TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Michelle Wu (吳弭), a Taiwanese American politician serving as a Boston city councilor, is running a mayoral campaign, with the election to take place on Tuesday (Nov. 2), reported The New York Times.

On Sept. 15, Wu secured first place in a preliminary election with 33.36% of the vote, according to the Boston Herald. She now runs against Annissa Essaibi, a fellow city councilor who trailed with 22.48%.

The New York Times reported that Wu has “captivated” young progressive voters by pushing for policies on issues such as climate change, environmental protection, free public transportation, and rent control. Her campaigns also went over well on popular social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.

While attending Harvard Law School, Wu became a protégée of Senator Elizabeth Warren, who was moved by her story of caring for her family. Born in Chicago shortly after her parents immigrated to the U.S., Wu acted as their interpreter and assistant as they dealt with bureaucracy since they barely spoke English.

“As the daughter of immigrants, I understood from my youngest days how my family and so many others feel unseen and unheard in our society,” Wu wrote on her website.

After her parents separated while she was in high school and eventually divorced, her mother developed severe mental illness, forcing Wu to become the head of her family during her studies at Harvard.

At the age of 22, she became a parent figure to her younger siblings and managed her mother’s treatment, wrote The New York Times. Her mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Wu moved back to Chicago, where she opened a tea shop in the hope that her mother would eventually recover enough to take over. She would also eventually file for legal guardianship of her youngest sister, who was 11 at the time.

“Through my family’s struggles, I’ve seen just how much government matters, and how big of a disconnect there often is when you most need help,” Wu wrote on her website. She recounted struggles she had encountered in her past, saying that she had “met barriers from city agencies that were supposed to provide support.”

Her story impressed Warren so much the two formed a close relationship that continues today. When asked why she endorsed Wu, Warren said she sees her as family, per The Times.

Wu’s performance while working at Boston City Hall under former Mayor Thomas M. Menino and on Warren’s senatorial campaign impressed those around her, including Menino and former City Councilor John Connolly, according to The Times. She was elected Boston city councilor in 2012, making her the youngest ever elected and the second woman of color to serve on the council.

However, Wu’s ambition to bring about change has been criticized by her critics as “promising change she cannot deliver,” wrote The Times, as well as being “sharp-elbowed” in her methods.

The paper quoted Wu as saying, “In nearly a decade in city government, I have learned that the easiest thing to do in government is nothing. And in trying to deliver change, there will be those who are invested in the status quo who will be disrupted, or uncomfortable, or even lose out.” Wu was the first candidate to run against former Mayor Martin J. Walsh in September 2020, the favored candidate until he was appointed labor secretary by President Joe Biden.