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From YouTube: Office of Black Male Advancement - 2/3/22
Description
Mayor Wu announces the new Office for Black Male Advancement, an office within the Equity and Inclusion Cabinet that is focused on uplifting Black men and boys in Boston. Mayor Wu also provides an update regarding the Black Men & Boys Commission. Mayor Wu will be joined by Frank Farrow, Executive Director of the Office for Black Male Advancement, City Councilor At-Large Julia Mejia, Tito Jackson, CEO of Verdant Medical, and community members who spearheaded these efforts.
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
I
want
my
sons,
christian
and
kingston,
to
have
every
opportunity
and
every
resource
available
to
them.
So
the
narrative
is
no
longer
about
black
men
and
boys
needing
to
be
resilient
or
striving
to
be
better,
but
of
them
thriving
and
realizing
their
full
potential
and
including
the
conversations
of
boston's
prosperity.
B
You
will
make
a
greater
person
of
yourself
a
greater
nation
of
your
country
in
a
final
world
to
live
in
boston.
We
have
an
opportunity
to
ensure
that
black
men
and
boys
in
this
city
realize
their
full
potential
and
are
able
to
live
in
a
greater
boston
and
pass
on
a
legacy
of
success,
prosperity
in
uplifting
and
empowering
black
men
and
boys
in
our
community.
D
D
D
D
We
are
currently
working
on
a
nomination
process
for
the
council
to
nominate
several
members
to
join
the
black
men
and
boys
commission.
We
are
hopeful
that
the
application
process
for
the
commissioners
will
be
will
bring
in
a
number
of
applicants,
with
a
variety
of
world
views
and
lived
experiences
united
with
a
sense
of
urgency
to
uplift
the
voices
of
black
men
and
boys.
In
addition,
we're
currently
working
to
ensure
that
the
executive
director
position
is
formally
established
within
the
ordinance.
We
filed
an
amendment
in
the
ordinance
yesterday,
page
two.
D
D
This
is
an
opportunity
for
transparency
and,
as
the
chair
of
accountability
of
government,
accountability,
transparency
and
accessibility,
it
is
our
job
to
make
sure
that
our
laws
are
being
properly
implemented
and
enforced
and
when
possible,
making
corrections
that
best
reflect
the
needs
and
practices
of
commissions
like
this.
So
we
look
forward
to
not
only
supporting
the
new
executive
director
on
his
journey,
but
working
alongside
the
community
to
ensure
that
you
are
engaging
and
informing
the
conversation
every
step
of
the
way.
So
congratulations
to
tito
jackson,
because
this
is
your
moment.
D
E
So
you
know
a
lot
of
folks
would
like
to
pit
us
against
each
other
and
say
why
why
y'all
only
doing
this
for
black
men,
because
black
men
are
critical
part
of
the
black
family?
That's
right
and
they're
a
critical
part
of
the
black
community,
and
if
we
don't
do
it
for
ourselves,
then
it
won't
get
done.
E
We
also
want
to
acknowledge
a
great
leader,
a
great
sister,
but
also
I
want
to
acknowledge
that
mayor
wu
was
there
when
this
vote
was
first
taken,
and
she
was
on
record
as
supporting
this
in
2014
she's,
not
brand
new.
To
this.
Ladies
and
gentlemen,
we
also
need
to
acknow,
acknowledge
and
also
hold
up
and
prayer
mayor
kim
janey
who
just
lost
her
brother,
but
she
is
the
mayor
who
signed
this
into
law
because
understand
in
2014.
E
E
And
we
all
stand
on
the
shoulders
of
those
folks
who
came
before
us.
We
walk
in
the
footsteps
of
martin
luther
king,
who
literally
walked
in
this
city.
We
walk
in
the
footsteps
of
marcus
garvey,
who
literally
walked
in
the
city.
We
walk
in
the
footsteps
of
malcolm
x,
who
literally
walked
in
this
city.
We
walk
in
the
footsteps
of
my
father,
herb,
akuzulu
jackson,
who
walks
in
this
city.
E
We
must
lead
and
not
follow
on
these
issues,
and
I
would
also
submit
to
you
that's
a
good
thing
that
we
call
this
office
our
office
of
blackmail
advancement,
because
a
while
ago
there
was
an
office
started
called
the
office
of
women's
advancement
and
that
office
was
started,
created
and
funded
again.
