All language subtitles for Growing Paine

a city of immigrants.
And so 28 % of Bostonians are foreign born

and come from about
150 countries of origin.

Immigrants own 33 %
of incorporated businesses

And in 2014,
according to Brookings Institute,

Boston was ranked number one
in terms of income inequality.

By 2017, they ranked us number seven
and that was due primarily

to the increase of income
in the lower income brackets.

And the Federal Reserve Banks'
Boston�s Color of Wealth Report,

it listed different things.
First it was the first report to

break out net worth by ethnic groups.

It�s a fascinating report if you have
a chance to look at it,

but for Black Americans,
U.S. Blacks as it listed it,

the net worth, median net worth
for U.S. Black families was $8.00.

And the medium net worth for White families
in the same period of time $247,000.

This is not something we�re proud of.

Many Bostonians are

under employed, over credentialed,

so meeting with companies and
doing a comparison on their job postings,

in Boston versus job postings
around the country,

we�ve got some folks,

I won�t name them, but

we looked at one company and like 100 %
of their jobs you need a Bachelor's.

And it�s like really?

And then when you look at like jobs
around the country it�s just not true.

And so having conversations with employers that
allow us to access those jobs is important.

Jobs are a big part
of the work that we do.

So the Boston Resident�s Job Policy which
was a policy that was developed in 1983,

was recently updated by Mayor Walsh.
And this policy essentially

mandates that in the construction space

where there is any private development, or
public development that is looking for a private

variances or any kind of public approval,

we are mandating

51 % of those on a construction site
be Boston residents,

40 % people of color, and 12 % women.

And this is something that

is really important because the construction
jobs end up being pretty good jobs.

And so part of that is creating a pipeline

in working with the Unions and others to
make sure that we have a diverse workforce

so that we can hit those numbers.

The other one frankly though is the new

good jobs policy
that the City just announced on RFPs.

So any City land that is being disposed of,

the Mayor announced that we will be looking for
a good jobs analysis, or a good jobs program

for the permanent jobs
that will be built or attracted to

the developments built on City land.

We don�t have the necessary legal levers
to demand certain wages,

so we set criteria definition for what good jobs
are and certain wages and benefits and conditions.

And we want the developer
to respond to that.

Once the developer
responds to that program and says

here�s what we�re going to do
in front of the community and of the City,

we will then codify them in the City agreement
to what�s going to happen on that land.

We are leasing the land so we will have

serious legal levers on any lease, on what
they should be doing with permanent jobs.

On the small business side,
the other piece is following the

Federal Reserve Bank's Color of Wealth
Report, we do believe that there is

an ethnic strategy to wealth creation.

So the ethnic groups are very different in
how they approach wealth and wealth creation.

So, how do you have the conversation
with the immigrant communities?

And the different immigrant communities
look very different.

Some immigrant communities are

high unemployment so their employment rate
for some of the immigrant communities.

Cape Verdean�s, which is an immigrant group
here, from West Africa,

their employment numbers
are really high,

but their entrepreneur numbers
are really low.

It does something for income,
but does nothing for wealth.

How do you have that conversation
with that community;

When you look at the Black community
which is very diverse in Boston,

when you look at the U.S. Blacks,

it�s one picture.
When you look at Caribbeans,

the Blacks from the Caribbean,
it�s a different picture.

How do you help to think about

what�s happening there
and how we have different strategies.

So we�re rolling out
and we haven�t announced this publicly,

but we�re rolling out conversations
that are ethnic based. The BDPA has

set up some research around it.
We�ve got some numbers.

We did an internal presentation recently

and we�re going to roll out ethnic based conversations
to have a conversation about the difference

in approach in our ethnic communities,
not bad or good.

But we�re going to put out the number,

we�re going to set up panels of people
from the community to have the conversation

about what this might mean
and what might be new strategies

and how we can approach this
to make sure we�re having

a very responsive conversation
about the economy that people live in.

We�re now mandating that people tell us
how their team

is diverse and inclusive in all areas.
And then we will score them on that

diversity inclusion in a way obviously

that those who are more diverse

and inclusive of women and people of color
on their construction team,

on their design team,
on the development team,

on finance, on operation, on ownership.

And so we�re driving to
use public assets for...

and align it to the Mayor�s agenda.

We�re also asking that people work with us

in terms of what the community has said
it wants to see in the neighborhood.

The recent RFP that we put out is actually in
response to what's called Plan Dudley Square.

And we�re making sure that there is clarity between
alignment on what the community has asked for

and what these developments are bringing.
The second innovation is we picked

a neighborhood, following

the first comprehensive citywide plan
that Boston�s done in 65 years,

or 50 depending on how you look at it,
alled Imagine Boston 2030,

to pilot an effort of trying
to develop a neighborhood

without displacing the neighborhood.

One of the strategies called for the City
being more aggressive in acquiring property.

It�s something we�re doing now
on the housing side as well.

We are out there
acquiring existing property

and not trying to just create affordability
on new developments that are coming.

How do we go after the high risk property, buy
them and then make them permanently affordable,

hopefully making the tenants
the owners of those properties.

So now we�re doing that on a
neighborhood wide scale in Upham�s Corner,

acquiring as much property as possible before
we launch any kind of public conversation

around the development of those properties.
The third one would be

working with corporations
that are coming to Boston

who are looking for tax incentives or any
kind of incentive to relocate to our city.

Or bring a headquarter to our city.
We have an agreement with Amazon

who is building about a million square feet
in the Seaport

which equates about 4,000 jobs
in two waves.

2,000 for the first wave,
another 2,000 for the second wave.

There�s an agreement with Amazon
that we will use a linkage fees

that that construction is producing

to create a workforce,

development and placement program
specifically for those 2,000.

We�re meeting with HR this December. We�re going
to look at the criteria�s, skills, what�s needed.

We�re then going to work
with Tren and her team

on an RFP that looks at the workforce
development in being specific

in designing that pipeline,
or that journey to those jobs.

This is something we�re doing
more and more of

is linking the employers or employment
opportunity to the development

and programs that are happening
all the way down to high schools.

Which is something we didn�t talk
about here, but Boston�s effort to map

the job development ecosystem and then link it
in a way that it�s more effective and evaluated.

The concept of resilience
is a powerful one.

It resonates
with every aspect of city life and planning

in our city and what we do
in our city every day.

And our decision to focus

on our racial equity work
was important to our city to move on.

And to move forward really.
Not move on, move forward.

It�s something that�s important.

I grew up in Boston in Dorchester during
the bussing, when bussing came in.

I was at grammar school

and I used to walk to...

my mother and father
are immigrants from Ireland.

And when they came here they sent me
to parochial school, Catholic school.

I used to walk by the William E. Russell
every day in the early 70s

and the kids would come up
in the school buses, but they were led

by motorcycle police officers.

And there was a motorcycle police officers
behind them, and one on each side.

And they were moving kids in and
out of schools and I thought that was

a little hard when you think I�m walking
down to St. Margaret�s down the street.

We�re walking down to school and these kids are being
escorted by the police. Not understanding at that time

what was going on because
I was six and seven and eight years old.

I wasn�t really sure
what was happening and going on.

Since that time Boston has made
some progress.

And we�ve worked on that progress
with other elected officials

and talking about
addressing the disparities,

addressing racism and addressing the past
that we�ve experienced in the City of Boston.

But the disparities remain deep

and there�s a real, the distrust we have
is real in a lot of areas of our society.

People wanted more open
and honest conversations

and I saw the duty as a Mayor
who�s a White Mayor,

Irish Catholic White Mayor of Boston,

to start by listening and learning.

And that�s something important
you have to do because

if you get somebody making conversation
and trying to make up answers,

like I did when I was a candidate, it�s not
the way to go. And I did that as a candidate.

Trying to see what I could do.

A city can�t thrive if we�re disconnected
from each other.

And that�s something also important as
far as the work that we do moving forward.

Racial disparities are our deepest form of
disconnection that we have in this country.

And I realize in Boston we can�t solve the
problems of the United States of America in here.

What we can do is work on the issues
that we�re dealing with here in Boston

and hopefully other cities will see
what we�re doing

and mistakes we might make,
they won�t have to make those mistakes.

And what is successful in our city,

they can say OK this is something
we can do and use in our cities.

We were just in Columbia, South Carolina

with Mayor Stephen Benjamin a couple
weeks ago, about 40 mayors I think there,

and inevitably this conversation comes up
about equity and race. And we tie it into

what happens on a national level, but we also come
to saying that the impact can be made locally.

All it takes is one city.

One city to do something about it. To
be able to share best practices and ideas.

That�s what we do as Mayors,
as cities, as city councils.

That�s what legislatures do: they take ideas
from each other and use best practices.

I just continue to have these dialogues,
continue to have these conversations

and hopefully we can continue to move forward
as a City of Boston, but also as a country.

The Food Bank is a great partner
to the City of Boston.

They work closely with our Office of Health and Human
Services and Office of Food Access as they do with the State.

They�re member of our
Boston Food Access Council

and we all know how important
this partnership is.

One out of every 6 Bostonians
struggle with food insecurity.

One out of every 6 Bostonians
struggle with food insecurity.

We�ve added 20,000 new jobs every year
for the last five years.

We have $9 billion dollars of new
development going on in the City of Boston.

We�ve built almost 28,000

new homes in the City of Boston
in the last five years.

We have great prosperity
in the City of Boston right now

and one out of every six Bostonians
are struggling with food insecurity.

That�s the message today.

That�s something that we need
to work together to tackle this issue

to get that number to zero.
No one should have

to worry about
where their next meal�s coming from.

Everyone deserves access to food
and that�s everyone�s basic human right.

In Boston, we need to know that that work
of fighting hunger is important

and the impact that we�re doing in fighting
has to go much further.

I don�t know what it�s going to take
the United States Congress and Senate

to recognize the need for gun legislation.

And also, we can look at Boston and see
when we have a homicide in Boston,

you can generally tie it back to poverty,

maybe dropping out of school, lack of
education, desperation, whatever it might be.

I don�t think anyone�s ever done a real study
on what�s going on with these mass shootings.

