Hinckley Allen’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee recently hosted former Boston Mayor Kim Janey at the inaugural event of the Social Justice Initiative Lunch & Learn series. The wide-ranging discussion was guided by partner Jay Gonzalez and focused on the state of racial equity and social justice in Boston and the role of the business community.
“As mayor of Boston, I brought the perspective of someone who grew up in this city and experienced many of the challenges that so many residents are facing today. I brought the experience of living in subsidized housing, and relying on free lunches at school, and relying on public transportation to get my daughter around the city. I used that to inform the work and to make policy changes that would be lasting and also impact our residents in a much more powerful way. I made sure we were leading with equity.”
Mayor Janey began her work as an activist and advocate early on and that, combined with her experience as a lifelong resident of the city of Boston, afforded her a unique point of view on the role of mayor. “As mayor of Boston, I brought the perspective of someone who grew up in this city and experienced many of the challenges that so many residents are facing today. I brought the experience of living in subsidized housing, and relying on free lunches at school, and relying on public transportation to get my daughter around the city. I used that to inform the work and to make policy changes that would be lasting and also impact our residents in a much more powerful way. I made sure we were leading with equity.”
She elaborated by saying, “So much of my life was informed by growing up here in the great of city Boston. It is a great city and it is often a city that doesn’t want to talk about its racist past and present. The reality is that Boston is truly a great city because it is a city that continues to strive to get it right. It is a city that continues to fight for liberation. It is the birthplace of democracy and these are ideals that we hold so close to our hearts. My hope is that we will continue to aim high and really live up to those ideals.”
In discussing Boston’s history when it comes to racial justice, Mayor Janey said, “It’s important for us to understand that all of the inequities that we see throughout society- inequities in housing, education, healthcare, transportation, climate- are rooted in policy. [These policies were] crafted by the first colonists who arrived, institutionalized by the Founding Fathers, and then perfected by generations of subsequent lawmakers who went out of their way to create policies to benefit the few at the expense of everyone else. It has been 400 years of policies that elevate white men and it is going to take more than one Black mayor to undo the many destructive policies that have led us here.”
“I want us to get to a place where we can appreciate the differences we have- differences in terms of race, language, ethnicity, nationality, gender, identity. We should recognize and celebrate those differences and see them as strengths, rather than as things that divide us.”
When asked about the business community’s role in diversifying the workforce and achieving equity, Mayor Janey encouraged a bold approach. “Addressing the inequities in hiring goes beyond a moral imperative. It’s also better for your business and for your bottom line.” The positive impact of diversity in the workforce has been proven in many studies and Janey went on to say, “I want us to get to a place where we can appreciate the differences we have – differences in terms of race, language, ethnicity, nationality, gender, identity. We should recognize and celebrate those differences and see them as strengths, rather than as things that divide us.”
“What I hope to see from the business community is the persistence to continue to think about how to do their work differently, and to have the political will and courage to be bold and unapologetic about it.”
Despite the long list of work to do, Mayor Janey remains hopeful about the impact that Boston and its business community can have on the fight for racial justice. “What I hope to see from the business community is the persistence to continue to think about how to do their work differently, and to have the political will and courage to be bold and unapologetic about it. I’d like to see corporations talk about reparations, for example, and to lay out a plan of what that looks like, particularly around home ownership, education, and entrepreneurship.”
DEI Committee Chair Noble F. Allen concluded the event thanking Mayor Janey for her participation in this conversation and saying, “This is the first of many Lunch and Learns that Hinckley Allen intends to launch. We hope that these conversations will help all of us understand and appreciate the important issues of race, racial equality, racial justice in our local communities, and also in our business communities.”
Watch the full conversation.
Learn More about Hinckley Allen’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Efforts.