A
brother
get
amen
and
funded,
and
what
happened?
Women
advanced
not
long
ago,
there
was
an
office
called
the
office
of
immigrant
advancement
that
was
created
and
funded
and
what
ended
up
happening.
E
E
E
E
We
support
the
work
that
you
do
every
day
we
don't
read
the
comment
section
and
we
know
that
we
are
headed
in
the
right
direction
in
the
city
of
boston
and
I
would
just
submit
to
you
last
but
not
least,
why
does
this
matter
by
the
way?
Why
does
it
matter
not
only
to
black
folks?
Why
does
it
matter
to
white
folks
in
the
city
of
boston?
E
What
matters,
because
we
spend
55
000
a
year
to
incarcerate
people
in
suffolk
county,
while
we
spend
twenty
eight
thousand
dollars
to
educate
them?
Ladies
and
gentlemen,
we
it
matters
because
white
families
have
a
median
net
worth
of
247
thousand
five
hundred
dollars,
while
black
families
are
worth
eight
dollars.
E
E
When
I
was
in
office,
I
went
to
go,
get
a
haircut
which
I
need
one
today
and
I
met
a
young
man
and
his
name
was
emmanuel.
I
met
him
at
lawson's
and
we
were
giving
him
a
hard
time
because
it
was
his
first
day
that
he
wasn't
sitting
in
the
upper
upper
seat.
You
know,
brothers,
you
know
a
little
upper
seat
and
so
that
young
man
and
his
aunt
asked
for
a
ride
after
and
we
were
walking
to
my
car
and
it
was
one
of
those
days.
E
You
know
the
middle
of
the
week.
I
think
it
was
a
thursday
and
we
were
walking
and
he
stopped
on
the
way
to
the
car
and
I'm
like
bro.
I
got
a
bunch
of
places
to
go.
I
got
meetings
to
go
to
or
whatever
whatever,
and
he
said
something
that
changed
my
life
and
makes
me
think
about
today
and
how
important
it
is.
E
E
It
made
me
think
what
a
great
day
that
we
live
in
when
on
a
weekday
when
a
little
puerto
rican
boy
sees
a
black
man
in
a
suit
instead
of
seeing
a
whole
bunch
of
other
things,
he
sees
the
president
and
what's
significant
about.
That
is
not
that
he
saw
me
as
president,
but
that
he
could
see
himself
as
president
and
that's
why
we
do
this
work
and
that's
why
we
are
proud
to
stand
here
today
and
that's
why
we
are
very
also
happy
to
support
our
mayor.
E
F
who
never
made
it
to
18.,
I'm
thinking
about
sean
adams
who
was
killed
right
around
the
corner.
It's
going
to
be
18
years.
On
february
14th
that
he
was
stabbed
to
death
at
14.,
he
didn't
get
a
chance
to
be
a
black
man,
and
for
so
many
of
us
that
was
our
constant
fear.
So
you
can't
progress
when
you're
just
trying
to
survive
and
thrive.
You
just
try
you're
trying
to
make
it
to
16..
F
That's
the
reality
of
being
a
black
man
born
and
raised
in
the
city
of
boston.
Coming
from
humble,
coming
from
mission
coming
from
franklin
field
coming
from
these
neighborhoods
that
have
continuously
dealt
with
death
loss
and
intentional
divestment,
I'm
gonna
use
divestment
because
that's
exactly
what
it
is
so
today,
it's
about
being
intentional
and
being
somebody
who
studied
policy
a
little
bit.
F
I
know
that
intentionality
and
policy
is
how
you
get
to
the
results
that
you
need,
so
we're
gonna
explicitly
say
black
men
and
boys,
because
in
order
to
actually
get
to
the
means
that
we
desire,
we
have
to
intentionally
design
policies
around
the
advancement
of
black
men
and
boys.
So
that's
putting
them
at
the
forefront
of
the
policy
not
trying
to
trying
to
get
to
us
by
happenstance
trying
to
catch
trying
to
create
generic
policies
that
might
get
to
us
on
the
back
end.
G
F
When
I
was
growing
up,
nobody
would
have
thought
that
this
guy
would
be
a
doctor.