These mass shootings
don�t happen in other countries.

They happen in the United States of America.
They�re targeting seniors, religious groups, kids

and nightclubs.
It�s the second nightclub shooting

in the last couple of years here
and Pulse was the first.

Something has to give here.

You can only protect the NRA for so long.

They have an obligation,
the National Rifle Association,

if they don�t want to change the laws,

they have an obligation to the American
people to come up with some solutions.

When Purdue Pharma,
I�m not going to give him credit here,

had their back put up against a wall on
oxycodone, they tried to offer some solutions.

The Labor Movement, when their back's up against
the wall they have to come up with solutions.

The NRA needs to be held responsible and
accountable for coming up with solutions.

And if we can�t pass legislation
maybe that�s the route we have to take.

The NRA is allowing

mass shootings to happen by not letting any
action happen in the Congress and that�s a sin.

The ultimate goal of making this stuff
usable, at getting out here to West Roxbury

is one way to get to this data, but if we get it all
online you don�t have to travel all the way up here.

Let�s say somebody is looking at

a governor�s mansion in Virginia and wants to compare
it to the governor�s mansion in Massachusetts,

they may not even have to do
anything more than open a computer

to get all of our data.

They might have to
email or call us to find out

what do we mean by this or that
or the other thing,

but the more accessible our data is
the more usable it is.

Frankly, the more usable it is even
here. So when I look for something,

I either have to know which box of the
2000 boxes we have contains the artifact

or I can look it up on our
searchable database and open it up.

If a researcher comes in looking
for a certain type of artifact

I can actually search our entire database
to see if we have it or

how many do we have
and what sites it turns up in.

And within 20 minutes Sarah or I could get
out to the box and pull it for researcher.

Which is how it works. Usually when I get
research requests, somebody will say,

I want to look at
one particular type of ceramic.

If I don�t know where every piece of that
ceramic is in our two million artifacts,

I can�t make it accessible to them even
though I know we might have some of it.

It�s making them usable by people
who may not even know that

we have these collections. I, myself
am still learning what we have every day.

I haven�t seen most of this stuff,
even while we were digging,

because I was in the home most of the time,
not seeing the actual artifacts, but...

there�s some really cool stuff here.

Can I talk about the clams real fast
because the clams are really cool.

I�ll take it all.

When we were digging we got down to the very
bottom of the site and we hit a layer of clay

which is this deposit here,
in the very bottom of our site.

It was manmade as far as

where it came from because there�s little bits of
brick in it, so we know it wasn�t natural clay deposit.

But it�s a blue clay.
We call it Boston blue clay.

And it�s a marine clay
that was deposited by the glacier

right after the glacier left.
It melted a lot of soil.

Basically the ground that Boston is
was pushed down by the glacier

and when the glacier melted
it was still down a little bit deep.

It�s almost like jumping off a dock. The
ground bounces up after the glacier leaves.

But before that happened
the ocean flooded Boston.

So we have a couple thousand years
around 10,000, 15,000 years ago

where Boston was under water completely.
And then it bounced back up above water.

But during that time it laid
a huge deposit of clay

and that�s the Boston blue clay. And you see
it in construction sites all over the place.

We found clay that was then dug up
by somebody probably in the

late 1800s, early 1900s
and they used it to line something,

we�re not even sure what it is. A cistern,
a water collection, something like that.

And they dug up the clay and they pulled
out all of these shells in the clay still.

These were stuck in the clay from where they dug it out.
So these are actually clams that were living in Boston

when it was flooded that are
between 11,000 and 15,000 years old.

So these are like prehistoric clams.
They�re really thick. They�re huge.

And it�s just really kind of fun to see them
from 11,000 years ago stuck in the clay,

scallop in two soft shell clams.

I just think they�re really cool to find.
Basically they�re fossils.

We don�t get to find a lot of fossils
in archeology so we don�t do dinosaurs,

but it�s nice to happen
every once in a while.

In that deposit we also have artifacts
from the 1700s, like this

1800s, like this glass.
And 15,000 year old clams.

Not very typical, but it�s interesting.

Do minority and women owned businesses
face any barriers

when it comes to city contracting?

The disparity study is designed to assess
that question in a number of different ways.

So first, we�ll look at the degree to which
minority and women owned businesses

participate in city contracts relative
to their availability for that work.

I�ll unpack those terms
in just a few minutes.

We�ll also provide a comprehensive analysis
of the local marketplace to help understand

whether minorities,
women and minority and women own businesses

face any barriers working in the Boston region,
and whether any of those barriers lead to

less success with city contracting
in particular.

We�ll also provide a comprehensive review
of the contracting policies

and program measures
that the city uses to help identify

any policies or practices
that might be inadvertently

making it more difficult for small businesses
and minority and women owned businesses

to compete successfully for city contracts.

Then we�ll also provide a great deal
of insight and recommendations

around how the City can refine

the programs it uses to encourage minority
and women owned businesses' participation

and what programs it can consider using
in the future.

Educate me a little bit about this.

Disparity studies. I�ve been in this business
in my industry for the past 30 years.

I have encountered all kind of difficulties and I�m
still a small contractor after 30 years in business.

When you say disparity study,
meaning a study that is a doubt.

Is there a doubt that this exists?

Because I find it in this 30 years
the difficulty in contracts

for me to achieve all years in the study. I
don�t think there should be a kind of a doubt.

Maybe we're looking for proof.

But I been part of it
and not too long ago,

I was a minority in a contract,
a State contract with housing.

I was a third tier subcontract

just so I can fill the minority quorums,

but there is a major company, let�s say White
right in front of me to hire me just for that.

Is that something why
wouldn�t I be directly to the GC?

Why do I have to be
second and third tier?

So we know that thing happens where connections
are made to just use us for the particular.

I�m sorry if I�m out of the equation

or I�m getting out of the point
that we�re talking.

But for the past 30 years,

I can feel it...
If the dollar is taken green,

I�m suddenly all the qualifications...
I can�t meet them.

Usually like I was speaking here to Greg,

I cannot do a 20 or let�s say $10 million,
let�s say $2 million project.

But I have 10, 12, sometimes 15,
$200,000 projects.

I can do 20, as many as 200, but at one

then so really you'll see that

what is there that is something to keep us
or keep me still on that $200-300,000,

but where the dollar is greener.
So the disparity is there.

If it�s proof you�re looking, you come to me.
I�ve been a victim of it for the past years.

It�s been very hard for a small company
like myself to grow.

And usually I find let�s say
major stream what do you call it,

not by using the color of the skin,

but the mainstream companies
in five years in construction,

they do it in 20 or 30 million
and they speeding up there.

And what we say
if you really want to help this,

I don�t understand that
in bigger companies, bigger projects.

Like I heard Honeywell has so many million
dollars, negotiated contract with the city.

The casino was negotiated.

Why with a small contractor
so we can�t negotiate with the city

to get that has to be
different ways of doing it

that we can sit down and negotiate contracts
and make sure we eliminate that gap.

Suddenly with us it�s illegal. With major
companies it�s not illegal. That�s my point.

Question is there.
I think essentially it was

why do the disparity studies?
So there�s a belief on the ground that

these barriers exist.

So there�s a few reasons
why we have to go through this process.

One is as researchers we,
as strong as though, as strong as

our feeling is
that these barriers might exist or not,

we�ve got to do the work
and understand and look for evidence,

objective evidence that this exists.
The reason why is because

in order for the city
to develop its program

and for the city to develop a program
that can stand up to legal scrutiny,

there has to be
objective evidence in place

that they can point to that informs what programs
they use and why they�re using those programs.

That�s really the reason.

I wouldn�t use the word doubt necessarily,

but it�s really an exercise
in making sure that we�re gathering

the evidence that the city needs to make sure
that it�s tailoring its program appropriately.

That�s really what it comes down to.

There is no doubt that there are
disparities that exist in doing business.

There�s no doubt that there are disparities
in our economy.

In fact, the Mayor would be very clear
and has been very clear,

his number one priority right now
is addressing

inequities that exist
in the participation of our economy.

All over the City.

Now we think the inequities that exist in the
participation in doing business with the City

is where we need to put real effort
and try to lead.

And so there�s been historic

challenges doing business with women owned
and minority owned businesses here in the City

way before we got in,

and there are systemic barriers
and policy barriers.

And we want to address them.

We�ve been doing things

and there also have been challenges,

legal challenges to policies that the City

before we got into office,
but all over the country,

whenever a City adopts a policy

that begins to work with one group
or another, people will challenge it.

And say hey, is that fair?
Is that not fair?

BBC, Sameer, is representing the city�s
effort to make sure that we are well informed

when we introduce
any of these policies.

And more importantly,
that they can stand up in court.

Good boy.

So the good news is to take his temperature
I don�t have to put a thermometer in him.

I have a scanning thermometer
I can just put on his skin.

And it�s going to scan for his temperature.

- Perfect. He doesn�t have a fever.
- He�s neutered correct?

So the plan for today because
he�s already got his rabies vaccine,

we�re going to do
a distemper parvo vaccine.

We're going to give him a kennel cough vaccine
which is a drop that has to go into his nose.

We�re going to give him a de-wormer
and we�ll do a blood test.

We�re testing him for heartworm disease.
That�s transmitted by mosquitoes

and it�s a horrible disease

to have to treat
that�s really easy to prevent.

Distemper. Ready?

What was that? Nothing.

Rabies. I�m sorry little girl.

So you want to giver her a bath now?

You can call 1-800-PETMEDS
and ask for a prescription

of heartworm medication and they�ll call
here to verify that the test was clean.

But the way to keep him healthy

is to have him on the preventive medicine
once a month, all around the year.

This organization is incredible.

Morgan Memorial we all have a story
growing up of Morgan Memorial

and Goodwill,
providing opportunities for training,

for housing, for food,

for supplies, for clothing,

helping people. This organization has always
wrapped its arms around people that are in need.

It�s one of our largest employers for people with disabilities.
I want to thank you as well for the great work you do there.

I want to thank all the people that are
here today that we had the honor of serving.

Thank you for letting us serve you today.
Thank you for letting us be part of this day.

Thanksgiving is...

one of those holidays I think that

allows us the opportunity
to come and serve somebody else.

And a chance to see people and it should fill
our hearts with gratitude for what we have.

And on behalf of myself and all the folks
from the City and the State,

I want to thank you because
my heart is filled with gratitude today

because of the great work
that Goodwill does

and the great work of the young people
and the people that are here today.

So I�m going to stop talking and then we�re
going to have, we�re going to have dancing.

Will the runners go to the kitchen
and dinner will start.

We�re going to be doing the general contracting.
We�re the developer and the property manager

and this is some of the additional
organizations that we have.

We�re very proud of Cruz�s Care
because it�s a nonprofit that does

outreach to youth. We mentor young people, we
take them on trips, we do computer learning.

We do all kinds of backpack giveaways, but
the most important thing is we spend time

with youth that live on our properties
because we think mentorship

and interaction
is vital in young people�s lives.

And next slide.

We also have heard through the community
in this process,

about the wealth gap that exists.

And we all know in the Black community
the wealth gap

between Blacks and Whites is 275,000

for an average White family and
750 for an average Black family.

So one of the things that we made
as part of our mission in this proposal

is to give as much back
economically to the community

and leave it better than we find it.

We just want to give folks a bit of sense
of what we do from a payroll standpoint.

This is the last seven years.
You'll see our people

of color percentages go up
from 77 to 93.

Boston residents are in the 60�s.
Women and Section 3 workers.

And we continue to put money back
in the community.

And this is not only
on an employee�s standpoint,

but on a business standpoint.

We think it�s very important
that we support local businesses of color.

So these are MBE numbers.

Utilization of firms of color
in the last seven years.

And you see out of 152 million of total
development costs that we�ve done on average

75 to 78 % have gone to firms of color.
And you look at the worker hours.

We�ve hit as much as 95 % on 35,000 hours.

So again it�s about
Ngiving back to the community.

To talk about the program, it�s now 160
units. When we were selected it was 150.

But as you get more into design

and more finite layouts you find that
you have a little bit more footprint.

So right now, it�s 160 units of which
105 are home ownership condominiums

and there�s 15,500 square feet
of retail space.

That�s also an increase

from when we were designated because
during, we�ve had about nine meetings

with DND, BPDA and part of the feedback,

most of the feedback we incorporated

and you�ll see in the design we
have more of a street presence

and as that evolved
it opened up for more retail space.

So you�ll see when they do
the architectural

that our retail space
has in fact increased.

Estimated real estate tax, people ask us,
is about $700,000 annually.

As some of you know, as part of our community
benefits we are going to be leasing space

to the NAACP at no cost for 10 years.

In addition to that we�ve endowed
a $5,000 scholarship

annually for 10 years for them to allocate
anyway that they want.

We also have agreed, YouthBuild Boston
for those of you who aren�t familiar,

is an organization
that trains young people in the trades.

Helps them get on a straight path.

We�ve committed $100,000
to that organization over five years.

Plus we�re going to hire at least
one YouthBuild graduate

in every major trade
or during the life of the development.

The life of the construction and we have
estimated that to be about 20 positions.

Community benefits should be
driven by the community

and not by a developer.

I�m not taking issue with that.
It�s a broad statement that I�m making.

It�s not targeted at crews specifically.

What, in that sort of proposal and package
can we revisit and look at

and really build more consensus around
from the community�s perspective

as to what they would like to see
as a community benefit.

Much of what you listed out

of course NAACP, I�m not sure they need
1,000 square feet of space.

And some of the others that are noble
endeavors, but could there be others?

And that make more sense
particularly for this site?

So I would just like to hear,

I think from not only the IAG group,

but also from the community

and have that community
benefits process be more

inclusive of what the community wants,

as opposed to relationships that developers
have with specific groups of people.

It may not be that thing,
but it can look like that.

For us to go a little deeper on that.

I would like to respond.

We tried to get out ahead of...

Anytime we put in a proposal, as part of that we
think about the benefits back to the community.

And I think the Roxbury Strategic Master
Plan Oversight Committee asks the question,

how come the Cruz�s proposal has benefits
and none of the other�s had them?

And it�s because we always try
to be proactive.

So we can always have a discussion.

You know John�s always open to having
conversations and considering things.

But we made a commitment to the NAACP
in writing.

That not only would we give them
free space for 10 years...

Not to date myself, but when I was growing up
the NAACP was on Mass Ave, the prominent side.

You drive by you see them, you had ethnic
pride because you knew their mission.

Now, unfortunately

they�re in the Washington Park Mall
where no one sees them.

So we thought it was an excellent idea

to have them visible,
where better than in Dudley Square.

When people come down.
So we made that agreement with them.

We also made an agreement
to fund a scholarship

at $5,000 a year for at least 10 years
that they would have the control

to determine who got it.
We wouldn�t be involved in that at all,

just from the vantage point
of giving them the money.

And with YouthBuild.
YouthBuild does a great job.

If you�re not aware of them
just Google them.

Not that a lot of organizations don�t,
but they do a great job

taking our troubled youth

and turning them around when
their next step is either incarceration

or they have to turn their lives around. And
so we thought that that was a high priority

for us to make a commitment on

and providing jobs.
We�ve worked with them before, in fact

John has hired at least
10 YouthBuild graduates

in probably the last 10 or 15 years
because we think it�s so important.

It�s like ex-offenders. They need a chance.
They need another chance.

So, conversation on community benefits

is not off the table,
but the ones that we�ve given

we feel like we�ve given our word
to those people.

To those organizations.
It would be hard to go back and say,

we�ve changed our mind.

Community benefits should be driven
by the community.

It should have its focus
come from the community.

I understand that you as a developer
and others want to, some of you,

not all developers want to get
ahead of that and put on the table,

meaningful, long term community benefits.

That�s the other thing
and this is also more for the City that

community benefits shouldn�t just be
a shot in the arm. It should be long term.

It should be, it should you know,

build equity in the community.

That�s my concern and my concern
is that the voice

that carries that piece
around community benefit

resonate and comes
from the community.

I�m here today to tell my story on

how I got in front of the hydrant
and why I�m in front of the hydrant.

First of all I�m not denying I parked
there. I was wrong in parking there.

How I ended up there?

My industry�s biggest conference
of the year

is September 22, 23rd.
That�s something I know.

It�s also happened to be two weeks
before my wife�s due date.

It was a big debate throughout the year
if I should go, if I should not go.

That conference was in Rockland, Maine.

So predictably,

Tuesday night, September 23rd, I get a
phone call, my wife�s having contractions.

And I race home to, from Rockland, Maine,
Bar Harbor area.

So I drive home
three and a half, four hours.

It�s East Boston past midnight.

There�s no parking anywhere
within two miles of my house.

I�m a first time father, new father.

I have no idea what to expect.
I just have to get a parking spot.

2:30 in the morning
I park in front of the hydrant.

I wake up the next day and there�s not one,
but two tickets on my car.

So, I�m here,
letting you know I was wrong,

but as an exhausted, stressed,
tired new father

that is facing a pile of medical bills,
asking for reprieve from one of those tickets.

Based on the evidence you provided,

as well as the evidence provided
by the Officer who wrote the tickets,

factoring what I�m allowed to factor in,
legally speaking

I should deny the appeal today.

What I�m going to do however instead
I�m going to dismiss both tickets.

One with a warning
the other with a final warning.

That means is a couple of things.

First, in the future you got to make sure

you check where you park
because especially with issues like this,

and with no stop or stands, they
can tow the car if they really wanted to.

Which would not have been helpful
in this entire process for you.

Second, if you filed an appeal
you do need to bring

all evidence that you have
that can corroborate any testimonies,

paperwork, receipts, photos, whatever.

And third, means you don�t have
to pay anything today.

Thank you very much.

For the record we�re here today
for ticket 754471406

issued to us in a resident permit only
on 8/9/2019

at 10:09 p.m. at 343 Congress Street.

So what can you do to prove
the ticket was given incorrectly.

It�s tough for me to prove the ticket
was given incorrectly, but...

When I parked the car
there wasn�t any sign for

resident permit parking there.

It was just a meter I thought

and I mean I lived in this town my whole life.
I didn�t even know anybody lived down there.

I haven�t been down there
in a long time, so

for me to park in that part of town

and think, wait a minute,
this might be resident permit,

like it was the Hill or
like it was the Back Bay

or like it was the South End.

I just didn�t see a sign

and I figured 9:00 I�m fine and I come out
and get a ticket at 10.

I can�t understand what happened.
I don�t, I just don�t know.

So what could have happened,
there are some parts of Boston

where it�s resident permit after six.

So without any evidence that
there isn�t a sign posted on the block,

more likely it was given correctly,
but I�ll dismiss it.

Just make sure every time you park the car
even if you�re at your in meter.

I have to check a little bit harder
than I did that night. Certainly.

I was even on a date the other night
and I�m like:

Hold on, I made her wait,
I got to check the signs

Just keep going until you find a sign
there, there�s always going to be one.

I just didn�t think to look.
Again, because who lives down there?

Evidently a lot of people
live down there now.

Maybe it�s like a new high rise
or something, I�m not sure.

Back in the day, nobody lived down there.

So that�s a copy of the decision.
Do you have any further questions?

Thank you for hearing me because
I missed my date and everything.

- You missed your date?
- Like I said, but the guy said you can.

Except for Atlantic, nothing�s that bad.

Don�t worry. It�ll get there.

Harold Street�s not bad so far.

So far it�s not bad.
It�s going to be getting bad.

Starting to build up
in the Sumner tunnel.

8th Street is not bad tonight.

I made a little adjustments
over there earlier.

You figured they�d start diving off the
highway, cutting through the back streets.

Looks like the highway
is starting to slow down.

The expressway�s starting to slow down.

Everyone is going north skiing.

Got to stay ahead of the traffic.
Got to stay ahead of the problem.

I might make this change permanent.

- Which one?
- Upham�s corner.

I�m always doing this. I just don�t think
those left turns need that much green time.

I never see that many cars making the move.

It backs up.

Some nights it doesn�t, but...

It don�t do it all the time though.

No, but it�s 50/50.

