For the first time in four decades, the national NAACP convention came back to Boston with a point to prove and a long list of political priorities to hammer out. Paradoxically, the 114th convention and its 13,000 attendees represent both a commitment to shared values but also a platform for the “rich diversity that exists […]
Race/Racism
Posted inRace/Racism
Ogletree was a peerless champion for justice
THE SUNDAY MORNING drive to Dorchester from the iHeart Radio studios just north of Boston was uneventful except for the presence of political royalty in the car. I sat slightly slumped in the back of the black SUV. The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. sat in the front of the vehicle, riding shotgun. As we headed […]
Posted inRace/Racism
NAACP panel tackles venture capital’s role in the racial wealth gap
Bostonians are very familiar with a bracing data point: in 2015, the median net worth for White households in Greater Boston was about $250,000, but just $8 for Black households. The story behind that study was complicated, but the spirit remains unpleasantly on point. Systemic wealth gaps persist. The average household wealth of a White […]
Posted inRace/Racism
Blacks and Jews must stand together for democracy
IN THE STORY of 20th century America’s struggle for civil rights, Blacks and Jews have had success combating bigotry when standing together as allies. With the rise of white supremacy, it’s essential that we reinvigorate that alliance. Historically, the Black and Jewish communities have affirmatively reached out to one another, finding solidarity together when facing […]
Posted inEducation
Mass. scrambles after affirmative action ruling
EDUCATION, BUSINESS, AND government entities in the Bay State expressed outrage and despair at the US Supreme Court decision striking down the use of race in college admissions, which sets up an uncertain path to boosting diversity across schools and workforces. The court considered two cases challenging affirmative action – at Harvard and the University […]
Posted inRace/Racism
Could Harvard affirmative action ruling threaten Boston exam school policies?
ALL EYES IN the higher education world are on the Supreme Court, which is expected to rule any day on whether universities can use race as a factor in admissions decisions. But the case – involving Harvard and the University of North Carolina – could have ripple effects into K-12 education that land squarely in […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Time to enact new rules for use of facial recognition software
LAST NOVEMBER, on the day after Thanksgiving, yet another Black man was wrongfully arrested due to racially biased face surveillance. Randall Reid was detained on his way to dinner with his mother after Louisiana law enforcement agents got a warrant based on a false facial recognition match. He spent a week in jail. Mr. Reid […]
Posted inEconomy
State economic development plan must include entrepreneurs of color
STATE LAW REQUIRES the governor to present the Legislature with an economic development strategy every four years. Crafted with input from a council of business and civic leaders, these plans establish priorities to help the Commonwealth maintain its competitive edge. Gov. Healey recently announced efforts to begin this economic development planning process during remarks to […]
Posted inEconomy
Antiracist think tank emerges in Northampton
THINK TANKS come in all shapes and sizes, with political philosophies that range left, right, and center. The new Western Massachusetts Policy Center in Northampton is setting out to be different. Its geographic focus is the four western counties of Massachusetts and its purpose is turning the power structure upside down through research and by training […]
Posted inRace/Racism
Mel King remembered as ‘humble and generous humanist’ for justice
MEL KING was remembered Tuesday as a champion for justice who had a global vision of a better world that was shaped profoundly by the very local wrongs he saw people face in the South End neighborhood of Boston where he was born and lived almost all of his 94 years. Perhaps the most influential […]