One
day
my
parents
was
teenage
parents
though,
but
I'm
not,
and
I'm
not,
I'm
not
saying
that
to
hype
myself
up,
I'm
saying
to
say
that
they
were
brothers
who
were
smarter
than
me
who
didn't
get
the
opportunity
and
because
they
didn't
fit
the
bill,
they
weren't
selected
to
go
into
those
programs.
F
They
weren't
selected
to
be
mentored
because
their
parents
were
teenaged
or
they
were
raised
by
their
grandma
or
they
came
from
the
cern
street.
You
know
what
I'm
saying
so
this
is
what
we're
trying
to
address-
and
I
just
want
to
close
by
saying
I
have
to
give
a
shout
out
to
ms
harris
come
on
now,
because
because
miss
harris
as
we're
talking
about
the
importance
of
the
black
family,
ms
harris
was
the
mother
and
grandmother
for
us
all.
F
F
She
may
want
the
people
to
carry
it
as
a
badge
of
honor,
not
as
a
way
in
which
it
was
a
black
mark
that
the
media
would
try
to
betray
us
as
to
say
that
no
great
things
come
from
roxbury.
You
could
be
great,
so
she
always
kept
me
on
my
toes
to
do
so.
So
it's
our
duty
to
carry
that
torch.
So,
ms
harris,
I
honor
you.
I
appreciate
you
to
all
the
sisters.
F
We
appreciate
you
and
to
just
to
echo
just
to
echo
tito's
point
this
adversarial
nature
that
we
have
black
men,
black
women.
We
gotta
address
that
too,
but
that's
a
conversation
for
another
day,
madame
wu,
matt
mattleman,
who
I
appreciate
you
so
much
for
having
coverage
to
be
explicit
and
intentionality
is
major
in
our
book,
and
I
really
appreciate
you
for
that
so
brothers,
congratulations,
frank!
Farrell!
Congratulations!
My
brother.
H
I'm
william
dickerson,
I'm
the
senior
pastor,
greater
love
tabernacle
in
dorchester
and
and-
and
I
too
am
a
product
of
a
village
that
miss
harris
is
a
part
of
to
help
raise
me
to
this
point
today,
and
so
it
takes
men
and
women
to
work
together.
So
let's
thank
god
for
our
mothers
that
supported
our
efforts
right
here
in
the
60s
in
orchard
park.
H
My
mother
was
a
part
of
helping
helping
the
community
to
stay
strong
and
to
help
the
the
young
people
to
stay
focused
on
doing
positive
things,
and
I'm
elated
to
be
here
in
in
the
building.
That's
named
after
bruce
bowling
who's
a
great
leader
in
our
city
and
thank
god
for
the
legacy
he's
left
behind.
H
But
you
know
somebody
say
why
we.
Why
do
we
need
a
black
male
commission
and
I
know
that
some
people
say
it
and
black
and
white.
You
know
I'm
thinking
about
an
incident
or
an
occurrence
where
someone
was
shot
and
killed,
and
I
laid
them
to
rest,
and
the
young
man
said
to
me
said:
yo
rev
man,
I'm
feeling
that
message.
Man
when
I
go.
I
want
you
to
do
my
funeral
at
the
time
he
was.
H
He
was
probably
in
his
early
20s
and
I
was
in
my
mid
50s
at
the
time
and
I'm
saying
like
what
do
you
just
say
so
I
want
you
to
do
my
funeral.
I
said
man
come
on.
We
got
to
talk
man,
why?
Why
would
you
think
you're
not
going
to
live
to
see
this
to
see
your
30s,
40s,
50s
and
so
on?
He
said
yo
man
if
I
lived
3
30
man
I'll
be
o.g.
H
Yes,
yes,
and
so
I
never
hear
white
boys
talk
like
that
to
me
and
and
it's
in
it
and
it's
very
deliberate,
some
of
the
systems
that
are
in
place.
It's
not
that
they're
broken
they're
deliberate
to
keep
us
out
my
yes,
yes,
I'd
like
to
say
thank
you
to
mayor
wu
and
former
mayor
kim
janey,
the
boston
city
councilor,
councillor
mahir
in
particular
former
councillor,
tito
jackson,
ron
bell
and
other
brothers
that
are
really
serious
about
us
not
being
ignored
any
longer
we're
not
looking.
