
You never know that introduction. I want to welcome our
dear friend, Josh Craft. Welcome, Gabrielle, Thank you very much,
Thank you for having me here. It's a pleasure.

Speaker 3 (02:09):
So Josh, the first question I asked all of our
guests here I get, basa Boston is who is Joshcraft?

Speaker 4 (02:18):
All right, Joshkraft is someone that spent thirty five years,
thirty five years working in the neighborhoods and communities of Boston,
from Mattapan to East Boston to Charlestown and everywhere in between,
doing community work, working with people. Most of those thirty
five years with Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston. Where

(02:40):
for the last twelve years of those thirty years, I
was a president and CEO, and I started as an
outreach worker working in public housing developments with kids in
South Boston.

Speaker 3 (02:53):
You know, it's funny just say that the Boys and
Girls Club, obviously that's a major part of your career.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
We were the CEO for almost eighteen years, twelve years,
twelve years.

Speaker 3 (03:03):
They're coming in that we're going to do our full
fun activity here at iHeartMedia. We're going to show them
what the studios are all about. And to me, it's
very deep in my heart because some of the most
amazing people that I've met come from Boys and Girls Club.
How do you feel about the stories that actually have
been impacted because.

Speaker 2 (03:23):
Of your leadership?

Speaker 4 (03:25):
Well, what I love about the Boys and Girls Club,
and that's any boys and Girls club, but we'll focus
here in Boston, and actually I'll focus on the Charlestown
Club because what I always loved about the clubs is
it was a story of America. Two young people could
walk in that building with different backgrounds socio economic, ethnic, religious,

(03:47):
whatever it be, and have access to opportunities the same
equal access to opportunities in the building. And why I
mentioned Charlestown. It was such a powerful thing when you
would go up there, let's say around the holidays, and
during a holiday party, you'd see two kids decorating cookies. Right,

(04:07):
one of those kids would be from the Bunker Hill
Housing development, the largest housing development in New England, and
a kid next to him would be from a beautiful
townhouse in Monument Square, probably four or five million dollar
townhouse that was paid for in cash. But that's the
essence of Boys and Girls Club, That's the essence of opportunity,

(04:30):
and that's the essence of America. And what also makes
the city of Boston great.

Speaker 3 (04:35):
As of Bostonian. And from my perspective, obviously coming from
one of the major cities in the world, Mexico City,
coming into Boston and learning the New England way of
doing things, how was it for you to grow up
in New England?

Speaker 2 (04:51):
Listen?

Speaker 4 (04:52):
I love being a New Englander and the heartbeat of
New England, the heartbeat of our n tire region economically,
entertainment wise, for everything commerce is Boston. So I'm a
proud New Englander and I'm a proud Bostonian. I love
the city of Boston. Well, how was it to grow

(05:14):
up with your family. Were you going skiing? Where you
at the Sopercaholma. It's just more about like, how was
Josh Kraft as a little kid. You know, we love
Boston sports. We were going to Patriots games sitting on
the metal benches way back in the seventies and eighties.
Loved the Celtics. So we were a sports family. But

(05:37):
my mother and I also know it's Woman's History Month
and we can talk about that. But it wasn't just
the sports. My mother made sure we went to the
Museum of Fine Arts, made sure we went to the opera,
made sure we went to theater, made sure in the
summertime we read as many books as possible.

Speaker 2 (05:57):
All things that you can do in this one city,
in the.

Speaker 4 (06:00):
Great city of Boston, yeah, thank you, or in New England,
in the region if you asked New England.

Speaker 2 (06:04):
But of course in the city of Boston. The opera.

Speaker 4 (06:07):
I've been to the opera house this bso many times.
My mother was a stickler for that.

Speaker 3 (06:13):
And with your brothers and sisters, how was it to be.

Speaker 2 (06:18):
Were you the middle child?

Speaker 4 (06:20):
Yeah, there's two boys ahead of me and one younger,
so I'm number three, sort of in there.

Speaker 2 (06:25):
How was that? It was great?

Speaker 4 (06:27):
I love my brothers, and like any family, you know,
we have our squabbles, but in the end, we have
each other's backs, and that's what's most important.

Speaker 3 (06:36):
That's so funny because when I was growing up, I
have one sister, and when we used to fight, my
mom would like have us.

Speaker 2 (06:43):
One in one room and another one in another room.

Speaker 3 (06:45):
You're you're not allowed to talk anymore, so now figure
it out. And then it's when I started to realize that.

Speaker 2 (06:51):
You cannot leave alone. You need family, you need community.

Speaker 3 (06:55):
And when I moved to Boston, even though my family
stayed in Mexico, I build my own family here and
I've been so welcome and so heartily loved by.

Speaker 2 (07:06):
A lot of people.

