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April 22, 2026

WATCH: On House Floor, Pressley Delivers Speech Honoring Outgoing District Director and Longtime Dedicated Aide Eric White

White Departs After Serving Pressley, Boston, and Massachusetts 7th for Over 13 Years

Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON – On the House floor, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) delivered a speech in honor of her outgoing District Director and longtime aide Eric White for an incredible 13 years serving Bostonians and the people of the Massachusetts 7th. Congresswoman Pressley commended Eric, a lifelong Boston resident, for his impactful tenure as her aide while she was on the Boston City Council and his innumerable contributions as District Director in her congressional office.

A transcript of the Congresswoman’s speech is available below, and the video is available here.

Transcript: On House Floor, Pressley Delivers Speech Honoring Outgoing District Director and Longtime Dedicated Aide Eric White

U.S. House of Representatives

April 21, 2026 

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I rise today to celebrate my District Director, Eric White. A scrappy kid from Rozzie, 23 years old when he first came to work for my City Council office. A history buff, a voracious reader, decent hockey player, a proud graduate of our Boston Public Schools, and a dedicated advocate.

There can be no doubt that Eric’s worldview and values were formidably shaped by his upbringing—two loving parents in John and Nina, who modeled strong work ethics and even stronger bonds of love for one’s family, neighbor, and community. 

The stories that Eric’s father, John, a union laborer, one of seven children raised by a single mom, I know impacted Eric. That clearly informed the fights that he took on for working families, for workers’ rights, for fairness and justice. 

And between his two parents—given his proud Irish and Italian heritage—I know it informed the fights that he took on for immigrants and anyone else in pursuit of the American dream. 

Throughout the years, Eric has been at my side—crafting strategies for transformative legislation, like our liquor license reform efforts to support neighborhood restaurants, transformative investments, stewarding our community project funding, and crafting speeches that spoke to the heart, to the heart of the matter, and to the heart of man. 

Eric has been by my side for long car rides, for late night community meetings, marching in parades or shoulder-to-shoulder at a union strike.

During my Boston City Council tenure, Eric worked his way up from Neighborhood Liaison to Policy Director to Chief of Staff.

As he closes out this chapter as my District Director in my congressional office and looks to new horizons for change and impact, it isn’t lost on me that the student of history is today a maker and shaper of history. 

Eric’s impact on Boston politics, municipal and federal policy will endure, but I know his greatest legacy is still being written—in the family he has grown and the beautiful life that he is building with his wife, Kelsey, whose nuptials I had the honor of officiating, their son Cam, daughter Maisie, and one day soon a dog named Teddy, for President Roosevelt, of course.

Eric, I am so proud of you. I’m proud of your contributions. I’m proud of your legacy of kindness, compassion, your composure. 

I’m so proud of the man you have become.

John and Nina, you have raised an exceptional human being. Jared, I’ve not forgotten about you. You played a role as a brother as well.

And I know that incredible chapters lie ahead for you, personally and professionally, Eric.

Your mark on the Massachusetts Seventh is undeniable, and your impact in my life indelible. 

You have always been there. You have been there as an anchor. You were there when I said goodbye to my mother. You were there when I met my husband.

The young man that started as an aide in my office is now a permanent member of my family. Lucky me. Lucky me. 

I love you, Eric “E-roc” White. And I thank you for 13 years of dedicated service and innumerable personal sacrifices. 

Thank you for everything.

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