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Just curious, do you think any of the community based or targeted media in the area balances out the narrative of the community? Meaning, does it help to highlight positive aspects of the city's or area's black community/population.
I also think that it isn't so much that there isn't a black middle class versus that it just is a matter of what degree. I think sometimes people say that in comparison to say Atlanta, DC, etc. when it isn't so much that a black middle class doesn't exist, it just doesn't get highlighted and may not be to the same degree as some other cities/areas.
Given that the area a chapter of this organization, there is at least some presence of a black middle class: Jack and Jill of America, Inc
Local media has been pretty solid in the 2010s but until black people in Boston have money and connections to tell their own stories it will be short. I knew many JNJ Boston and Newton Chapter people but even CT had 3 chapters, Maryland pretty much has one for every county. New Jersey has like 6.
I would say there is significant racial tension in Boston between black and white. Many white people in Boston don't want to admit this because they don't think of themselves or their friends as racists and there is a difference between racism and racial tension.
I've lived in this metro my whole life and a few years ago I was seeing a girl who lived her whole life here as well. Whenever we would hang out with her friends I would be the only white person present 100% of the time and with my friends she was the only black person 100% of the times. Now both of our families and friends are awesome and welcoming people but it's still kind of sad that that was the case. Personally growing up and presently I had close friends who are East Asian , Middle Eastern, South American, Dominican etc but despite having black neighbors, black coworkers, black classmates all I ever had was black acquaintances.
What I see a lot in this town is black and white people acting super polite and almost comically cordial with each other in public settings but rarely developing close personal friendships. These are exactly what I would describe as "tension" and I am not sure about the cause or the solution. There are plenty of other negative stereotypes about Bostonians, we're proud, we're stubborn, we're cliquey and standoffish and I think that all of these things contribute to the tension and separateness that we see to this day
Most whites are just much much wealthier than blacks in Boston and therefore there is little overlap. There are also very few legit businesses and restaurants in Black areas of this metro. Also, most black people in Boston have zero and I mean ZERO trusts in white people. White people in Boston simply don't know many if any black people they just know there are a few towns they do not feel not welcome in and they resent that. I personally thought Boston in its city limits was a black city until high school that just how segregated it is.
Local media has been pretty solid in the 2010s but until black people in Boston have money and connections to tell their own stories it will be short. I knew many JNJ Boston and Newton Chapter people but even CT had 3 chapters, Maryland pretty much has one for every county. New Jersey has like 6.
So, there hasn’t been a station to take the place of WILD 1090 AM? I ask because it was a long time radio station that served the community(from 1967-2011) and was black owned from 1972-2011. So, it did have an outlet that was owned by the community and could bring balance to the narrative.
Most whites are just much much wealthier than blacks in Boston and therefore there is little overlap. There are also very few legit businesses and restaurants in Black areas of this metro. Also, most black people in Boston have zero and I mean ZERO trusts in white people. White people in Boston simply don't know many if any black people they just know there are a few towns they do not feel not welcome in and they resent that. I personally thought Boston in its city limits was a black city until high school that just how segregated it is.
People from Mattapan and Hyde Park have told me they never even met a white person other than a teacher for their entire childhood. That was hard for me to believe until I actually spent some time in the area. Crossing the bridge into Milton from Mattapan Square is one of the most jarring socioeconomic juxtapositions I've ever seen but it's just one example of the situation in the city as a whole. I can see how that would lead to mistrust but how do we address that?
People from Mattapan and Hyde Park have told me they never even met a white person other than a teacher for their entire childhood. That was hard for me to believe until I actually spent some time in the area. Crossing the bridge into Milton from Mattapan Square is one of the most jarring socioeconomic juxtapositions I've ever seen but it's just one example of the situation in the city as a whole. I can see how that would lead to mistrust but how do we address that?
Lol that’s where I was raised. River Street and Wood Ave. there are well off black people in Milton though Especially the part of Milton that touches Mattapan and Hyde Park...still you’re correct. My mom was born in Boston in 1961 and didn’t have a single white classmate till she went to English high in 1975
So, there hasn’t been a station to take the place of WILD 1090 AM? I ask because it was a long time radio station that served the community(from 1967-2011) and was black owned from 1972-2011. So, it did have an outlet that was owned by the community and could bring balance to the narrative.
No there are two black stations in Boston now 97.7 is an IheartRafdo rnb station is a full actual R&B station with an all black morning show and ‘98.1 the urban heat’is a legal FM black owned station with a signal and Boston and Metro South It has a Ralph Tresvant doing an afternoon show and a few WILD old timers on staff.
87.7 is the private station
Jann 945 and Hot 969 Do hip-hop and throwback hip-hop respectively. Charlemagne the God and the breakfast club are on jammin 945 and use Boston as they’re like rhythmic base and hot 969s morning show is also all black and Hispanic .
So believe it or not but Boston in 2018 has plentyyy of black radio.
I recently move to Baltimore from Boston and I’m Black. This goes both ways. Whites are just very passive aggressive. I’ve had more negative interactions with white folls who are seemingly scared of me than I ever did in Boston or DC. It’s tiring and kind of hurtful-whites are so on edge here about everything it’s crazy, I can kind of see where they’re coming from but still. Let’s just say it’s hyper polarized...
I didn't mention in my previous post that I live in a mostly Black neighborhood in Baltimore. The interesting conundrum that you have alluded to is that there is a tremendous amount of criminal activity in my neighborhood - while at the same time most people aren't any kind of threat... but there are certainly people around that are a threat. How does one try to be both safe as possible and also not paranoid? That is a tricky to say the least! I have settled on a strategy of always walking fast and avoiding potential confrontations by zipping past them. Since just about everybody around here is Black, Blackness isn't a good measure of threat, but what is a good measure? There is no denying that there are some criminals around, otherwise there wouldn't be so much reported crime.
No there are two black stations in Boston now 97.7 is an IheartRafdo rnb station is a full actual R&B station with an all black morning show and ‘98.1 the urban heat’is a legal FM black owned station with a signal and Boston and Metro South It has a Ralph Tresvant doing an afternoon show and a few WILD old timers on staff.
87.7 is the private station
Jann 945 and Hot 969 Do hip-hop and throwback hip-hop respectively. Charlemagne the God and the breakfast club are on jammin 945 and use Boston as they’re like rhythmic base and hot 969s morning show is also all black and Hispanic .
So believe it or not but Boston in 2018 has plentyyy of black radio.
i think you mite like v.o.g.'s morning show on b87.7. he's dope; he talks about racial issues in the city and how the da's, aldernans, mayors should handle it. today he dove into the 5 murders in dorchester/mattapan this weekend and what elect liz m. is doing.
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