H
H
You
know
because
it's
sad
in
this
city
every
time
we
want
to
deal
with
black
males,
we
more
is
morphed
into
something
else.
I'm
sick
and
tired
that
foolishness,
let's
deal
with
the
hard-nosed
guys
that
don't
come
to
the
table
because
they
feel
they
can't
come
to
the
table.
Let's
deal
with
the
ones
who
are
marginalized
and
kick
to
the
curb
it's
easy
to
deal
with
those
who
have
education
dotted
eyes
across
t's
and
they've
had
a
little.
H
C
and
the
reason
why
I
say
365,
because
it's
a
way
of
life,
we
don't
just
celebrate
one
day.
We
don't
celebrate
just
one
month.
It's
the
way
of
our
life.
It's
who
we
are
as
black
people.
Can
I
get
an
amen,
mayoral
city,
councilors,
elected
officials,
all
the
clergy,
my
good
friend
mentor,
alfreda
harris.
We
honor
you,
we
honor
the
brothers
that
come
before
us
bruce
bowling
those
who
may
be
with
us.
Those
who've
lost
mel
king
hubby
jones.
C
We
honor
jeep
jones,
reverend
michael
haynes.
The
list
goes
on,
so
we
stand
on
their
shoulders
and
I
was
talking
to
city
council
at
large
julie,
mahia,
and
I
said
it's
really
hard
to
follow
a
bishop,
a
city,
counselor
who's,
your
cousin,
a
mayor,
that's
awesome,
a
city
counselor
at
large.
That's
incredible,
yeah,
that's
fierce
determined
to
help
black
people
latinos
in
everybody,
people
of
conscience.
C
C
C
C
I
I
I
I
I
But
I
I
am
so
grateful
and
honored
that
in
2014,
when
we
took
up
this
black
male
commission
and
we
got
it
passed
in
2015
and
then
somebody
tried
to
water
it
down.
As
the
bishop
was
talking
about
earlier,
so
we
canceled,
it
said
we
gonna,
keep
we're
gonna
fall
back
and
we're
gonna
fight
again,
but
then
we
had
a
champion.
I
I
Thank
you
and
god
bless
you
and
may
he
continue
to
bless
you
and
your
family
and
to
all
those
of
you
who
are
wondering
why
I
brought
these
two
brothers
up
here.
I
want
you
to
look
at
them
and
I
want
you
to
look
at
the
age
difference
now.
He
got
his
mask
up,
but
don't
worry
he
ain't
gonna
bother
you,
but
I
want
you
to
look
at
the
difference.
What
is
our
responsibility?
I
I
I
give
it
to
all
the
brothers
that
are
in
the
organization,
and
I
mean
it
yeah,
because
it's
important,
because
I
know
what
this
is
like
out
here-
that's
right
and
if
you
don't
know
you
better
ask
somebody
you,
in
the
heart
of
the
matter,
you're
in
roxbury
massachusetts,
the
land
of
the
brave
and
the
home
of
the
free.
You
know
what
I'm
saying
and
I
love
my
city
and
I
love
you
too,
miss
harris
to
death.
Thank
you,
and
I
know
you
so
without
further
ado.
J
J
We've
heard
several
times.
We
stand
on
the
shoulder
of
giants,
and
I
say
that
to
my
elders,
to
my
mentors
and
to
our
peers.
I'm
very
proud
of
frank.
That's
a
peer
of
mine.
We
grew
up
in
a
community
together
we
had
a
lot
of
interesting
times,
playing
youth
sports,
recreational
and
then
just
just
on
on
our
city's
basketball
courts
and
other
sports.
J
J
J
Who
his
office
was
right
around
the
corner
and
literally
told
us
day
after
day,
walk
in?
Let's
talk
about
it
and
what
are
you
going
to
do
after
we
talk
and
I'm
not
going
to
be
without
much
cause
without
saying
that?
There's
some
men
here
right
now
who
push
the
envelope
who
we
may
not
always
travel
along
the
same
path,
but
we
all
have
the
same
goal.
J
That's
inside
that's
not
for
everybody,
but
we
know
what
it
is,
but
in
this
moment
we
just.
I
just
want
to
say
that
this
is
very
important
and
it
takes
a
community
and
we're
doing
this
with
intent
to
lift
ourselves
up
to
lift
our
little
brothers
and
big
brothers
up,
but
also
to
lift
up
our
community
and
our
families.
