Congresswomen and Mayor Hold Classroom Visit and Roundtable Discussion at Horizons for Homeless Children

Photos | Story Hour Video | Media Availability

ROXBURY – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) visited Horizons for Homeless Children in Roxbury for a classroom visit and roundtable conversation with early childhood educators. The Congresswomen were joined by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Horizons leadership and staff, and families for a tour of the facility and a story hour with children.

“Providing high-quality, accessible early childhood education is essential to the success of our babies, families, and communities writ-large,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “I am always grateful to spend time with our educators and families and today we were reminded how powerful our community is. We will continue to show up for each other and carry the stories of families here in Roxbury and across the Massachusetts 7^th with us to Congress. I’m grateful to my sisters in service, Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez and Mayor Wu, for their partnership and leadership in this work.”

“When we invest in our children, we invest in our country’s collective future,” said Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “I was honored to spend the morning in Roxbury with Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and Mayor Michelle Wu talking to educators about the need for robust federal investments in early childhood education facilities.”

“Part of making Boston the best city to raise a family is making sure every child gets a strong start in life,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Horizons for Homeless Children is a shining example of what’s possible when we invest in families, and in the educators and organizations who show up for them every day. I’m grateful to have strong partners in Congresswoman Pressley and Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez as we work together to ensure universal access to high-quality early education is part of the foundation for making Boston the best city for families.”

“We were so pleased to welcome Congresswomen Pressley and Ocasio-Cortez and Mayor Wu to Horizons today,” said Kate Barrand, Chief Executive Officer, Horizons for Homeless Children. “Spending time in the classroom together is a powerful reminder of what’s at stake, these are young children who need stability, care, and access to specialized early learning experiences, including STEM, that help put them on a path to succeed in school and beyond. Every day, we see how much that matters for families experiencing homelessness. We’re grateful to have leaders who understand how critical it is to invest in early education and advance policies like higher pay and stronger support for early educators — priorities Horizons has long championed.”

Photos from the event are available here and footage of the Congresswomen’s media availability at the event is available here. Footage of the Congresswomen and Mayor reading to children is available here.

Congresswoman Pressley has been a longtime proponent for robust federal investments in childcare, living wages for early educators, and support for the Head Start program, and has successfully delivered federal community project funding for childcare programs across the Massachusetts 7^th Congressional District.

In May 2024, Congresswoman Pressley and Mayor Wu visited Roxbury to celebrate the $1,000,000 in federal funding she secured for Horizons to provide emergency childcare support for families experiencing homelessness.

In September 2025, Congresswoman Pressley visited Chinatown to celebrate the $425,000 in community project funding she secured for the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center’s childcare and early education programming.

In February 2023, Congresswoman Pressley welcomed Jaqueline Sanches, a Mattapan resident, early educator, and mother of two, as her guest to President Biden’s State of the Union Address.

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