Local health leaders push for continued vaccination access
Under the leadership of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control have shifted who they recommend receiving some vaccinations. State leaders, in response, have taken the novel step to issue their own, distinct guidance.

ThriveLink wins first Mass General Brigham community health award
Kwamane Liddell, founder and CEO of ThriveLink, presents at the Boston Medical Center EQTY conference in September 2024. On Sept. 11, Mass General Brigham announced ThriveLink as the inaugural winner of the health system’s Kraft Prize for Excellence and Innovation in Community Health.

Ahmed and Culpepper come out on top in District 7 preliminary
“I have seen firsthand what it is like for a poor kid that lives in the projects also going to Boston Public Schools [who] is now, the same guy that worked in the Boston Public Schools and has children in the Boston Public School system,” Ahmed said..

Wu secures commanding lead in mayoral preliminary
In a lopsided victory that underscores the power of incumbency in Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu bested challenger Josh Kraft last Tuesday with a 48-point lead, winning 71% of the preliminary vote in unofficial results posted by the city’s Election Department.

Urban Agriculture Fair launches with honey, poetry and a mission to feed the community
Neighbors gathered to uncork honey frames, sample local food, and listen to poems about identity and community. The Urban Agriculture Fair Launch Party was not just a celebration — it was a promise that the harvest would belong to the neighborhoods that made it possible.

Everett cancels Hispanic Heritage Month festival over ICE fears
In a Sept. 11 Facebook post, the city of Everett wrote that it had “made the difficult decision” to cancel Fiesta Del Rio, planned for Sept. 20 at Rivergreen Park. Community groups and immigration advocates have reported an increase of sightings of U.S.

The anti-Hispanic run up to Hispanic Heritage Month
The Trump administration’s blunderbuss approach to immigration enforcement is literally putting Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations on ice.

“Justice Kavanaugh chose a great day to...
“Justice Kavanaugh chose a great day to not show up. I wonder if he would’ve had his papers on him ...”.

Racism, rhetoric and Charlie Kirk: A reality we can’t ignore
Are people blind to the realities that have been swirling all around us? The language has been violent. The discord has been great. There has been a consistent invitation to dine at the table of heated racist discussion posing as legitimate political speech.

Boston, we have a political problem
It was 2013, and longtime Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino decided not to run for office again. What emerged was a diverse group of candidates — from different backgrounds, with different ideas and ideologies — all presenting competing visions for the future of Boston.

IN THE NEWS
Connecticut State Community College recently announced the appointment of Dr. Sharale W. Mathis as president, effective in August. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, Mathis brings a strong repertoire of successful retention programs and leadership to the college.

Magic sounds the alarm: The HIV crisis isn’t over for Black folks
Earvin “Magic” Johnson wants to spread the word to Black Gen Z’ers — especially those who think HIV/AIDS is no big deal because an NBA legend like him has lived with it for more than three decades. Although it is no longer a death sentence, he says, it’s still killing Black people, and should be taken seriously.

FAFSA rolls out early beta testing for select students
For many families, the FAFSA is the gateway to college affordability. It determines eligibility for federal grants, loans and work study and is often used by states, colleges and even private scholarship programs to award financial aid.

One Rhythm, One Community
Celebrating 50 years of “¡Con Salsa!” José Massó was honored with a custom street sign “Massóchusetts Ave” followed by a gold record presented by Embrace’s President and CEO Dr. Imari Paris Jeffries. The four-day event concluded with MetaMovement’s Salsa in the Park in Cambridge.

Robert Redford, Hollywood icon and champion of independent film, dies at 89
Robert Redford, the Oscar-winning actor, director, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival whose career spanned more than six decades, died peacefully in his sleep early Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at his home in Sundance, Utah. He was 89. His publicist, Cindi Berger, confirmed that Redford was surrounded by loved ones.

Basketball Hall of Fame welcomes the Class of 2025
The names of Maya Moore, Dwight Howard, Sylvia Fowles, Sue Bird, Carmelo Anthony, the 2008 U.S. Olympics Men’s “Redeem Team,” Billy Donovan (coach), Danny Crawford (NBA referee-32 years, 1985-2017), Mickey Arison (Miami Heat owner) along with NBA...

Yankees battle Sox for American League playoff berths
The opening contest of this series was critical for both teams, especially the Yankees, who had been dominated by the Sox this season, including an eight-game losing streak to their heated rivals.

Yes, we need jobs. We need black wealth, too
In August 2025, the Black unemployment rate surged to 7.5% — about twice the rate for white workers (3.7%) and well above the national average of 4.3%. Washington, D.C., and Michigan had the highest Black unemployment rates in the second quarter of 2025, at 10.

Black and brown filmmakers serving their community
Founded in 2016, Anawan Studios was born after executive director Rui Lopes realized that the people he was working with at another production company did not share the passion of filmmaking that he and those who were called to help with the production.

J.P. Licks debuts new Latin American-inspired flavors
Jonathan Vega may have the best job in Boston. As assistant production manager at J.P. Licks, he’s at the forefront of developing new ice cream flavors for the beloved local chain and he’s recently turned his talents to a trio of Latin...

‘Confessions of a Black Dad’
“In sharing it, I’m opening up an opportunity for us, as a community, to have a conversation together.

King’s Chapel monument reveals, honors history of enslaved individuals
King’s Chapel has stood on the corner of Tremont and School streets since 1686. It’s one of the oldest churches in Boston and one of the 16 official stops on the Freedom Trail. But as of Sept. 14, the facade of the imposing stone church will look a little different.

Boston Film Festival screening docs on ‘gangsta’ gardener Ron Finley and pro golfer Juan ‘Chi Chi’ Rodriguez
In South Central Los Angeles there’s an empty, 50-foot pool in a former swim school where apricot and apple trees grow alongside butterflies and bees. This old pool, with its flourishing garden, is the Gangsta Garden started by urban gardener and activist, Ron Finley.

‘The Mountaintop’ imagines MLK’s final hours in the Lorraine Motel
“The Mountaintop” by Katori Hall brings the audience into one of the most intimate moments in history, imagining what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final hours were like as he sat in room 306 at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.