Gotta give it time. It will clear up.

What�s that? Double parked?

Hi it�s Keith from the Tech Center.
Hey, how�s it going?

I�ve got a vehicle stopped in the bike lane
on Congress Street at Milk Street.

Great, thanks.

I am the Executive Director of the Mayor�s
Office of Women�s Advancement here in Boston

and you�re now joining a community
of almost 8,000 women

that have been trained to know their worth
and demand fair pay.

You may know that Latinas in Boston
through the data that we measure locally,

and we are the only city that measures
these pay gaps locally,

Latinas are making 49 cents
to the White man�s dollar in Boston.

And then the figure nationally

is slightly different, but almost the same
which makes today Latina Equal Pay Day.

We have to work up until November 1st

to make the same amount of money
that White men made last year.

And so if you think
that�s shocking and depressing as I do,

that�s why you�re here.

And I wanted to say thank you.
You are part of the solution.

We have a two or three prong solution

that we�re working on putting together at
the Mayor�s Office of Women�s Advancement.

The first part of it is training ourselves,
empowering ourselves

and learning how to
navigate the system as it is.

So we acknowledge that
the system is unfair and that

it�s not our individual fault that we are
experiencing this pay gap as Latinas.

But there is something that we ourselves
can do about it and that is

learning to negotiate,
learning our work, our worth,

doing our research
and then demanding fair pay.

At the same time at the Mayor�s Office of
Women�s Advancement we do understand

that�s only going to get us so far,
so on the other hand

we are working on fixing that
system and leveling it off so that

we are playing in a more equal play field.

What that entails is doing
a lot of work with employers.

So that you guys will learn how to
negotiate and demand your worth here,

they have to be ready for that
on the other end.

We work with more than 200 employers in the
greater Boston area to talk about this issue,

to get them to measure their own
wage gaps and then to come together,

and learn and propose strategies
for what they�re going to do about it.

Part of it is, how do you figure out
for this role,

how do I know
that I should be getting paid more?

Or that I should even get anything
outside of just a paycheck? What is that?

With the advent, thank goodness,
of the Internet,

that type of information
is very readily available.

So one of the things that I did learn

at an early stage thanks to the same manager,
because we had a conflict at one point.

And it was a conflict about
the size of my skirt.

It taught me one of these lessons, a good
negotiating point and why I researched.

Somebody complained
that my skirt was too short.

Now mind you compared to these days, woo.
It was like having knee length skirt.

But I asked him: would you ask or say
something, say the same thing to a man?

I mean obviously at that time,

men didn�t have the option they do or...

Non-binary wasn�t a thing then, so we
didn�t have those types of conversations.

Then he said I�m going
to teach you something.

I don�t care if you�re a woman or a man.

He said do you want people to think about
these things because you�re a woman

or do you want them to think about
the value that you bring into your role?

And so, he did teach me that,
so part of that was

every time when I go for a new role,
or I�m helping someone,

I say go look up what a man
and a woman�s making for that role.

Find out what they�re making here

and what they�re making
in other parts of the country.

Find out what that scale is,
and then use the men�s scale.

The other thing too,
when you talk about knowing your value is:

besides that number on a piece of paper,

what else should you be negotiating for?
And that�s one of the great things

about doing your research
between the Internet,

what the company�s offering
and what other people are making.

Do you have bonus potential?

Are you moving expenses?
Do you have training that�s involved, or

memberships
for professional associations?

There�s so many things
that you can actually negotiate,

they should all be on the table.

So how my strategy changed
was I learned how to research.

I learned how to do those types of things.
But the other thing I also learned how to do

and Evelyn you touched upon this.
This is so very important.

Learning how to read people.

You can have all the knowledge
in the world,

but if the person across from
you does not want to negotiate

or you don�t think they want to negotiate,
or you don�t know their negotiation style,

you may go nowhere in that conversation.

So another really important part
of that negotiation is

trying to figure out a person�s
negotiation style. It�s not that difficult

to be honest with you. One of the things
I had to learn early on in my career

because when I started negotiating
there was not that many women in my field.

So it was non�t even women of color,
it was just women.

And I had to learn to hold my own

with all these men that in a lot of times I
was leading, especially early in my career.

I was 23, 24 leading men that were,

had been in corporate careers for 20,
30, 40 years if not more.

So that was my first lesson
because I remember,

just from a cultural type of perspective,

a gentleman from Alabama
called me Sug one day.

Now I knew culturally that
he wasn�t trying to be offensive

and I also knew him personally,

but I also knew that that could impact
how other people looked at me.

And when you talk about value that�s not
a dollar sign value at that point in time.

Although it could translate into it
at a later point.

I had to go to my manager and say,
I know he doesn�t mean harm by this,

but he could be creating harm

based on the fact that I�m a woman.
And I�m a woman, a female negotiator.

So one of the things that I had to learn from
a cultural and just the value as a woman,

was my job was a negotiator.

If I could not negotiate my salary, what
was I saying to my potential employer?

So it was even more stressful
to be able to put a package together.

A couple of things that I learned,
I actually learned a lot from men.

I had a lot of male mentors.

Mostly because of the fact that
there was no one else again in that space

that were women. And they were definitely
not women of color, very seldom.

Very seldom did I ever run into
a woman of color.

So I had to lean outside of that space

to actually find women and women of color
who were doing something different

and that they could teach me
and they could give me a voice.

So mentorship was huge for me.

Without that mentorship,

I would not have learned as a woman
and as a Latina what my value was.

Then the other thing I did lean on

as far as my approach was concerned,
was I watched men.

And I watched how
they conducted themselves.

When you talk about learning your value,

a lot of times where I learned
were at bars at happy hours.

So number one,

I was taught you should not be a woman going
to a bar at happy hour with all these men.

I had to take a risk at that time in my career
to say there�s something going on there.

And so I would go and have a beer or two.

And have these conversations
because again, negotiation strategy.

People let their guard down at different
points and it was usually at the bar for men.

The other thing that I had to learn as far as
what was going on corporate America at the time?

Things were happening on the golf course.

I didn�t play golf. We played no
activities. We had no money for it.

So, I went and I took golf lessons
at the public golf course. I was horrible.

The first time I joined the company golf
league and I would tell them, I�m horrible.

The first time that I went up to hit the
ball, I missed it. And I missed it horribly.

But I told everyone.
I said I told you I was not good at golf.

At least people knew I was going to play golf,
but I was going to be on that golf course.

And I knew at the time that especially
when I was living in Pittsburg,

there really was not that many
women of color in the community,

much less in corporate America that I was
doing these things, that I was representing,

so I had to be careful of my actions.
I had to be careful of my words.

But when that did translate into salary,

I was at a stronger position

because people knew
that I was willing to do these things

to understand what my value was.

Because at that point I wasn�t
comparing myself to other women

and I definitely wasn�t comparing myself to
women of color because they weren�t there.

I was learning what to do and what
my value was compared to a guy,

compared to a White man.

And so that was huge for me as far as
my career in negotiation was concerned.

We had a shooting today
at Quincy and Ceylon Street.

It was a guy on a... a kid on a scooter.

The scooter�s been recovered,

but the suspect�s still outstanding.

Pull it up, it�s on the brick,
but I printed out

like 15 copies
so you guys can grab one if you need to.

Check your emails. It�s in there.

Otherwise, we�ll be
on the lookout for him.

And 7 p.m., the 201...
What did I say 201 was?

Hogan and Lahey. You guys do

the Gloucester versus Boston Latin game
up at Madison Park.

Go up there. A couple code 19s. Or just
drive around at 7 p.m., take a look

and let us know if anything
needs attention up there.

I remain concerned about the precedent

establishing past practice of this
committee to approve such a request as this

of allowing the increase in enrollment
for a school,

when we know that the current
physical capacity of their building

is not equal to
what we are proposing going to.

And that we�re setting ourself up
for a year or two years from now,

the school rightfully coming back to us
and saying,

'we expect a bigger facility,

'you told us we were going
to have a bigger facility'.

And this is something that

this committee has perpetually done
time after time.

This is no reflection on the school.

But I�m concerned
we�re setting up a conflict

a year or two from now

when you�re trying to expan
to your approved enrollment level

particularly when there�s a lot of demand
for your school because you�re doing

really good things there with some youth
who are very challenged.

You�re doing outstanding work.

And yet, unless I hear otherwise,

the answer I have here was about suspension,
but was not yet about facilities.

This is a long setup to then hear
from the Superintendent on

where the District stands

about what we will do for facilities

because I remain deeply concerned
about approving this amendment.

I recognize we�re in a challenge. We�re
doing this because of the State review.

And yet we�re setting up a problem
a year from now.

I believe there was testimony last time that
the school is already well in excess of its

approved enrollment and so part of what is
in front of us right now

is an opportunity to right size
the maximum enrollment of the school

that would capture
what the excess enrollment will be.

So that�s not an excuse and that�s not

a total answer for what your question is,
but I think

just to give that context, we are serving
through the current building,

or the current facility, students in excess
of what our current allotment is.

So there is a need for
an additional building

or additional space.
I don�t want to presuppose a building.

And within that context I think that might
be helpful for the District to further

elaborate on its own comments
on the facilities from the last meeting.

But Mr. Chair, correct me if I�m wrong.
We are not just approving

for the Charter, for the enrollment to go up
to what the existing enrollment is right now,

we�re going beyond that
which would allow the school to expand

particularly in the 2.0, right?
So this is a kind of a newer program.

So this will be an expansion
for the school, it�s not just...

Part of it is correcting where they are,
right?

I agree with you,
but just help me out with that.

Absolutely and I want to just make sure
that within the context of that,

the increase is not 100 students.

The increase to the approved
maximum enrollment is 100 students.

But the increase I believe
in the actual enrollment is...

Can you help me out with
what that number might be?

Next year is 430. And the enrollment
is 405 in our Charter.

- And this is a multiyear enrollment?
- Over 3 years.

The idea would be to grow 100.

- Grow 100 additional students?
- To 505.

To 505.

That�s 100 additional students,
but over your existing maximum enrollment.

- its� about 70? - 70.

70 students over your actual enrollment.

