GBH News spoke with Nguyen about their identity and role in politics a week before they announced a one-month leave from the council.

WORCESTER — Councilor-at-Large Thu Nguyen, who on Wednesday announced a monthlong hiatus from the City Council, will continue to receive a monthly stipend. City Clerk Nikolin Vangjeli said Thursday that Nguyen will be issued a stipend of around $2,641 per month. The rate is given to all councilors regardless of their tenure on the panel.

There was a mix of support and outrage in Worcester on Tuesday night as allegations of a toxic culture and transphobia within the Worcester City Council were heard during a public meeting.

Worcester’s city council on Tuesday formally apologized to Councilor Thu Nguyen for the harm they’ve experienced on the job.

At a contentious Dec. 17 meeting, Nguyen sharply criticized City Manager Eric D. Batista and the council's leadership for not opposing a statement by an outside attorney representing the city who had cast doubt on the Justice Department's findings on the Police Department.

Worcester City Council-at-Large member Thu Nguyen, the first openly nonbinary person elected to office in Massachusetts, wrote in a Facebook post there has been “transphobia” over the past three

Nguyen, who took office in January 2022, said they will take a hiatus after three colleagues on the board repeatedly misgendered them.