Ayo Edebiri just came home, and Boston showed all the love!
The Emmy-winning actress and comedian, best known for her role in The Bear, returned to her alma mater, Boston Latin School (BLS), for a visit that was equal parts heartfelt, hilarious, and historic, CBS News reports. The Dorchester native, who graduated in 2013, spoke to students about how her time at the school shaped her, recalling the lessons, friendships, and teachers that helped build the foundation of her success.
“[It’s] very, very surreal,” Edebiri said from the stage, joined by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. “The people who I consider my closest friends, I went to Latin with and are still in my life and I’m hopeful will be in my life forever… There’s a rigor that I have, a level of care that I think that I have that would not be possible without having gone to this school. I think it really shapes you and molds you.”
Boston Latin, known for being the oldest public school in the country, gave Edebiri more than an academic edge—it gave her a stage. She shared with students how she got her start in improv there in the eighth grade and how reciting a monologue from Julius Caesar nearly made her pass out from nerves. But she did it, and the moment lit a spark.
“I was so nervous, I was shaking,” she remembered. “[But then my teacher said], ‘That was really good!’ And I was like, maybe something’s here.”
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That “something” has turned into a career that’s inspired a generation. With standout performances in Abbott Elementary, the queer teen comedy Bottoms, and the Pixar film Inside Out 2, Edebiri has become one of Hollywood’s brightest young stars—yet she hasn’t forgotten where she came from. During the assembly, cheers erupted when she told the crowd she was from Dorchester, a neighborhood in Boston she still proudly claims.
She also credited Boston Latin’s diverse student body for expanding her worldview and preparing her for life beyond the city. “Coming here to school, I was like, oh, I didn’t have friends from any other neighborhoods in Boston, and friends from different religious backgrounds, and not many different ethnic backgrounds. By the time I was ready to go to college, I felt, like, ready to meet the world.”
When asked what advice she had for students interested in entertainment, Edebiri kept it real and shared advice she learned from a professor at NYU: “It’s not a game of luck, or chance, or skill, even sometimes. It’s really a matter of attrition and being able to stick it out.”
That honesty, that grit, that charm—it’s all part of what makes Ayo Edebiri so beloved. And now, she’s not just an inspiration. She’s a part of Boston history.
Mayor Wu concluded the day by presenting Edebiri with a proclamation, naming April 10, 2025, as Ayo Edebiri Day in the city of Boston, in recognition of her trailblazing accomplishments as a native daughter and artist who has never stopped carrying her community with her.
Edebiri took to social media to reflect on the massive accomplishment and thank her alma mater and the Boston community for the honor.
“So incredibly floored, honored, and grateful for today…I’m a product of Boston Public Schools and a product of well-funded public services. I’m a product of diverse environments that worked to push the boundaries and meanings of inclusion. I’m a product of an environment that cared about kids having access to arts and the humanities…I am very proud to be from a place as rich in history and mania as Boston…Lots of love. Very surreal,” wrote Edebiri.
From the halls of Boston Latin to the Hollywood spotlight, Ayo Edebiri’s story is a reminder that greatness can start anywhere—and sometimes, it begins with shaking hands, a Shakespeare monologue, and a teacher who believes in you.
Cover photo: Actress Ayo Edebiri Honored With Her Own Day in Hometown of Boston/Photo credit: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP