New report reveals how felony murder laws worsen inequities in sentencing
The felony murder designation states that if a person dies during a felony, such as a robbery, any participant in that crime can be charged with murder — even if they didn’t directly carry out the killing.

Melanin Mass Moms builds the village Black mothers say they need
On Sunday, Aug. 9, from 4 to 6 p.m., the organization will host a free gathering for mothers of neurodivergent children at Modern Party Art in Dorchester; children are welcome to attend.

Do we have a right to the city?
Ponder urban renewals’ successive eras, the always-oncoming New Boston, rising rents, quashed city rebellions, Black Lives Matter movements in Ferguson, Baltimore, Minneapolis, New York (and the municipal murders they respond to), the People Before...

R.I. families in need will find assistance at new family engagement center
Since 2024, the Davis-Tennon Foundation has donated resources to the Central Falls, Rhode Island community where founder, actress and producer Viola Davis grew up. Now fortified by a recent million-dollar investment, the foundation will put down permanent, physical roots for families in need.

Dozens of trees planted on private section of Mass and Cass, combating heat island effect
Despite being one of Boston’s busiest intersections, the crossroads of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, known locally as “Mass and Cass,” has one of the city’s sparsest tree canopies. A new initiative aims to change that, cooling temperatures at the hub in a year that has broken multiple city heat records.

‘The Kid From Boston’: Inside the documentary keeping Terrence Clarke’s story alive
When Alex Stoddard sat down with AJ Dybantsa, the conversation kept circling back to the same name. Dybantsa, a Boston-area kid who would go on to become the first overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, told Stoddard that every young player in the area had wanted to be just like Terrence Clarke.

Is the American dream dead?
The 250th anniversary of America’s independence is a time for celebration of the nation’s progress, however halting, towards the promise of a “more perfect union.” It is also a time for a sober reckoning, a process that deserves its rightful place alongside the spectacle of fireworks, parades and tall ships.

The American dream is on life support! Is there a doctor in the house?
The American dream is on life support! Is there a doctor in the house?.

Kidney disease disproportionately affects Black Americans and communities of color
August marks National Multiethnic Donor Awareness Month (NMDAM), a time to recognize the life-saving importance of organ donation for communities of color. Currently, 62.

IN THE NEWS
James Massaquoi, a senior associate on the investment team at Glasswing Ventures, was recently named one of the Boston Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” standout awardees. The award goes to younger professionals who have become standouts in their companies and their communities.

A metro car photo became a portrait of Trump’s America
The most revealing image of America’s 250th birthday celebration wasn’t the fireworks bursting over the National Mall, colonial reenactors in Boston, or the military flyovers that filled Washington, D.C.’s skies. It was a Reuters photo, shot by Cheney Orr, of a lone Black woman on public transportation.

Madison Park alumni mark 50 years as school enters redesign process
Alumni of Madison Park Technical Vocational High School gathered Aug. 1 at Florian Hall in Dorchester to mark the school’s 50th anniversary at a reunion organized by Cardinal Alumni of Madison Park. The nonprofit known as CAMP formed last year to reconnect graduates and build intergenerational ties with the school and community.

Brimmer and May School to be led by first Black woman in its 146-year history
Sheila McElwee, who was a faculty member at the Noble and Greenough School while Freeman was a student and is close to her and her family, said that she last saw Freeman at a Nobles event while she was preparing to assume her role as interim head of Brooks while the current head, John Packard, left for sabbatical.

Summer PinkNic connects community through arts, wellness, faith
A local spoken word artist is centering faith, creative arts and wellness through her PinkNic outdoor affair. In its second year, the celebration’s theme is “Out of Isolation into Joy.

Dinner Date: Dine Out Boston returns with prix fixe menu deals
It’s the most delicious time of the year once again: for two weeks, restaurants participating in Dine Out Boston will offer discounted prix fixe tasting menus, allowing foodies to explore restaurants that are typically reserved for special occasions..

Professional Network of Boston Cruise
The Professional Network of Boston LLC members set sail on the Spirit of Boston to celebrate the 2nd Annual Social Community Equity Event..

Brother and Sister String Duet
Seven-year-old Micah and his little sister, four-year-old Ana, performed a duet together in front of a crowd at Emmanuel Church in Boston. Ana started playing the cello a year ago while her big brother Micah took to the violin and later picked up the viola.

Surf’s up with City Kids
The Cape Verdean Association of Boston experienced fun and adventure – thanks to “City Kids.” The Boston-based youth education organization, City Kids, teamed with Cinnamon Rainbows Surf Company of North Hampton, N.H. to host a “Surf Camp” for underserved urban youth.

Boston Area Church League Opening Day
The Boston Red Sox and the Boston Area Church League celebrated their 24th opening day festivities at Almont Hunt Playground in Mattapan. The free program for boys and girls is supervised by the Boston Police Department and Suffolk County Sherrif’s Department.

Say what?
“Something We Said: Richard Pryor, a Notorious Word, and Me,” is more than Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor’s story of her relationship with her famous comedian and actor father. She writes that the book is “a hybrid memoir and historical exploration of the n-word.

Party under the stars at this samba and Latin dance concert
Husband and wife Brazilian musical duo singer Anna Borges and pianist Bill Ward of Receita de Samba will perform alongside drummer Rafael Barata and bassist Fernando Huergo to get the crowd up and moving. Ward estimates they’ve performed this concert five or six times over the years, always to a lively crowd.

Entrepreneur Malia Lazu launches business collective for wellness and healing practitioners
A local award-winning diversity and inclusion strategist, author and entrepreneur recently launched an inaugural collective to support women of color in wellness and healing careers.

Employers begin layoffs of Haitian protected status holders
The Supreme Court ruled in June that the Trump administration could roll back the protection for at least 330,000 Haitians nationwide. Temporary protected status for Haiti officially expired on July 27, stripping at least 19,000 people in Massachusetts of the status, according to FWD.

Jazz Urbane Cafe begins with a Terri Lyne Carrington record release party
Historically, jazz has been reduced to a simplistic definition. The younger generation has often associated jazz with an older crowd, due to its popularization in the 20th century. However, the truth is jazz has been integrated into many well-known musical genres to this day.