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Art as barrier breaker discussed at Hub forum

By Talia Whyte

The Bay State Banner

After the 2000 U.S. Census revealed that Boston had become a “majority-minority” city, many city agencies realized that they had to cater to a more multicultural landscape.

Though recent population estimates suggest the “majority-minority” distinction no longer applies, the call for Boston’s cultural institutions to celebrate the city’s rich diversity remains. The idea of a “new Boston” led nearly 200 local leaders and arts community representatives to convene at The Boston Foundation last month for a discussion on how the arts can help break down persisting racial and class barriers.

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Race disparity in clinical trials debated at Simmons

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By Talia Whyte

The Bay State Banner

Local health advocates and community leaders gathered at Simmons College last Saturday to address the problem of racial disparities in clinical research, discuss ways to close the gap and educate the public about how more accurate ethnic representation can lead to better health outcomes for all.

The Annual Workshops to Advance Clinical Research Education (AWARE) are held by the Center for Information & Study on Clinical Research Participation. Held in metropolitan areas, the educational programs are free, open to the public and intended to shed some light on the clinical research process.

According to the center, surveys show that many people believe the process is important, but most — including those in minority communities — don’t know much about it.

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Civil rights icon stresses kids’ social engagement

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By Talia Whyte

The Bay State Banner

Drawing on his own inspiring life as an example of how one young person can make a difference, legendary civil rights leader Hollis Watkins, 66, spoke to a group of Boston teachers at Old South Meeting House last Saturday about how to engage today’s youth in pressing social issues.

When he was 19 years old, Watkins became the first student in Mississippi to become a voting rights activist for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He spent most of the 1960s being arrested and jailed for organizing African Americans in the South to vote.

“We must emphasize to our youth today that the civil rights movement was run by the youth,” Watkins said. “When I joined SNCC, I was among the older members at the age of 19. It is up to the young people today to keep the momentum going.”

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Traces of the Trade

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By Talia Whyte

The Bay State Banner

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the U.S. abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, a bicentennial that has some blacks and whites trying to reconcile their respective places in American society.

Katrina Browne is one of them.
The filmmaker, who is white, thought that because her family was from Rhode Island, there was no way that her ancestors could have been involved in slavery. But when she read a book given to her by her grandmother, Browne learned that her family was not only involved, but were the largest slave trading family in the United States.

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