Speaker 3 (07:08):
That it just impacted my entire career, my entire livelihood, everything.
What do you feel when you are now running for
mayor and you decide to be part of that community
that is going to welcome other family members or create
these families and organizations and community. How is that important

(07:31):
to you? Is that very important? Is that something that
you're considering also building like a stronger community within Boston.

Speaker 2 (07:38):
Yeah, Gabriel, so I'm as I mentioned.

Speaker 4 (07:42):
I've done thirty five years in the neighborhoods of Boston
doing community work, and to me, I look at the
mayor of Boston as the ultimate community work job because
it's about all those things you just mentioned, bringing people together,
supporting nonprofit, supporting businesses, supporting communities, supporting new immigrants to

(08:05):
the city, and creating a complete.

Speaker 2 (08:12):
Diagram. Yeah, of different.

Speaker 4 (08:14):
Entities all coming together for one thing to make Boston great.

Speaker 2 (08:18):
And it is interesting because I've traveled.

Speaker 3 (08:21):
I've had the blessing of traveling around the world and
I've seen many major cities. And every time that people
ask me, why have you been in Boston for twenty
five years? How come you haven't moved opportunities. I've hadn't
been to you know, Middle East to buy unity in Brazil.
And I would never ever leave Boston because I feel

(08:42):
that we have it all. We have the young energy
from students, you have the best universities in the world.
You have the best nonprofit organizations that are coming from.

Speaker 2 (08:51):
Here, best medicine.

Speaker 3 (08:53):
What is your love for Boston besides the community and
the city. What makes you say like I'm a Bostonian.
I feel very proud.

Speaker 4 (09:03):
I think What makes me most proud to be a
Bostonian is the honesty and the directness of people in
the city.

Speaker 2 (09:10):
Especially when you drive.

Speaker 4 (09:11):
Yeah, definitely, when you drive, no one's ever going to
pull any punches. Yeah, And everyone's going to tell you
how they feel without hesitation. And the great thing is
even if they tell you how they how they feel
and it's a disagreement, they're still going to listen to
you and hear you out.

Speaker 3 (09:31):
But that's what makes Boston unique in such a great place.
And one thing we have in common, you and I
we both went to school. Of course, you went to
Harvard University. I was in Mexico City, but we went
to school for education. I love being a teacher, and
I don't do teaching, but in some way or in
shape or form, I'm actually educating the audience, educating consumers.

Speaker 2 (09:53):
What got you into education? Why being a teacher? Well,
when I.

Speaker 4 (09:58):
Left, I went to a four year university, and then
I spent a year a few years working in South
Boston at the Boys and Girls Club outreach with kids,
and I wanted to continue working with kids and understand
kids and understand how to connect and best motivate them.

(10:19):
So I went to Harvard at School of Education to
learn more about education, educational theory, how to connect with kids.
But ironically enough, the greatest experience that I had at
Harvard was my spring term. I interned for that whole

(10:41):
term at a methadone clinic in Summerville, which was really powerful,
really eye opening, and that really set me on the
path to commit to community work all the time.

Speaker 2 (10:55):
So you saw the consequences my right, it was in
the early nineties.

Speaker 3 (11:00):
When you see that, and now you're thinking of the
meth mile, right, and what's happening in Boston. How can
we as a community because we are always trying to
blame and put the power in just one person, right,
whether it is the mayor or the governor, But how
can we as a community help you take care of our.

Speaker 5 (11:23):
City, take specifically mass and casts and well however it is,
but just with you know, all these drug addictions, or
maybe the homeless, or maybe it's with immigration.

Speaker 3 (11:36):
But how can we help because it's very easy to
point fingers and just complain. But I am trying with
our audience and our policies here and obviously with the community,
let's be a word of action too, right, How can
we have judge craft.

Speaker 4 (11:53):
And I'll start first with maths and cats. How I
look at it, I think there's two things we need
to do. There's a lot of or not a lot,
but a good number of I would say, people doing
the wrong thing, praying on vulnerable people there, selling drugs,
selling sex, and we need to get them out with police,

(12:17):
with law enforcement. And then we have to go in
and support those most vulnerable and find pathways for them
to get better. So that's how I look at Those
are the two paths for mass and guys and the
big picture with everyone. It might be cliche, but everybody's
got to come together and understand each other, which also

(12:38):
means disagree with one another but still be respectful of
one another. When we can do that, we can all
move forward.

Speaker 3 (12:45):
I love that you're talking about unity and respect in
an political environment that we're leaving nowadays. That's kind of
like the essence of divide and conquer, right, Yes, and
in this is we want to unify, right, we want
to unite our people. What are some of the actions

(13:08):
that you're trying to take in your new position running
as mayor to unify the community.