- And that will require new physical space.
- More space.

So, we�re setting ourselves up here
for a big challenge.

So we�re not proposing simply

to adjust the amendments
to the actual enrollment right now,

but we�re proposing now
to allow them to expand

for students that we know
we do not yet have space for.

We cannot identify specific space
so we can�t say a plan is part of it.

Am I correct in that?

I can tell you that we are committed

to finding space for the current students
who are offsite already.

So we will be finding
space for them regardless.

They�re currently in an offsite location
this year.

- They�re in the Dearborn?
- In the Dearborn.

And Dearborn�s going
to need that space next year?

So we already know we need
to find some space for them?

But now we�re talking about
additional space beyond that.

This is a great problem to have.

It�s because you�re an outstanding school
doing outstanding work.

There is huge demand. When we
talked to folks at the Reengagement center,

they would love to have
so many more students there.

It�s not about a bad problem.

But it�s a problem that we�ve done
over and over again here.

And that�s what concerns me.

I wonder if we can come to a compromise

of what the enrollment actually is
for the building

and come back and have this conversation.

In order to capably serve

the varied and diverse

and high needs populations
within our district, we need to be able to

walk and chew gum at the same time.
Be able to move these programs forward

while we also continue to think about
how we are best creating the facilities

and the architecture around the district
to support these programs.

I�m wondering if it may be better for us
since we�re improving policy

just to make it clear that we�re approving you
to 435 or whatever the number is immediately

and to 505 contingent upon finding a
suitable facilities solution for the school.

So the school and their leadership
and their students and their staff

know that this is a priority
for the school committee

to find that solution for the school.

And that we�re also
very supportive of the school

because we know the population
they�re serving is critical.

But also now it�s a school
committee by policy,

putting it back to the District
that it�s critical we find a solution.

Not putting it solely on the back
of the Superintendent to say,

we�re going to find something.

My recommendation at this point would be

rather than change the number which would
require a whole new process of approval,

that we table the current request

until we have completed
their satellite location identification

and we will bring this back to you

subsequently with that space solution
connected to it.

What about simply adding the sentence

to the approval that

the expansion is subject to finding
an appropriate facility solution?

Does that create a problem?

Thinking about

the issue that the Interim Superintendent
just laid out,

I suppose an approval like that

would allow the District to move forward

simply upon notification to the committee
at a later date that space has been found.

And so what that would then do would be...

It would simply be delaying the opportunity
for BDA to move forward to the State

and seek the approval
for the full 505 at a later date.

In other words, we would be taking care
of our committee business this evening

with that provision

and in the alternative,

if we were to table this
we would be voting at a later date.

Either way, it�s going to result in

an action from BDA to DESE

that follows the identification of space
for these students.

So, you know, I think it�s probably
six of one, half dozen of the other.

We do think that�s
a wise path forward. It allows

the current Charter proposal as presented
to be approved,

but the approval of moving beyond the 435

is contingent on us coming back
to you with their offsite space plan.

So if you want to propose
the amending language

that would give them the approval

and also make it clear that
before we submit it to DESE,

we will have come back
to you with the space plan.

Alison,
if that buys you the right amount of time?

We�re not waiting until fall next year.

No. We�re talking about
before the end of this school year.

To bring it back from the very

focused conversation we had
about facilities this evening.

This really isn�t about facilities.
That�s just a condition precedent to

allowing you to continue to serve
the population that you serve so well.

And expand that service to

a number of students across the district
who really need it.

We�re very excited.

Something that was lost is that you�re also
changing your enrollment policy

as part of the Charter amendments
that are going forward and so,

making it easier and more accessible
for students to find

high quality education at BDA

is the sum and substance of the Charter
amendments that you put before us tonight.

We�re very happy to approve those
and we wish you well.

And we look forward to hearing
about your new location.

So your main issue is the rodents?

I found one of them dead under
that cabinet. I moved the refrigerator...

I had to throw him away.
He was about that big with a big fat tail.

And oh, it stunk bad.

- It pulled out the refrigerator.
- You were seeing �em over here?

I threw one away. I killed one.
I had traps under there.

Trays and they were empty.
And then I smelled a bad odor. Really bad.

He was like that big. That wasn�t no mouse and
he got a big fat tail with rings around it.

So it could possibly be a rat.

Did you already clean out
the droppings under there?

Yeah, but I did take some pictures
on my phone.

I wanted to just check around here
just to make sure.

They�re possibly getting in
through right there.

He�s coming through the cellar I think.

We can take a look.

But those droppings right there
are pretty big.

It�s not a mouse. I had three tomatoes
on the top of the counter.

They we�re smashed all over the place.
I�ve never seen a mouse do that.

How often have you been seeing them?

Every day for the last month,
month and a half.

Since they�ve been working on the streets.

- I can�t even sleep at night because...
- Because that�s been going on?

I mean I saw one of them running,
he runs fast.

And then I hear him in the broiler there
where I left him some peanut butter

and then the next day it�s half gone.

I�m surprised he�s still kicking.
But there might be more than one.

This is probably the second one.
There might be three or four.

Those kick plates underneath the cabinet
can come out easy, they�re not nailed in.

If you kick it or...
Yeah I can kick it with my foot.

- There�s definitely heavy activity down there.
- I know I wasn�t imagining it.

- I�ve never seen rats before here.
- You�re getting a lot.

Before this I had raccoons
in my ceiling.

They dug two holes and I patched

that one, but with the heavy rain
he dug a big circle in the wood

and the water was coming in and the rain,
the sheetrock just came down.

Does the management usually get back
to you when you try...

My sister�s got problems
her side of the house. Water leaking in.

So it�s you on this side
and your sister on the other side?

And my two brothers own a part of this

and one of my brothers is
trying to evict me because I think

he wants to come down into my apartment
which is better than his.

Got you.

I put all those in there.
They�re pretty clean.

There�s no food on them,
but I don�t know.

- What�s going on with the flooring?
- It�s just cracking from the water.

It�s been that way for the last year or so.

It was with all the little leaks.

When you have a chance and possibly
get to it sooner than later,

start scrubbing that, getting rid of
that heavy build up, that grease.

- Because any sort of food source...
- He ate half of my...

I had a sponge with some food on it
and he chewed half of it away.

So what you really want to do

is not leave any kind
of food source out for them.

So anything like for instance
these onions right here.

If you can, get a plastic container
and just put them in there

at least until...

I�ll let the management or the landlord
know what�s going on as far as the issue.

But in the meantime, you�re going
to have to do your part.

So, that would be the stove
and putting

these onions or any kind of fruit
or vegetable in a plastic container.

What I�ll do is I�ll try to talk to them,

find out what�s going on.

And where the disconnect happened so hopefully
we can come to some sort of resolution

where you�re not living
with a pest infestation and the leaks.

Because they spread disease too.

And I try to keep it clean as I can here.
I�m a bachelor right now

and living here for 18 years
since I got divorced.

I�ve made my mistakes, but you know,
I don�t do drugs or anything.

- I�m clean.
- That�s good.

I have a glass of of wine here and there
and lately my spirit's broken.

Because they want to throw me
to the street after all.

Anybody�s spirit would be broken.

I�ve been going through mental health
through Veterans.

And I got some anxiety pills,
I�m on blood pressure pills,

baby aspirin because I got
stents in my heart.

But I�m still alive. Hopefully
move onto something better soon.

We�ll try to help you out
as much as possible.

And I�ll talk to them to see
what exactly is going on.

Anytime, and I�ll leave my card for you.

On the back of my card

I�ll leave my cell in case you have
any issues or if anything comes up.

Most of this stuff will
be on a 30 day notice.

Some things that I deem is an emergency
will be on an emergency notice.

And so, once they get an emergency notice
that�s 24 hours.

The other stuff will be 30 days
so they�ll have 30 days to fix that.

What I need from you is
when they come by

or when they�re letting you know

like within the 24/48 hours like

I�m going to come by and do the repairs.
Just let them in.

That�s no problem. Sure.

I want the repairs to be done. Believe me.

- I know.
- I don�t want to live like this.

I hear you. So, like I said I�ll touch base
with you later on today

after I talk to your siblings
and then we�ll take it from there.

Currently

we need to finalize the community
process which we�re doing right now

and then finalize the host community
agreement with the City.

And then apply to

to the Cannabis Control Commission
for the provisional licenses

and then that will allow

617 to move forward with the build out
and final inspections and hopefully,

ultimately license to operate.

How close are the cannabis shops
going to be to the school?

How many people are you hiring?
And where are you hiring them from?

I believe the closest school
is about 600 feet.

To say that we just want to offer jobs
is actually a misnomer.

We actually want to
help people with a career.

We also have

a cultivation facilities
in Southwestern Massachusetts

that�s going through licensing processes.

Anybody can get a job. That�s very easy.

But in this industry,
we want to be able to mentor somebody

and to let them have
a pathway to a career.

If you�re interested in edibles,
we can help you with that pathway.

If you�re interested in extractions, we
have a facility going up that will be able

to mentor people
to go through that particular program.

If you want to be a grower,

we do have some pretty good growers on our
team that would be able to mentor people

to get to a certain point where they can
become successful in this industry.

And not just so
they can go get a job, right?

We�re looking for pathway to a career,
a mentorship program that can

really turn some things around
for this neighborhood

in certain ways that a job
just probably couldn�t.

How many parking spaces do you guys
have dedicated to your facility?

What's it like in the surrounding area?
Have you done any traffic studies?

And then how many shoppers can you
physically handle inside your store?

What�s your plan for line management
and overflow?

I only saw a small
mantrap on that floor plan.

So I�m curious if you could address that.

Someone would come into a vestibule.

He would be identified
with the proper government I.D.

and then he would buzz
into the retail area there.

So, as soon as we want,

we�ll have someone outside
telling everybody, have your I.D. ready.

We�ll try to move that line as fast as
we can safely, professionally and securely

that allows them into the next.

And then when they make the purchase
they will exit a different door

so there won�t be
that backlog right there.

Are you going to have a line down the block?
Are you going to have a waiting area inside?

Just these are the things
you need to think about

because these situations will come up when

you�re at capacity and people
are going to be standing outside.

