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BOSTON - Wednesday,
September 22, 2021 - Mayor Kim Janey today joined Boston City Councilor At-Large
Julia Mejia and local advocates for an ordinance signing ceremony establishing Boston’s
first Black Men and Boys Commission. With its passage, the Commission will
be made up of 21 Black men and boys who will advise the Mayor on issues
specific to that group. The Commission is charged with addressing concerns
related to national origin; sexual orientation and gender identity; mental,
physical and sexual health; violence prevention; and employment.
“The Black men
gathered for today’s historic signing are proof of the desire for Black
communities to lead and be fully present in Boston’s civic and electoral
spaces. Black men and boys deserve dedicated advocacy to address health
equity, economic opportunity and other disparities in our City,” said Mayor
Janey. “As the first Black Mayor of Boston, I know representation matters.
It was my honor to sign this ordinance and I want to thank the work of
Councilor Mejia, former-Councilor Jackson, and everyone who helped move
this initiative forward.”
“We have the
opportunity to make history. This ordinance matters because Black men and
boys matter,” said Councilor Mejia on Wednesday. “We have an obligation to
create space to let people step into their power and let the people closest
to the pain be closest to the power. This commission will create
pathways for our city to address some of the most pressing inequities that
impact Black men and boys in Boston, from violence to mental wellness to
sexual health and more.”
A commission
dedicated to the issues of Black men and boys was first proposed in 2014 by
former District 7 Boston City Councilor, Tito Jackson, who was recognized
by Mayor Janey at today’s signing. The new ordinance sponsored by Councilor
Mejia passed the Boston City Council on September 15, 2021. With the
Mayor’s signature today, the Commission has been formally established.
"I applaud Mayor
Janey for her leadership in making the Commission on Black Men and Boys a
reality,” said Jackson. “I proposed this legislation in 2014 because of the
profound opportunity to uplift Black men and boys and create a platform for
community leadership, advocacy and accountability.”
Once members are
appointed, the Black Men and Boys Commission will work closely with the
City’s the Equity and Inclusion Cabinet, Boston Public Schools and the
Human Rights Commission.
“We look forward to
working closely with the Black Men and Boys Commission to ensure the City
is proactively looking at policies and programs to eliminate the inequities
in access and disparate outcomes that they face in our City,” said Celina
Barrios-Millner, Chief of Equity and Inclusion.
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