Speaker 4 (13:16):
Well, I'd say the first thing that we need to
do as a city is be more fiscally responsible. Over
the last three years, the budget, the city budget has
grown an unprecedented twenty percent. Twenty percent unprecedented, and I

(13:37):
don't feel like the mayor of the current administration is
really looking hard at places to save money. I mean,
they've gone on record saying there's not anything to be
cut from here. But I can tell you start with
the bloated payroll. From twenty twenty three to twenty twenty four,

(13:59):
the average Boston City Hall job increased by twenty five percent,
from seventy four thousand dollars to over one hundred thousand dollars.
And that to me, when you say you don't have
a penny to cut, it's not only unbelievable, I think
it's not fair to the citizens of Boston, who in

(14:20):
their own lives are cutting because of the high cost
of living, the high cost of heat, the high cost
of food, and trying to save.

Speaker 2 (14:28):
Money in their own home.

Speaker 4 (14:29):
And when they say the city not doing it and
their tax is going up, I think it's very frustrating,
and I think it's disrespectful to the people of Boston.
I can tell you is Mayor, we will be fiscally
responsible and we will look in our own backyard at
places to save money for the citizens of Boston.

Speaker 3 (14:47):
One thing that we are doing very much so, especially
here in my personal role as a leader, will I
want our Hispanic community specifically to be more financial responsible.
So more financially responsible because we're taught to think smaller.

(15:08):
We're taught to receive a lower salary because.

Speaker 2 (15:12):
We are a minority. We are taught.

Speaker 3 (15:15):
To do it for free sometimes because it's the giving
and loving character of our culture.

Speaker 2 (15:23):
And in this case, I am.

Speaker 3 (15:25):
Really trying to make create some awareness on how we
can also since we're the largest buying power in the
minority of the minorities. You're talking about thirteen trillion dollars
buying power. It's impactful. We're making the world go round,
But internally in our households, we don't have that knowledge

(15:48):
of how we can also remain and think larger. Okay,
I want to be a small business, yes, but what
is the next step.

Speaker 2 (15:55):
Why not think of an enterprise? Right?

Speaker 3 (15:58):
Why not think of being the next joge Craft? And
that's what I would love to see you. What are
you trying to do with the Hispanic community or the
minorities that have so much impact in the economic development
of the city.

Speaker 4 (16:14):
I think one of the biggest things we want I
want to do as mayor is create pathways for just
what you said, Gabrielle, to create generational wealth for communities
of color, and that could be through home buying, that
could be through financial literacy as well as how to

(16:37):
invest money, how to save money, because we need to
make sure the next generation and the generation after that
of our communities of color, who are all part of
our whole boss and community, understand the power of saving
and understand the ways that they can increase their savings
through generational wealth programs or through home buine through iras

(17:02):
and other vehicles.

Speaker 2 (17:04):
I love that.

Speaker 3 (17:05):
And then as as Hispanics Latinos pogana tension, you need
to do your homework. You need to educate yourself and
actually be aware of what the possibilities are so you
can take advantage of what the city is doing to
improve our community. And being Hispanic brings me to the
next topic that it's a passion of mine and I'm

(17:26):
super excited because twenty twenty six is a big year,
right and if.

Speaker 2 (17:30):
You know things go the right way.

Speaker 3 (17:32):
You're talking about running a city that is going to
welcome over three million visitors from all over the world
with the Soccer World Cup.

Speaker 2 (17:42):
Can you imagine? I mean, like, this is going to
be amazing, but the infrastructure is going to be challenging.
I'm just being quite honest. I've been to several major events, right,
I get that.

Speaker 3 (17:54):
So what do you think we can do also, or
how can we help the city and minorities maximize that
opportunity and make it profitable also for these businesses that
are going to be able to profit from four hundred
and eighty million dollars in forty five days with seven
games at your stadium.

Speaker 2 (18:14):
It's crazy, crazy in a good way. Yes, it's fairy.
But I think we need.

Speaker 4 (18:19):
To celebrate and highlight all the different communities that are
in Boston and their restaurants, their stores, and their businesses.
Because there's going to be so many folks coming into
the Boston. We need to celebrate the cultural diversity of Boston.
Figure out a way to do it before people come in.
So we're ready to go when these three million people

(18:42):
come into our great city, and that will be a
great boon for those businesses and it'll be a great
boon for all the businesses around.

Speaker 2 (18:51):
What do you think we should do as a city, like,
you know, to help with the traffic.

Speaker 3 (18:57):
I'm not even I'm imagining if it's a nightmare right now,
how is it going to be with all these people
coming from all these places, because they're going to be
spending probably staying all over positively Maryland, all the way
over here because there's there's not going to.

Speaker 6 (19:13):
Be a space for everyone just in the city, right
I'm sure they'll be staying out and need you know,
out in the suburbs or hotels on that. Different states, Oh,
different states to come up here.

Speaker 2 (19:24):
Yes, well you got a few other New England. Yeah,
it'll be.