These are things that you got
to think about.

Given the neighborhood,
given the location,

we absolutely think
that a lot of the traffic

and customers are going to be pedestrian
based as well as public transportation.

And then certainly rideshare
which is being used all over the place.

When you talk, you�re speaking
to the host community groups,

I�m sorry, there�s some of those groups

that are being talking to
that really don�t matter.

And some of those people
that you�re talking to

are making decisions
for the rest of us in this room

that don�t consider us.

Like some of the people over in Savin Hill
that don�t like this side of Dorchester.

So, I think when we�re talking about...

When we�re making plans about host community
and talking about to the community,

I think you need to reach out
to the regular people of the community

because some of these organizations and
some of these little groups and meetings

don�t really give a crap about us.

And it�s all about their agenda that
they have set forth. That�s one thing.

Also often in our community

we do have Asian businesses
that are run,

but there�s not people that look like me
that work in those Asian businesses,

I don�t want... we�ve talked Richard
so I don�t have a problem with you

and we�ve already discussed this.

I�m just concerned that are we going to
make this a multicultural employment area?

Like I said, a lot of the times

the Asians that do come in our community,
they don�t hire me.

We have to hire locally
because that�s the easiest

community outreach we can do

and also for the operations
sense is the best way to do it.

As a business owner,

once you get in here
and I�m not going to say right away,

but maybe six months or a year
depending how your profit goes,

are you willing to personally give
something back to this community to help

educate the young African Americans,
the young Cape Verdeans, the young Asians

that live in this poor community
that�s riddled by gun violence

and other drugs that are not marijuana
that keeps everybody calm?

If everybody was on marijuana
they�d be calm someway.

Your first comment regarding the various
groups that we are supposed to meet,

and I strongly use the words
'we were supposed to meet',

because a lot of those
are dictated by the City.

Exactly! That�s my point.

So you know for us to jump outside
of that particular parameter

is not very easy for us.

As a business man, as a lifelong
resident of Boston, Massachusetts,

we would want to give back.

But because there are some things
that are beyond our control as a business,

there are only so many things we can do
per the host community agreement.

Now if you want to touch upon
a personal stuff,

that�s a personal passion of mine
to really give back

and do things for the community.

I can�t promise you anything today,
but I can pledge.

Let me finish. I can pledge

that there are times
we will outreach to the community.

People that think that we didn�t
include them in this particular

round of talks and everything like that,
because that is a personal mission for me.

That is something I hold dear and near
and it's passion for me.

First things first. I need to make sure that
I cross my T�s and dot my I�s with the City.

They are the ones that are in control
of a lot of things in our situation here.

I just want to make sure that

whatever funds that you�re going
to be giving out of your pocket

goes into a great entity in this community
that really matters

and that is actually having an effect
on our community.

As I said, I support you guys. I just want
to make sure that you have a solid plan,

and especially around security

and the overflow thing is really, we need
to address that as the young lady said

becaus we can�t have a line of people

particularly if we have people coming
from like Milton or other places.

It�s kind of like Oh look at them,
let�s go setup for robbery.

I want to make sure
that those are addressed, OK?

I guess I want to find out from you
what you�re going to do

truly to address safety concerns around
the store that you�re looking to open.

We have some phenomenal officers in our
neighborhood. They work extremely hard

to keep us all safe.

And it sounds like part of your
public safety plan is to lean on the Polie.

And I think that�s a bit unfortunate.

There�s a lot going on
in this neighborhood that isn�t good.

And we lean heavily on them
to help support the community.

So that doesn�t help when we�re layering
something additional onto the BPD.

Second question has to do with
the process for approving this.

If someone can just sort of address

whether or not the community
has an opportunity to vote up or down.

This has to go through another process.

The Board of Appeal which they have not
received a date as of yet.

You can make your voice heard
through that process as well.

This is not a done deal here today.

They have more meetings to do.
We have more applicants to

visit and do outreach to as many people
in the neighborhood as possible.

Leaning on the police for their expertise

in this neighborhood and what the police
needs for resources in this neighborhood.

I don�t think we want
to stand up here and say

oh, we�re going to do X, Y, Z
for security.

And then the police say You don�t want
to do that in this neighborhood',

or 'That�s not what we need
in this neighborhood'.

I think that conversation is ongoing.

And one of the big things
that I think 617 can do as an entity

is obviously that surveillance
and extending that circle of surveillance

really in conjunction with BPD
and what they�re looking for.

Making sure those systems
talk to each other.

But also making sure that BPD and who�s
ever running the store have a relationship.

My concern is I�m an abutter
to this whole establishment.

So, I�m right behind Walgreens.

I maintain it. There�s dumpster
diving back there with Walgreens.

They park in my driveway.
I can�t get in and out of the alley.

Half the time I got to call the police.
I got to call 311.

It�s a huge major...

If I wasn�t such a gentleman
I would say what it is.

So what I�m saying is that
having no parking,

dealing with the security issues
that I�m dealing with right now,

I�m not having it.
Just dealing with the restaurant

and dealing with the smoke shop
and dealing with Walgreens is enough.

I can�t even get in and out
my driveway as it is.

I got people dumpster diving in the middle
of the night. I have security cameras.

When the police come and they look
what stuff that goes on back there,

doesn�t do anything.

Those are my issues whatsoever.

The parking... People that park from
Boden Str. and down Blakeville Str.,

blocking the driveway just
when people are going to the restaurant.

So never mind having a dispensary there.

Where they going to park at?
Where they block

my neighbors, I got one, two, three, four,
four or five abutters here

that they block their driveways here
and we always like

up in a rage trying to figure out
whose car is blocking your driveway.

So what are your plans for that?

We�re going to have cameras out front
that indicate

that someone�s there and we�ll have
one of the security go out there

and ask them to move.

We�re going to work hand in hand
with Boston Police on this.

There may come a time
when we may have to hire some details

to help us out at the early goings on this.

We�re going to have conversations
with them. They�ll approve our plan.

They�re going to have input to our plan

and those are things
that we�ll discuss with them

that they can be on the lookout
when they send their patrols by as well.

And I can tell you that there is no way

that we�re going to let our customers
double park in front,

say I�ll be right back and run in.

They won�t be allowed entry
into the store.

We have personnel who will be onsite
inside and outside

as well as some sort of combination of
Boston Police outside,

and our store person checking people
as they get in. And we won�t let them in.

Walgreens is a staple of our community
and an intersection where people go get

family supplies, go get Pampers,
they go get their medical needs.

So within that going on,

they have to pass through
a smoke shop, a weed shop.

Then that alley that�s running there
is famous to becoming a smoke...

Destination. Before the smoke shop
got there that was a smoke destination.

The smoke shop came and it became
a bigger smoke destination.

A barber shop was there.
It became a bigger smoke destination.

The Walgreens has been raided,
I mean from...

Us doing an event for the community

and people going across the street
and raid it.

There�s been shootings and other
negative things going on in the community.

So just having an entity there constantly
is really worrisome for

our seniors, our young people
who have teen centers.

We have schools,
even though there�s a radius.

At the end of the day this is
a common intersection for everyone.

Those imaginary lines don�t exist
because we have to go to Walgreens

to get our medications,
we have to go get Pampers

and our daily stuff
that we need right away.

We need Walgreens in our community.

We don�t necessarily need a smoke shop
or a weed shop, but we do need Walgreens.

As I read this,
you guys are talking about

'fostering a mutual beneficial
healthy and safe partnership'.

Again, we had a store, never got robbed,
never got anything,

but we have seen people who have been
getting shot in corners, inside stores.

There is a lot of trauma
in this neighborhood

and in your whole beautiful presentation
I didn�t see

bullet points around

how you guys are doing all that
and bringing it back to the community.

And also about,

where you say that you�re creating a positive
economic impact beneficial to Boston,

and Dorchester neighborhood.
Bowdoin Geneva is a high needs.

We don�t have police available
in the evening hours.

So it�s my concern how you guys are saying
that you�re going to reach out

and get support from, you know,

the police department
which is all nice and dandy,

but they�re short staffed. They have
people retiring day in and day out.

And academy�s coming in

and we�re not getting the people
that we need in order to

provide the services that we need,
in order to be a safe environment.

So bringing in this flow where you guys
are going to have somebody at the door,

I didn�t hear anybody directing traffic
or telling people

where to go and how to park.
It sounds beautiful when you�re saying

we�re going to tell people
to move their cars,

but that�s not how it works around here.

We are not in downtown.
We are not in Back Bay.

We are in Dorchester where people say

I�ll leave my car there,
what you gonna do about it?

I think that it we all agree that
earing that type of feedback

is the starting point because
we don�t have all the answers right now.

You�re absolutely right. There are
certain things that we don�t know.

And we need the feedback
from the community

to be able to work together
to come up with a plan that works.

Are we going to have
all the answers on day one?

I hope so, but it�s unlikely.

We�re not going to know
what problems may arise.

There may be problems that are resolved
by our presence just as much.

We can commit to working with you
to resolve them as they come up.

I mean that�s all that we can promise
right now. Hearing that,

that�s something that�s important.

It�s noted. We want
as much feedback as we can get

on those types of issues that we may not
be able to see at the moment.

And if we can help prevent
issues like that

and there�re ideas on how to do that,
we�re all ears.

It may sound like
we haven�t addressed it,

it�s only because there are a lot
of moving parts that we have to

make sure that we coordinate
with the City.

Having community meetings like this
to meet with you

to talk about stuff that concerns you guys

and incorporate that into our business plan
and plans moving forward.

This isn't by far a done deal. This is
something that we would like to discuss

with everybody in the community as well

and hopefully
tonight�s a great start to that

and something more elaborate and
a little bit more lengthy in the future.

This community meeting is part
of the process for you to get your license?

And then does this community meeting
have a process to vote?

So does this community, after we talk
and we vent, and we cry and we laugh...

- What happens?
- Nothing.

We take what happens here
back to City Hall.

We have a conversation there
about what happened...

To City Hall meaning the Mayor or...?

We go back and reiterate
what happened here.

