Page 6 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2026 City Council unveils portraits honoring three women who broke barriers in city government Late City Councillors Margaret O’Hara, Elvira Curcio and Katherine Penn honored By Anthony Boyd T he Revere City Council honored three women who helped break barriers in local government Monday evening, unveiling memorial portraits of Margaret O’Hara, Elvira “Vera” Curcio and Katherine “Kathy” Penn during a special Committee of the Whole meeting. Family members of the three former councillors joined current members of the City Council at the Aug. 24 ceremony as the portraits were unveiled and formally added to the walls of the City Council Chambers. Back to School! Mid-grade Regular 3.89 4.47 5.29 $4.59 Established 1978 Full Service ULS $4.579 Order online at angelosoil.com The family of Elvira “Vera” Curcio honoring her as her new portrait gets displayed in the City Council Chambers; pictured from left to right: son-in-law Nicholas DiGiovanni, daughter Georgette Curcio DiGiovanni, daughter Joanne Curcio and niece Debra Cesaro Columbus. woman to serve on the Revere City Council. Guarino-Sawaya said O’Hara entered public offi ce at a time when relatively few women held elected positions. “She not only broke a barrier but also helped establish the presence of women in local government in Revere,” Guarino-Sawaya said. Curcio continued that progress, becoming the fi rst woman elected to represent Ward 3. Guarino-Sawaya said Curcio was a strong advocate for her neighborhood and worked to ensure Ward 3 residents had a voice in city government. “Her election demonstrated that women not only belonged at this table, but could also eff ectively represent and lead their communities,” she said. Penn also made history, becoming the fi rst woman elected to represent Ward 2 and later the fi rst woman elected president of the Revere City Council. “In that leadership role, she helped guide the work of the council and set an example of what women could achieve in positions of authority within city government,” Guarino-Sawaya said. For Guarino-Sawaya, however, the unveiling represented more than the addition of three portraits to the council chamber walls. “For many years, when we looked around these council chambers, we saw the faces of men who helped shape Revere’s history,” she said. “But Margaret, Elvira and Katherine were part of that history, too.” “They served in these chambers, represented the people of Revere and helped shape the city,” she added. “They deserve to be represented here alongside the men who served with them.” Guarino-Sawaya also connected the ceremony to the women currently serving in Revere government, includKerosene Now Available! City Council Vice-President Angela Guarino-Sawaya, who led the effort to recognize the three women, described the ceremony as a “truly special and historic moment” for the City Council. “As we unveil these portraits, we honor three remarkable women — Margaret O’Hara, Elvira Curcio and Katherine Penn — women who broke barriers and helped pave the way for every woman who would follow them into these chambers,” Guarino-Sawaya said. O’Hara made history in 1973 when she became the first Pictured are the memorial portraits of Margaret O’Hara, Elvira “Vera” Curcio and Katherine “Kathy” Penn that were unveiled during the Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday night in the City Council Chambers. (Advocate photos) FLEET CARD Check Out Our LOW PRICES!
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