Speaker 4 (19:28):
Well, we set at the beginning Boston is the economic driver.
I guess Boston Foxboro will be the economic driver for
New England. Now, yes, those forty five days, so I
know that we will. There will be great plans to
figure it out. I'm sure it'll take a little bit
of getting used to and some patients, but I have

(19:48):
confidence that it will all be figured out.

Speaker 2 (19:51):
Well.

Speaker 4 (19:51):
We're places will thrive, that's my goal. That's fine, that
the businesses will thrive. And that's the greatest thing about it.

Speaker 3 (19:58):
Let's get that education is ready for all these people
that handn't maximize and capitalize from this opportunity.

Speaker 2 (20:04):
It's so once in a lifetime.

Speaker 3 (20:06):
It's an opportunity that is not going to come again
until I don't know, maybe two hundred years, because it's
every four years in different countries. I'm very, very excited
that we are part of such a historic moment. When
Josh Craft comes into Boston, you moved into the North End.

Speaker 2 (20:24):
Yeah, I live in the North and.

Speaker 3 (20:27):
You are now filled with this Italian spirit day in
day out. What is your favorite restaurant? What is your
favorite Italian meal when you're in the North End? Can
I say the restaurant because I don't want to know
it's not? My friend Damian Depollo Carmelina's. It is a
great Oh.

Speaker 2 (20:47):
I love Carmelianas.

Speaker 4 (20:49):
I'm a fan of Chachery Peppe very good. My partner
who lives with me, she's a time she she's a
big fan of that too.

Speaker 3 (20:59):
Michelle is also in the nonprofit Feel Correct. Yes, yes,
So why why did you focus on the nonprofit when
you have such a beautiful family with a great business
with an amazing, exciting opportunity to be involved in sports,
and then you decide to.

Speaker 2 (21:18):
Do it the other way.

Speaker 4 (21:20):
Well, that's a great segue into I know it's Women's
History Month, and we're Women's Month, not you, We're celebrating women.
So at a young age, we learned from both my parents,
but really my mom about the power of community and
what our responsibility was to our community was. She always said,

(21:42):
you know, your worst day is most people's best day.
You need to look out for people, all people, especially
those that are marginalized and don't have access to opportunity.
And that resonated somewhere in me, and that was my
commitment to the work AID was because of that and
because of those teachings of my mother.

Speaker 3 (22:04):
So in Boston we have one of the best, if
not the best, in the world schools for innovation and
technology MIT.

Speaker 2 (22:15):
Oh yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3 (22:16):
What is your point of view in innovation and maybe
making Boston the capital of AI.

Speaker 4 (22:25):
I think it's crucial and one of our One of
the things I've been thinking about and it's so important
for our city is right now, our downtown is struggling.
There's not the vitality and the vibrancy that it had
for so many years because post pandemic and work from
home and we need to bring life back to the downtown.

(22:46):
We need to reimagine it. And one of the ways,
potentially is to make it a hub or a center
for some breakthrough industry, be it ai medical technology.

Speaker 2 (22:57):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (22:59):
We're we've got to figure that out, but I'm going
to put together a great committee of creative, innovative people
to help us figure that out.

Speaker 2 (23:07):
And that could very well be the path we take. Josh,
when our guests sit.

Speaker 3 (23:15):
In that chair and we're ending our podcast and our show,
we always ask them to relate a question for the
next guest. So I have a question for you from
our previous guest, and they asked, what would be your
favorite memory as a child. What's Josh's craft best memory

(23:38):
as a child.

Speaker 2 (23:39):
I would say.

Speaker 4 (23:42):
Spending time with our extended family on a Jewish holiday,
you know, cousins and uncles and so forth. It was
always fun, little intent as it always is, but it
was fun.

Speaker 2 (23:55):
I love that.

Speaker 3 (23:56):
What would be that question that you want to ask
our next guest? Where do you see yourself in five years?
So you know it, people now we have to think
about where do we see our own selves in five years.
We're going to be asking that question to our next guest, Josh.
It's been such a pleasure having you and Kepasa Boston.

Speaker 4 (24:17):
It's been an honor to be on Capasa k Pasa
Boston and I appreciate the opportunity and your time as well.

Speaker 3 (24:25):
We wish you all the best and we'll be following
your career and yellow Saba Miihinde. We are here and
Kepasa Boston every Sunday at six am for Roombaut six
thirty Geminar four five and you can download the iHeart
app and don't forget to pre select Kapasa Boston as
your favorite podcast.

Speaker 2 (24:44):
Thank you and we'll see you next week.

Speaker 1 (24:47):
You've been listening to Gabriela Salas on Capasa Boston, the
heartbeat of our community on gemin ETI four five. Find
the latest episode by downloading the free iHeartRadio app and
searching gep us to Boston Today and