It
starts
with
all
of
us,
so
we're
doing
this
without
terms
of
patriarchy
and
toxic
masculinity.
J
So
I'll
leave
with
what
I
started
with
this
is
the
first
of
many
days
and
there's
a
lot
of
work
ahead
of
us.
Thank
everyone
for
their
support.
Thank
everyone
for
the
love
and
encouragement,
and
we
will
see
you
with
the
next
milestone
and
who
knows
what
that
will
be,
but
as
long
as
we're
advancing
everyone
advances,
that's
right.
A
K
Peace
and
love
yo,
my
name
is
tanya,
fernando
anderson
and
most
of
you
know
my
story,
but
first
I
want
to
start
with
recognizing
all
of
my.
I
can't
I
gotta
talk
this
way.
Sorry,
all
of
these,
my
beautiful
black
brothers
for
those
of
you
who
I
haven't
met.
I
look
forward
to
working
with
you
and
for
those
of
you
who
I've
spoken
with.
I
know
where
your
heart
is,
and
I
hope
to
align
my
heart
with
yours,
my
sister
julia
mejia,
I'm
blown
away
and
you've
coming
up
to
stuff.
K
K
I
don't
know
if
you
guys
know,
but
my
husband,
tanzirius
swatish
anderson,
was
wrongfully
convicted
and
is
doing
hard
time
in
prison,
and
so,
as
we
talk
in
this
hell
in
this
reality,
you
try
to
make
heaven
out
of
what
out
of
hell.
You
try
to
make
the
best
of
it,
and
so
we're
talking
and
it's
fun
and
it's
cute,
and
he
asked
me
what
you
say
now:
you're
gonna,
you're
gonna
do
foster
care.
K
Why
would
you
do
that?
I
said
well.
I
can
actually
pick
the
children
that
I
foster.
I
can
actually
pick
specifically
boys
and
I
can
actually
pick
black
boys
and
he
said
well.
Why
would
you
choose
the
hardest
job
in
america
to
be
a
mother
to
a
black
boy?
I
said:
what's
that
he
said
to
be
a
mother
to
a
black
boy.
K
L
K
K
A
After
councillor
jackson
stepped
down
from
the
council,
there
was
no
black
man
serving
on
the
boston
city
council.
For
years,
I
am
honored
to
serve
alongside
someone
who
again
not
just
big
shoes,
to
fill
but
running
with
the
torch
breaking
down
all
the
berries
bringing
community
alongside
I
want
to
invite
district
4
city
councilor,
brian
warrell,.
G
G
Black
men
have
played
a
significant
and
historic
role
in
making
boston
the
city.
It
is
today
from
bostonian
ken
boston's
first
black
landowner
in
1656
christmas
addicts,
who
we
all
know
was
the
first
casualty
of
the
american
revolution
in
1770.,
the
black
men,
who
made
boston
one
of
the
most
central
bases
of
the
abolitionist
movement
in
the
early
to
mid
1800s
leaders
of
the
industry,
william
monroe
trotter
and
william
henry
lewis.
G
Civil
rights
leaders
who
lived
in
boston
during
formative
years
of
their
lives,
malcolm
x,
martin
luther
king
jr,
and
so
many
others
in
between
from
otto
snowden
to
mel
king,
to
bill
owens
to
bruce
and
royal
blowing
bowen
to
harry
own
to
edward
gordon
and
chuck
turner.
And
the
list
goes
on
through
this
office
and
through
the
leadership
of
his
board
and
direction
of
frank
farrow.
G
G
There
was
a
report
that
said
if
massachusetts
could
close
the
wealth
gap
in
black
communities,
the
state
could
grow
risk
economy
by
25
billion
dollars
over
five
years
and
that's
the
equivalent
of
adding
up
to
a
hundred
thousand
jobs,
and
that
was
according
to
a
analysis
by
the
massachusetts
taxpayer
foundations
as
the
first
black
man
to
serve
on
the
boston
city
council.
Since
my
friend
tito
jackson,
this
right
here.
G
A
Let
me
see
if
there's
like
one
or
two
questions,
I
want
to
thank
everyone,
I'm
just
I'm
blown
away.