So you also have an opportunity yourself,

if you�d like to send in an email,
a phone call, write a letter

- And it gets taken a look at.
- It goes into a file for this applicant.

I�m new to this. I�m sorry.

So that�s how the information that...

The public puts out gets put into play.

'Mr. Mayor, this is what they said'.
And then what happens?

In a nutshell we go over what happens
and it�s deliberated,

it's decisions made and if they move
forward they move forward.

You have good intentions. I believe you.

If you have good intentions,
forget the requirements!

Communicate with us.
Go above and beyond.

Make sure that everybody knows about it.

- Too much?
- No, no you�re right.

You have good intentions.

Do more, make sure that everybody knows
about it because you know what?

I know this kind of stuff is beneficial
to Black communities if done properly

because I�ve done my research.
However,

if done in this way
and just an ill prepared manner...

I�m not saying you have been
because I don�t know enough...

Then you have detriment at your hands.

This kind of business,
if it doesn�t benefit our community

is a detriment and will disproportionally
affect brown and black people.

We have been outreaching
to the community members.

They work at the neighborhood associations
to address us and to introduce us.

We cannot go knock on every single door
in Dorchester. That�s not possible.

Those neighborhood associations
are predominantely represented by Whites.

So what happens is the people that

or we�re saying that are impacted,
the people that suffer from trauma or not,

we�re not generalizing this culture saying
everybody suffers from trauma. We�re saying

that this is a poorer neighborhood
and poverty affects us in this way.

So, the people that it impacts
are not being communicated to.

And so, it makes sense then

if you have good intentions
that you go above and say look,

we want everyone to be aware

and we want to be very transparent
so we�re going to do more.

This process is not dictated by us,
the applicant. As much as we want to be

in control as business owners, this
entire process is dictated by the City.

Let me reiterate it. This entire process
is dictated by the City.

Many things you brought up and concerns,
I personally am bothered as well.

Some of the things that you talked about
and you reiterated,

some other people have said
that same thing.

We heard it. Several, many times.

But the fact of the matter
is a lot of things that we�re hand tied.

To go above and beyond something
that was instructed us to do by the City,

we just do what the City asks us to do.

Now to say forget about crime,
just go ahead and do that.

We can�t.
We listened tonight and we shall.

We need to get organized
and get to the City then.

We need to change this process.

I represent the Bowdoin Geneva community.

It�s an amazing community, but that has
some of the worst public health outcomes.

If you look at the geography of
incarceration today in our Commonwealth,

about 60 % of the people
in the Massachusetts jails

actually come from the zip codes
that I partially represent.

And so I want to just ask
a couple questions

that constituents brought to me. First,
I�ve only been in office 7 weeks.

The State didn�t do a good job

and I�ve said this
at every cannabis meeting

because applicants
are educating residents

about things that should have been done
by State and City government.

At least that�s my opinion.

And so I offered to bring the Office
of emerging industries and the Commission

to come and talk to our community
directly because we have questions

that can�t be answered

by asking an applicant and having an
agitated conversation with the residents.

The first is this is one of the most
diverse communities in the entire City.

It is the poorest part of Dorchester.

It�s over 90 % of color.

My question is
do you have anybody on your team

that represents one of the major
ethnic groups in this community?

I know the Vietnamese community is 20 %
so that answered probably yes.

I don�t want to assume Asian identity.

Two, also mass incarceration
has deeply impacted our community

and when this law was first passed
I know a lot of people went to vote

because we wanted to right the wrongs

of also what has happened to our community
because of the war on drugs.

Do you have anybody on your team

that has been impacted by that
or have you thought about that?

Third, we know that the host agreement
goes into a general fund,

so the other question I had is
have you discussed as a team

how you will put resources together
for this community

that is highly under resourced,

also by the City and State government
to be quite honest,

but there�s an immediate needs on this...

In this corridor that are not represented
in areas like

Neponset or in Lower Mills.
That the Bowdoin Geneva specifically

been deeply impacted by bad policy
and under resources. So those were

three questions and are you open
to a second meeting or conversation?

This district is 42 % Cape Verdean

and a lot of the times at these meetings,
I might see 4 or 5 Cape Verdean Americans,

but nothing is translated in our language

and so what I find is that
they�re not even participating

in these conversations,
not because they don�t want to.

They care about this community,
but you�re not going to walk into a room

where they don�t speak your language
or try to have things translated for you.

So I just wanted to know
if you�d be open to another...

Because you�re only required to have
one meeting,

so the question is
are you open to another conversation?

So those are the points that I want to
share that mainly came from constituents

who couldn�t be here tonight,

so part of my job is to
represent their interest and share that.

Somebody brought up
a comment earlier about

when they walk into these
particular stores they don�t really see

a representation of themselves.

Well I do want to note
that we�re not open yet.

And so we will have representation
of this neighborhood.

A lot of people have asked us
to drill down hard on that number.

That�s a business question. I don�t have
that answer for you because

that has not been answered
during our business plan discussions.

But we're willing to have more conversations
and more dialogue with everybody

that should be involved.
As you stated in your first comment

before saying anything else that the
State didn�t do a very good job on this.

And I felt the applicant�s the guy that
has to elucidate and enlighten the public.

And we�ve done that.

Through our own pockets, through our own
measures and through our own grit.

We don�t want to see this industry fall.

Because yes, Dorchester has been
disproportionately affected by this.

I don�t see anybody else stepping up

to really say hey, let�s bring this
to Dorchester and really make this happen.

You see a lot of Colorado people,

you see a lot of Washington people,
you see a lot of California people.

But the barrier is so high
during the DPH era,

for you to get into this
that it was nigh impossibility

for anybody thinking of bringing a medical
marijuana establishment to Dorchester.

You�re talking high six figures
to even be heard,

so not only have you been
disproportionately affected

by having your members
of your community arrested,

and now there is an economic barrier
for you to go ahead and overcome

just so you can do business in this
industry that has affected your life

and generations down the road.

We�re not the type of people
that�s going to come in and say

I can go ahead and clean this up for you.

I�m not that type of person.
But what I can pledge to you

is that we can come down here

and have discussions and
frank conversations with everybody

to make sure we include
as many people as we can.

We can�t do everything for everyone,

but we can do a lot of things
for a lot of people.

But again, we are not open yet.
Give us the opportunity to come down

and really show you our medal
and show you what we�re really all about.

And let the State know that what they did

and what they have been doing
is not the correct process.

And with your help we can go ahead
and let them know

that we can overcome that situation
and bring this neighborhood around.

This is the poorest neighborhood
in Boston.

Do you guys not want economic development?

Do you guys not want to be
a piece of something

that has taken your lives away from you?

I�m the catalyst for that and so be it.
I can do it. I look forward to helping you

and you helping me
and we can accomplish this together.

We see everyone who�s at the table here,

and as a community we need to make sure
that we�re holding them accountable.

So we shouldn�t just be
saying this now in the moment,

but we really need to take everybody
who has a hand in this to task.

When things are not working correctly

because you all have to live here.
We have people who work here.

We have people who care about this
community who�s been here for many years,

putting in the hard work and effort
to get ourselves together.

And so the way we do that is
every time somebody says something to us,

let�s make sure
we�re going back to them.

And let�s make sure
that we�re holding them accountable.

And let this evening not be the only time
where we�re continuing to do that.

Because if we do that, you know what?
It�s just going to be another situation,

same old, same old and we get to hold
the crappy end of the stick.

And we�ve been doing that for many years

and so let�s hold folks to the fire
and let�s hold folks to task.

There�ll be business cards
on the back table. If you have comments

you can call up
or you can shoot an email.

We�ll be responsive and we�ll make sure
it�s noted and it�s on file.

We talked about this you know from a
year ago when we first met to talk about

utilizing the restore program.
Hiring an architect through our program

to work with you and your family,
to really elevate your business.

I know one of the other goals was really, I
mean this is a very successful supermarket.

I think that you have a very
loyal customer base,

but I do know

and this is true for any business
in the city,

it�s always important to
attract new customers.

So were you hoping,
is one of the goals

that by doing this project it will attract
some new customers in the city?

Yeah, absolutely 100 percent. You know
I know during the rush hour traffic

in the morning,
rush hour traffic at night there�re

thousands of cars that go along
Cummins Highway that pass the

store and probably don�t even
think twice about

ever coming in here to do their
grocery shopping. But I think

once we remodel and redesign
the front I think they might

have second thoughts about
that and maybe give us a chance

and see what we have to offer
for them and their family.

Yeah, I mean we do know like through this
program that when people complete a project

of this scale, two things happen.
Your existing

customers feel
grateful and taken care of,

and it in many ways it�s a thank you to
them for shopping here.

And I think people get
very excited when a project

like this, a store that they�re
going to constantly is transformed.

But I think also

people discover you for
the first time

and as you said, people are driving
up and down Cummins Highway

and not pulling into
your parking lot.

Because they�re not really seeing you.
And I think that�s absolutely going to

happen for you and we see this happen over
and over again for many of our projects.

Is that people walk by a storefront
and once we actually transform it

through the restore program with
a new signage and design, you know

it�s getting people through that door.
And obviously that helps you

be more successful.

Who are the
customers that come to this store?

So predominately residents of Mattapan.

We also get a fair amount of people from

Dorchester, Hyde Park, a little bit of
Milton as well.

And you know demographic wise come
from many different countries,

all the Caribbean countries,
South, America, Central America

hat�s predominately where
customers come from.

And you know I live in the neighborhood
too, so I know

America�s Food Basket�s been in
the neighborhood for so long.

I do know that based on
the constituency that

America�s Food Basket�s
been serving in your four locations,

so do you carry specific foods and
that really the community needs?

Yeah, yeah absolutely especially in the
meat department, the produce department

and grocery department as well.
Basically we want customers when

they come in they feel like they never
left their home, left their country.

Whether they�re Haitian or Dominican,
they want, we want them to be able

to come in here and get whatever it
is, whether it�s Plantains, Yucca, Ox

Tails, you know whatever seasonings
that they use in their countries

we want them to be able to use that same
recipe that their grandmother and mother

used when they were growing up
back home. Only now they�re in Boston.

