Boston nonprofits supporting women, girls of color are severely underfunded
“Underfunding has often felt like defeat. Year after year, we submit applications, receive denials, request feedback and are met with vague responses or silence,” said Ivanna Solano, executive director and founder of Love Your Magic, a Jamaica Plain-based nonprofit serving BIPOC girls.

Boston sees lowest opioid overdose death count in a decade
Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Boston’s public health commissioner, said the city believes a handful of factors have contributed. In particular, she pointed to ongoing municipal efforts to connect residents with harm reduction services and a range of treatments..

America250 must include the truth about American Freedmen
As our nation prepares to celebrate America250, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Americans will rightly reflect on the ideals of liberty, equality and self-government. Massachusetts and Boston will stand at the center of these celebrations as the birthplace of the American Revolution.

Councilors propose MBTA extension in push against Blue Hill Ave. bus lane
District 7 City Councilor Miniard Culpepper (left) and District 4 City Councilor Brian Worrell host a press conference outside of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation headquarters, June 23.

Roxbury McDonald’s dining room reopens with programs aimed at supporting youth
Upon walking into the McDonald’s on Warren Street in Roxbury, customers witness features of any fast-food burger joint: the sound of sizzling patties on a grill, the lingering aroma of french fries doused in salt, the hustle of employees filling orders behind the counter.

Mass. civil, voting rights organizations rally to protect BIPOC residents amid attack on suffrage
Traci Griffith of the ACLU of Massachusetts said that while the commonwealth lacks the aggressive voter ID laws seen across the South, she cautions against complacency. “We’re voting in place of people who can’t — our young people, our incarcerated family members, our neighbors who aren’t citizens.

Court decision leaves Lady Liberty in mourning
As America prepares to celebrate our 250th anniversary as a nation this coming weekend, the most visible symbol of our freedom — Lady Liberty holding her torch aloft in New York Harbor — is in mourning.

The SCOTUS ruling means all Black Americans are targets of ICE now!
The SCOTUS ruling means all Black Americans are targets of ICE now!.

Unmoored
As a Black woman in this country, I often feel unmoored — adrift in the ocean that is America. Connected to nothing. Supported by no piling, rooted, with its foundation in the earth. We are subject to the wind and the rain, the waves and the elements, alone and unseen.

Boston’s property tax system disproportionately burdens Black homeowners
The city decides how much to raise in property taxes each year, but it is not always transparent about the process. That total is then divided based on what officials say your home is worth. When those valuations are off, the system does not correct itself.

IN THE NEWS
The Brimmer and May School has announced the appointment of Nina Freeman as its next leader, effective July 1, 2027.

Charlestown community gathers for youth-led race discussions
The dialogues were on hiatus for the past year during a reorganization of the Charlestown Coalition, before Zapata’s office partnered with the YMCA to bring them back. Now, Zapata said, the Youth Ambassadors who lead the dialogues will even be paid for their work.

Wellness and art come together to foster healing in Strand Theatre program
“The silence is healing,” said Wyatt Jackson, executive director and story designer of We Move in Color Collaborative Inc., the nonprofit arm of a traveling, multimedia immersive art performance that documents the history of Black Americans from precolonial Africa to the present.

From Boston classrooms to boardrooms, students imagine careers they never thought possible
The middle schooler has conducted laboratory experiments related to blood disorders at Vertex Pharmaceuticals and presented ideas for Boston Bowl to appeal to tweens inside Bain Capital’s boardroom.

UNCF launches national campaign to strengthen HBCU infrastructures
UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is asking the public for help to pass historic multi-million dollar legislation that would undergird infrastructure projects at HBCUs across the nation.

Rhode Island nonprofit to expand financial literacy, entrepreneurship offerings with $50k grant
A Rhode Island nonprofit has received a $50,000 Innovation Network Matching Grant to help entrepreneurs and small business owners strengthen their businesses through financial empowerment, technical assistance, business planning and access to resources.

A cookout without the cleanup: Where to dine on the Fourth of July
A Fourth of July celebration demands a cookout with all the works: burgers, hot dogs, barbecue, lemonade. But if you want to avoid all the cleanup from the party, or you don’t have the requisite backyard to throw one, check out these restaurants that are open and offering festive specials for the holiday.

Dance your heart out at this monthly underground Caribbean party
In 2010, Mark “Motivate” Merren began hosting live music events throughout the city under his entertainment party company, Dance Hall Lounge. He wanted to expand by creating a party series that celebrates Caribbean music and party vibes, an intersection of culture and music.

Springfield is all about the music
The 13th annual Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival is happening for two days only on Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11. Taking place at Court Square in downtown Springfield, it is more than a free musical event; it is a cultural experience aimed at bringing together the many communities of a city that thrives because of its people.

Local Black artists to debut composition at Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular
The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular is one of the most storied annual events in the city. Hundreds of thousands of people flock to the Hatch Shell and the Esplanade to hear the orchestra perform with celebrities and vocal powerhouses.