Why
don't
you
all
come
to
city
hall
more
often,
and
I
also
wanted
to
say
before
questions
while
we
are
standing
in
this
testament
to
the
legacy
of
black
men
in
boston,
it
is
also
the
future
of
our
of
our
young
people
we
are
expecting.
While
I
have
the
media
here,
we
are
expecting
freezing
rain
into
sleet,
potentially
right
during
the
morning,
commute
which
could
make
for
quite
dangerous
conditions.
A
L
M
A
The
question
was,
in
addition
to
the
21
commissioners,
who
will
serve
as
set
up
by
the
ordinance
as
filed.
Will
there
be
other
staff
members,
so
we
are
going
to
be
continuing
to
support
the
amendment
from
councillor
mejia
that
will
rectify
and
just
kind
of
adjust
the
language
so
that
our
executive
director
can
be
fully
recognized
as
as
part
of
the
office
on
the
commission.
So
I'm
grateful
to
her
for
moving
that
through
and
we
will
be
staffing
up
this
office.
We
will
be
ensuring
that
there's
funding
for
this
office.
L
M
Promoting
advancement
are
somewhat
nebulous,
have
you
identified
specific
goals
for
this
commission
and
for
your
new
executive
director
and
then?
Secondly,
given
that
people
have
referenced
that
this
pass
was
slapped
down
in
2014
and
you
as
the
city
executive
have
decided
to
move
it
forward,
can
you
just
say
a
little
bit
about
what
non-black
people
are
supposed
to
think
about
this
office.
A
I
will
just
reference
another
incredible
shiro
who
has
been
critical
to
the
work
and
pushing
this
vision
along
of
congresswoman,
ianna
presley
and
her
constant
reminder
that
the
people
closest
to
the
pain
must
be
closest
to
the
power.
And
so
we
will
make
sure
that
this
commission
walks
in
lockstep
with
our
community
members,
and
I
will
I
will
defer
to
our
director
and
our
commissioners
on
what
those
goals
are
and
how
to
best
support
and
empower
that
in
terms
of
what
was
the
second
part
of
the
question.
A
What
non-black
residents
should
be
thinking
of
this
commission
was
that
the
question
this
I
mean
you've
heard
it
before
this
is
the
heart
of
our
city.
This
is
the
future
and
the
success
and
the
prosperity
of
boston
connected
to
each
and
every
one
of
us,
and
so
I
am
proud
to
stand
among
many.
Many
city
leaders
in
just
in
in
that
the
future
of
black
men
and
boys
in
boston
is
the
future
of
boston.
The
future
and
investment
in
black.
L
E
E
There
were
great
brothers,
some
of
them
here
who
did
who
did
great
work,
but
doing
this
work
shouldn't
cost
them
out
of
their
personal
pocket
right,
and
so,
if
we
are
going
to
make
the
structural
changes
that
need
to
be
made,
they
actually
have
to
be
part
of
the
structure.
In
addition,
we
need
this
needs
to
be
attached
to
economic
development
and
the
work
that
shigan
and
italy
was
doing
in
terms
of
contracts,
we're
not
only
talking
about
jobs,
but
we're
actually
talking
about
contracts.
E
In
addition,
when
we
look
at
even
the
school
department,
every
single
school
provides
food
for
children
on
a
day-to-day
day-to-day
basis
that
food
comes
up.
I
think
it's
pennsylvania.
When
I
was
there
in
a
frozen,
we
have
restaurants
which
mayor
wu
has
led
on.
We
have
businesses
in
and
around
our
community
that
can
actually
feed
our
children
at
the
same
time
employ
their
parents
and
hopefully
someday.
We
can
actually
grow
our
own
food
and
actually
uplift
our
community
as
a
whole.
So
these
are
the
types
of
structural
changes
that
we
actually
have
to
have.
E
In
addition,
what
I'm
told
is
that
there's
an
additional
40
million
dollars
that
has
been
allocated
to
the
boston
public
schools
that
directly
affects
the
well-being,
the
uplift
and
the
outcomes
of
our
black
men
and
boys,
as
well
as
the
young
people
in
the
school
district?
And
then,
finally-
and
I
know
there
was
a
the
question
around
issues
of
covid-
well,
black
folk
died
at
1.4
x,
the
rate
of
their
white
counterparts.