Boston Racial Stigma- is it "cool" to hate on Boston? (Brockton: new home, theatre)

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by Boston Shudra

The thing is: it has been dealing with it. And no one else in the country seems to have gotten the memo!

It’s one of only a few big, expensive, legacy cities with a growing black population in the metro. Economic factors for black Americans in Boston and it’s suburbs have improved over the last 20 years. There’s been more black representation in city government.

But people love to cling to old gossip.

We could do all the dealing with it in the world. We’ve had an office of black male advancement, the mayor offer to tour LeBron around, all sports arenas had anti-racism PSAs for over a year, public forums on race, and anti racism center, study after study and documentary after documentary after book done on the issue, we specifically give black neighborhoods the ability to help create their own zoning laws (Roxbury Strategic Master Plan, Egleston Plan), black initiatives left and right, an ad campaign to improve the city’s image. And of course- all the other positives I mentioned that s/he conveniently ignored because it doesn’t fit well into what they think.

What Sneaker and others like him won’t admit….is that realistically there is NOTHING the city could do to change his attitude it’s always going to be condescending . It can and will never be enough for people who’ve already decided long ago where they stand. I don’t know what they think Boston does in regards to racism but saying the city doesn’t deal with it is one of the worst and laziest arguments that made by people and it is an indicator you don’t know Boston well. Realistically there are other areas one could argue that are more true.

[stanley-88888888]

my favorite is that peeple will root against the boston celtics becuz its the white mans team; ironic, because the celtics is the most progressively black organization in all of sports history.

Hating on Beantown is a given for most self-respecting Black folks. It’s the default setting for consciousness unless you were born in that region and can’t activate the manual override. The mistreatment of Black athletes there is legendary, a “flea market of racism.” Even those who play for the home team are excused when they confuse Boston with Birmingham. Where else have we seen a flag used like a spear?

https://thegrio.com/2022/06/02/yes-i...lame-nia-long/

[ParaguaneroSwag]

100% agree with the Boston brothers/sisters on this one (BBMM, Shurda and Mass-choicetts). SneakerFreak sounds like one of the generic Redditors that believe they know the world just because they scroll Reddit and follow what other redditors have to say…

but on that note, this is also why BBMM may have a point when it comes to there being a cool/hype/bandwagon factor to this. People don’t say Boston is racist to be “cool” but they do hop on the bandwagon for that reason. And the Boston racist stigma is certainly there. Doesn’t matter if it’s earned or not because most people don’t look into it and just say what they hear.

[masssachoicetts]

Another good point on Boston reversing these trends is the support and recent (as of last week) approval of Nubian Square Ascends project.

I mean, what other city (Honest question) has similar projects to this below other than NYC, ATL, DC and Chicago?


https://www.bostonplans.org/projects...square-ascends
https://www.baystatebanner.com/2020/...quare-revival/

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

Another good point on Boston reversing these trends is the support and recent (as of last week) approval of Nubian Square Ascends project.

I mean, what other city (Honest question) has similar projects to this below other than NYC, ATL, DC and Chicago?


https://www.bostonplans.org/projects...square-ascends
https://www.baystatebanner.com/2020/...quare-revival/

Actually I spoke with a major finder and partner on this project last Thursday through my job. He is a black man from Chicago, HBS grad and a partner on this project. He said exactly what you said- that this is a once in a generation project with no equivalent happening elsewhere in the US. Especially when P3 comes back online. He says a lot of black firsts are in this project. Bolling Building and Black Market are also black owned spaces turningnjntonnightkife destination to the north and east of this project.

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Actually I spoke with a major finder and partner on this project last Thursday through my job. He is a black man from Chicago, HBS grad and a partner on this project. He said exactly what you said- that this is a once in a generation project with no equivalent happening elsewhere in the US. Especially when P3 comes back online. He says a lot of black firsts are in this project. Bolling Building and Black Market are also black owned spaces turningnjntonnightkife destination to the north and east of this project.

If I had to predict the future, I would say by 2040, Boston will be a pleasant and safe choice for African Americans and African immigration.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

If I had to predict the future, I would say by 2040, Boston will be a pleasant and safe choice for African Americans and African immigration.

It’s already a pleasant and safe choice lol people make that choice everyday. I was in Boston yesterday…18 years from now it won’t be fundamentally different. The majority of black adults in the Boston area aren’t even from Massachusetts as is.

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

It’s already a pleasant and safe choice lol people make that choice everyday. I was in Boston yesterday…

I meant more perception wise.

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by NolanMorgan

I agree with you. I've heard a few times from people I know something about Boston and racism, but I've never tried to find out more. And now, after seeing this thread I'm really interested, because why Boston. We have racism issues all over the country, and the rest of the world.
I know only one person from Boston, but never heard something from him about this issue.
And I don't understand why so many people start talking such thing without knowing anything, like you wrote, "just because others say it"

I think it largely has to do with Greater Boston being 95-97% White in 1980 compared to other major metropolitan areas that were 75-90%, like NYC LA Chicago Detroit Philly Houston etc.

Boston was extremely white until like 2000, relative to other metros its size. It is still, but its also diversifying fast.

Boston until very recently was nationally/commonly known other than being Irish, having good universities, having chowder, mark whalberg (later on after 1990) and having a grimey feel. Like in 1990, what else would the average person who didnt frequent Boston.. know about Boston? Obviously today it is different. But back then? No.

The reason why I bring up that time frame (1970-2000) is because alot of adults are shaped by that time frame and young kids are perpetuating this. Boston didnt have much outside white culture represented there.

Its almost as if Boston went from an important city to a backwater city, to a world class city over the course of 75 years. **** keeps changing

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by NolanMorgan

I'm still very interested, so I Googled, and here is what I found - https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/...st-reputation/ - it's an article posted on 9/10/2021, which is not that old about racism in Boston. I've not read the whole yet, but here is one interesting thing -

"One of the most frustrating things about being a Black Bostonian is getting hit by friendly fire from Blacks and other people of color from out of town who chime in vigorously anytime Boston becomes the subject of derision..........Still, when Black Bostonians attempted to join the conversation or give our takes—including pointing out that Boston does not have a monopoly in this country on racism—it unleashed a weeklong Twitter war throughout our diaspora. When we tried to present a more nuanced view of our own experience, we were accused of defending racism. “Black Bostonians are so eager to defend racists in their city. I’ll never get it,” one person wrote.
Well, it's something I've never heard before

To his point... Yea to this day I'm not sure why other black people think wed want to join in on the anti-Boston festivities as if our whole being isnt rooted there and in the people there...

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNJYdjBH7Y1/?hl=en