The Voice of Our City

Hey guys, 

Woohoo!! We made it through week 5 and didn’t melt. This week my team and I spent some time at Malibu beach in Savin Hill overlooking the Dorchester Bay. I had a lot of fun with my group as we tried coming up with a rap song about this beautiful beach and the neighborhood surrounding it. It is always fun hearing what our minds came up with whenever we forgot our lyrics. 

This week we also had our staff day where we kayaked on the Charles River which is humongous once you’re actually in it. I’ll never get over how beautiful Boston is from all angles. 

Despite all our fun this week, we still have a mission, a topic to bring to light; Environmental justice. Environmental justice is the genuine participation and unity of all people from all different walks of life coming together to create better laws and regulations concerning our surroundings and nature, for the benefit of all life. 

Learning about the history of this country’s part in environmental justice I was surprised to learn it was mostly started by People of Color, Martin Luther King being a huge supporter and activist for the betterment of Urban ghettos and impoverished communities. This country has a history of undermining or not putting enough effort in the betterment of urban ghettos often situating land fills or garbage dumps in predominantly black communities. It is vastly important that this movement continues especially in this City. 

Boston is not foreign to implicit racism and inequality. Redlining has since been ruled illegal but does that mean realtors and city developers abide by those laws. Savin hill is a fine example of gentrification and lack of environmental justice. When you get off at the station one can clearly see where communities divide and who gets cleaner streets. On one side of the station you get Dorchester Ave, Dorchester Ma, an Urban Ghetto. Whereas the other side of the station you get predominantly white communities with nicer homes, cleaner streets, an entire beach. Research local organizations, write letters to state officials for equity, we can all do our parts. 

Until next time,

Jay Gomez