So how do you develop that list of
ingredients and foods over time?

I mean the founders of
Americas Food Basket,

you know they�re Dominican so that
aspect the Caribbean aspect

of it was fairly easy.

Then as you�re in the store, as you gain
experience dealing with different types of

types of customers, they�ll ask you
what they�re looking for

and we try our best to get
whatever it is that they�re

asking. And you know I think
to a great extent

we�ve done a good job of that,
kind of serving to their needs.

Managing expectations is important
so, where we can get folks

in a room who are interested
because they�re calling me too

and they have all these great ideas
and I said well that�s not how

National NAACP conventions work.
We�re not organizing from the

ground it�s really organized from National
and there�s some local activities.

So, I�ve had to
educate folks locally on that,

but I think if we can have
a community conversation

I think Tanesha could host.

And then I manage expectations

that it�s convention of delegates,
it�s a voting convention.

So people are here to do business.

They�re here to go to luncheons,

be part of panel discussions.
There�s not a lot of free time

to leave the area that they�re
in,

and if they leave the area they�re not
there to vote

on a particular matter that�s
coming before the body.

So there�ll be some limited opportunities

to get out of the convention
area and see Boston

and we just got to be intentional
about when those opportunities come up.

We talked about that.
There might be NAACP

members that are police
chiefs and fire fighters

and nurses, and doctors

that want to like get a tour of behind the
scenes at Mass General or

go to Dimock in Roxbury

and see how the recovery community
that they have there,

one of the best in the country.
Look at these different

places and so we can
offer that up for people.

We have a criminal justice community here
so if we tap Harvard, and some of our other

higher Ed institutions say
hey, we need Skip Gates

to be at the convention and we as
the City of Boston are reaching out

to you Harvard to say make
your folks available.

I think there�s an opportunity for
us to provide value in that way.

If we can do that basic part first then
all the extras come along after that.

There�s a fuller picture of Boston�s
history good and bad that I want

West Roxbury to know
and Roxbury to know

and Dedham to know and I think we have an
opportunity to share that through different

ways so that it�s
an education for us

Bostonians and an
education for our visitors.

I think it�s great.
And I say this all the time.

I know there�s kids in
Roxbury, in West Roxbury

that have no idea,
they don�t even know busing

because they weren�t even here.
Their families were

where their families impacted by it.

And not even understanding,
I think even bussing there was a

step before that that�s
not talked about if the

school committee elected
at the time took action

Yes, would have staved
off that whole experience.

So that was a lack of, inaction by local
represented people elected by the people.

And if they�d dealt with it and
addressed it history might have been a

little different. And it would have been,
maybe a little different if you tackle

the issue at the time, in a different
manner, but it wasn�t thought of so.

And not to debate that,
but I think what�s interesting

is the values of the city
wasn�t fully reflected by that

City Council as it is today right?
We see the diversity

in the City Council today.
The diversity, the lack of

diversity at that time didn�t
take the racial imbalance

issue seriously enough that
if they had had more diversity

they would have said no,
let�s avoid court action and let�s

do something proactive to
create the kind of diversity

Wanna back up even further,
Civil Rights Movement? That same

diversity wasn�t in the City
Council today that it was back

then. And they took action.
And the abolition of slavery, a lot

of things, so it�s like that
generation had an opportunity.

Yeah, they missed it.

And you mean obviously it�s easier to
talk about it today sitting here and

not saying you should do that.
But there�s a different mindset today.

So we talked about all the talent here,
the Cornell West, the Skip Gates, the

Academic Institutions,
the healthcare industry,

dominant industries
here in this City

and in this region. We say hey, we can
offer those up as resources as you have the

conversation here. So we know the folks
from Partners are already interested.

We know the folks at TGS companies. I talked
to Bob Rivers today at Eastern Bank and

the banking community wants to be involved.
Now we just got to sort of harness all

that interest and I think they�re reaching
out to me and to you and Tanesha and it�s

exciting that this is, in my years of
being President of NAACP, there was never

this much focus on being involved in civil
rights. And contributing to it, so we

just have to harness that. How do we get
Black and Brown and White Boston to become

observers, delegates, alternates at the
convention during that week?

That would be huge and I�ve not seen it
done as well as I think Boston could do it.

That we have an additional 3,000 Bostonians

at the convention to listen
to the Presidential nominees

or Presidential candidates at
that point to partake in the conversation

around criminal justice and what�s going on
in terms of today with mass incarceration.

The folks are here and the interest is
here. We just got to get them over to

- I think it�s the marketing.
- Right

It�s how do we market it to let people
know this is open for you, so that you

live on whatever street it is you live
on, Humboldt. This is your convention. You

might not be a credential voting delegate,
but you are as engaged in this conversation

as everyone else. We need you to get that.
And I think it�s about marketing.

We�ve done all this,

but yet we�re still
not where we need to be

And why did that happen?
And how do we take the past

and celebrate it, but also
understand where the problems happen

and I think that you
know, when people talk about you

know racist Boston, racist
Boston, racist Boston, you know

like you said, a lot was done here.

So to bring equality,

but for some reason we have more
work to do.

And I think there�s an opportunity for
maybe one month�s a reflecting month.

History is the key thing.
Right. Is if people

know history they get the
good, they get the bad,

they got a context for
where we are

and then they can act. But the problem
is many of us don�t know our history.

So we think that the poverty rates in
our communities is an accident.

People just decided to be poor
or our health disparities

is an accident.
People just need to eat better

and they don�t understand
the context for access

and opportunity and inequities.
So I think there�s

a unique opportunity with
the convention coming

here and the work that
you�ve been doing around

racial justice and equity
and these conversations

is to have it be a
citywide conversation as

you said that plays out
throughout the course of

the year and it�s really
grounded in history.

Oh say can you see by the

dawn�s early light, what so

proudly we hailed at the

twilight�s last gleaming.

Whose broad stripes and bright

stars through the perilous fight

O�er the ramparts we

watched were so gallantly

streaming.
And the red rockets red glare

The bombs bursting in air.

Gave proof through

the night that our

flag was still there.
Oh say does

that star spangled

banner yet wave

O�er the land of the free

And the home of the brave

To the people of Boston,
thank you for the privilege

of serving you these past five years.
I love my job

Every day I get to go out
into the neighborhoods to talk

listen and work with the people of Boston.

Every day Bostonians walk
through the doors of City Hall

and share
their hopes and dreams with me.

They remind me of how
grateful I am to live my dream

and walk through those doors
as the son of immigrants.

I think of another
door that opens. It was

the morning after
my election in 2013.

I was in a hotel room and opened the
door for the worker to deliver breakfast.

Her name was Letty. She emigrated

from Africa to follow her
dreams here in Boston.

She came around the cart
and gave me a big hug and she was crying.

She said we did it. We won.
We are going to be Mayor.

Letty�s here somewhere.
Thank you Letty.

It hit home right at that
moment what this job means.

It means opening doors for more
Bostonians to walk through.

People of every race,
creed and class.

Changing a city.
Changing a nation.

One year ago I pledged my
second term to strengthening

and expanding Boston�s middle class.

Today more people are working than
any other time in our city�s history.

Unemployment is 2.4 percent.

The lowestever recorded.

We are ranked number two in the nation for
moving people up and into the middle class.

And we�ve been named the best city
in the entire world to find a job.

We have thrown open the
doors of opportunity

and Bostonians are surging through them

to live their dreams
and lead us forward.

And because we are drawing
on more of our people�s strength

the state of our city
is stronger than ever.

But I�m concerned
about the state of our Union.

What happens in Washington,
we feel on the streets of Boston.

But here�s what matters more. What we
do in Boston can change this country.

We�ve shown that differences
don�t have to divide us.

When we come together anything is possible.
That�s democracy in action.

That�s how we
built this administration.

We won office in a coalition that
wasn�t supposed to be possible.

Working people, Black, White,
Latino, Asian, all came together.

We created the most diverse
administration in Boston�s history from

the Cabinet to the frontlines.

We listened to the voices of every
community. We took on Boston�s toughest

long standing challenges and
we began changing our city.

We are opening doors to new
schools, new libraries,

new homes, new jobs.

We�re listeningto new voices.
It�s not always easy or comfortable,

but a more open conversation means
better solutions for our City.

The sign of a more vibrant democracy.

We put social justice
at the heart of our vision.

Because a more equal conversation
means a more resilient city.

So we�ll keep leading the
fight to defend immigrants.

We�ll continue our groundbreaking
work to achieve gender equality.

And we�ll never stop protecting the
rights and embracing the

identities of our LBGTQ community.

Five years together, we made
Boston a more compassionate, a more

dynamic, a more democratic city.

We�ve listened, we�ve learned and
we�re leading. I�m proud of what

we�ve achieved.
We should all be proud.

And we should be ready to do more.
Our city needs us, our country needs us

and we�re just getting started.

Boston 311. How may I help you?

1,367 customers affected. Estimated
time to be fixed between five and 5:30.

And is this only in Brighton
or does it extend beyond that?

And you said that it fell
onto your property, correct?

No, so that�s furniture
and furniture you can

just throw that out
with the regular trash.

If you want I can connect you
over with the Credit Union.

OK, but if you were in Watertown that
would be a responsibility of Watertown.

It wouldn�t be anything with Boston.

OK. Is it a whole tree,
a limb or a branch?

The first step is to request a
birth certificate request form.

You print it out, fill it out
and then with that form you would

send it in with a $14 money order or
check, addressed to City Hall.

So the senior shuttle you mean?

I can connect you with
their department so you

can see exactly when it�s
going to get there OK?

OK, I have down that
you reported that there

is something wrong
with the hawk�s eyes?

And that the hawk isn�t acting
normal since it is feeding on

a pigeon on the street other
than flying away with its food.

There are a lot of people
around the hawk and

the hawk doesn�t seem
able able to fly away

But it�s only picked up on
your specific trash day.

Yeah, so if it�s public housing

you want to contact the
Boston Housing Authority

Work Order Center to get
that replaced for you.

Sir, please don�t yell

I just have someone on the other line
that�s trying to locate a gravestone.

They have a name, but they just are
trying to find the burial ground