Has anyone else been following the articles and the letters to the editor that have been published since Harvard University’s Civil Rights Project released its report on racism in Metro Boston? The report, We Don't Feel Welcome Here: African Americans and Hispanics in Metro Boston, is a lengthy and very detailed analysis of the perceptions and experiences of men and women of color in and around our fair city. When the report first came out and was mentioned in the Boston Metro, I didn’t think much about. I figured it was just another Harvard study about racism in a corner of America which continues to deal with a problem that will never go away. I decided to look up the report and read it after reading letters to the editor in the Metro and after coming across an article about the study in the April 28 edition of the Boston Banner (Boston's Black newspaper).
Naturally, as a person of color born, raised, and returned to Boston, I was curious to see how the study’s findings would compare to my own experiences. I have always recognized that people of color are underrepresented in higher education, high-visibility positions in the media and corporate worlds, and in politics. I’ve also noticed that restaurant service at certain establishments is often slow when friends of color and I are seated (but I’ve also noticed that in other cities). But it was interesting to see the study examine the perceptions people of color had when asked whether they felt out of place at sporting events and at cultural institutions (such as museums). A significant percentage said that they do. OK, I get why one of us may feel out of place at a Bruins, Celtics, or Sox game. Folks do get a little crazy when the beers start flowing. But at a museum? What’s there to make someone feel out of place?
The study also seems somewhat unclear about whether class is a significant factor. In parts of the report it’s written about as not being a factor, while in other parts it is. My understanding is that while class is not a factor affecting experiences across the region evenly, it can be used as a means of comparing the experiences of middle and upper class people of color with those of lower class whites. My own observations suggest that while middle and upper class people of color are less willing than their lower class counterparts to put up with inferior and substandard housing, educational, and shopping opportunities, at the same time they remain largely suspicious of areas and institutions which have historically been hostile toward other people of color. In my own experience, before I moved to East Boston in 2003 I was warned to be careful. It was perceived as still being solidly Italian, which to some people meant that it would be dangerous (loads of Mafia) and/or hostile against people of color. My time there, however, was some of the best I’ve ever had living in Boston. It's a very diverse neighborhood, with people who are extremely friendly and down-to-earth. When I eventually left Eastie for JP, I did so with fond memories.
In fact, I have more fears of being singled out as gay in Bostonthan I do as a person of color. Anyone who gets to know me knows that I don’t put up with racist bullshit and that I have no problem calling someone out publicly on matters of race. I suppose there’s a certain comfort in knowing that I can get away with standing up against racism without worry of being physically assaulted. On the other hand, gay-related violence is still somewhat common.
The study ended with the usual suggestions on how to tackle instances of institutional racism, but again, I’m left wondering what’s going on in white America. When a white, male coworker saw that I was reading the Banner article, he shook his head. He – like other white people mentioned in the study - doesn’t believe that racism is a serious problem in the Boston area. Well, no surprises there: some whites and some people of color see the world differently. But for those white folks who do see disparities and inequalities on a daily level, what are they doing to challenge the social order and alleviate racial disparity? It’s easy enough for us to rail against institutional racism, but what about attacking the pervasive nature of homegrown neighborhood racism? When do conscious members of the white community stand up and take action where they live? One tidbit that gets overlooked in the study is that it sampled people from around the region, not just in Boston. The suburbs have as much soul searching to do as any area of the city.
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