March 8, 2025 • 17 mins
When we talk about Boston's history, it's easy to focus on the familiar stories of colonialism, the Revolutionary War, and the Founding Fathers. The true stories of the city aren't complete without the contributions of Boston's diverse communities, who have played crucial roles in shaping the cultural, economic, and social fabric of the Hub. Everyone250 is a new coalition of arts and cultural organizations ensuring those diverse stories are told as we look ahead to the nation's 250th birthday. Jeneé Osterheldt, Dr. Imari Paris Jeffries, and Brian Boyles, Co-Chairs of Everyone250, talk with Nichole about their mission and upcoming events.
This segment is the first interview in our new series, "Revolutionary Roots", where we take a closer look at the stories, people, events, and local ties that connect New England to the nation's upcoming 250th anniversary in 2026.
This segment is the first interview in our new series, "Revolutionary Roots", where we take a closer look at the stories, people, events, and local ties that connect New England to the nation's upcoming 250th anniversary in 2026.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
From WBZ News Radio in Boston. This is New England Weekend.
Each and every week right here, we come together and
talk about all the topics important to you and the
place where you live. It is always good to be
back with you. I'm Nicole Davis. We're not too far
out now from April nineteenth, and if you're here in Massachusetts,
you might know why that's kind of a big deal.
This year, April nineteenth marks the two hundred and fiftieth
(00:29):
anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War. A lot
of celebrations and programs and commemorations are all planned. So
this week here on the show marks the first installment
of a new series I'm working on, called Revolutionary Roots.
What we'll do leading up to April nineteenth is bring
you interviews from the people making those celebrations and programs happen.
What I'm going to do as well is continue this
(00:51):
throughout the year because while the Revolutionary War anniversary is
in just a few weeks, the nation's two hundred and
fiftieth anniversary technically comes next year, so we've got some time.
So when we talk about Boston's history, it is definitely
easy to focus on the stories we know, you know,
Paul Revere and the Revolution, the Founding Fathers, all that stuff.
(01:12):
The true story of Boston, though, is not complete without
the contributions and the stories of everybody who lives here.
Black and brown Bostonians have played crucial roles in shaping
the hub and what it's become today as we approach
this big anniversary. Now there's a new movement of arts
and culture groups in Boston hoping to highlight those stories.
It's called Everyone two fifty, and here on the show
(01:33):
we have some of the co chairs of the movement.
Doctor Amai Paris. Jeffries is from Embrace Boston, Janey Oster
Helch you might have read her work in the Globe
and she's from a Beautiful Resistance, and Brian Boyles is
with us from Mass Humanities. So it is really good
to have you all here on the show. Imri, if
you could expand a little bit more on your mission
here for Everyone two fifty.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
You know, the idea came from all of us in
our own spheres of influence. You have been talking about
both belonging the two hundred and fiftieth in Boston's role
as a significant player actor place the region really as
a place.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Where the American story could be told.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
And so, you know, when there was an opportunity about
two and a half years ago for us to begin
this conversation. We started with the Summit, the Art and
Culture Summit, and we thought it was a great place
as to introduce this idea but really codify our own
beliefs around what it meant to celebrate the two hundred
(02:37):
and fiftieth anniversary of this country.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
And so from my.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Perspective, that's where it began, and it began really in
conversations with some of the other co founders.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
All of this really does circle around creatives and people
who are artistic and Brian you know, why do you
feel that art is such an important medium for these
communities and these organizations to tell these stories.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
Art allows us to imagine the different way stories can
be told. Artists are able to bring us into best
and guide us to the future. And I think that
for many many people the image of a tricornered hat
is not going to bring them in. So artists really
talk about what the revolution means to them and why
(03:20):
it's ongoing is the best way I can make this
sort of really celebration and certainly that's what everyone two
fifty is set out to do.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Yeah, for sure, And Jinnee, you know you do great
work with a beautiful resistance. I read it in the Globe,
telling the stories of Black Bostonians and who they are
at the core and what the experience is like through
everyone two fifty. How do you plan to take that work?
And how do you and all the other coalitions plan
to come together to tell those stories?
Speaker 5 (03:46):
You know? For us, everyone two fifty is exactly about
that everyone, and it's about the radical act of being
truly inclusive. Too often in this nation, when we mark
big events such as the two hundred and fiftieth, we
mark them in this way that doesn't fully acknowledge the
true history of the moments, and it leaves out real
(04:08):
people and real stories. In our attitude towards this is
you know, who's missing from the picture. What have we
been told about Boston? What are the lies we believe
about ourselves? And how can we amplify the truth. So,
for me, it's not just about amplifying the truth of
Black Bostonians. It's about us amplifying the truth of every
(04:33):
marginalized identity across the diasporas. Of this very richly nuanced city.
It's about us celebrating our layers and layers and layers
of diversity that we have. And that's not the story
that has been told. Boston has been used as kind
of America's racist face. And it's not that racism isn't here,
(04:57):
it's that racism's everywhere. And when we allow a city
like Boston to become that symbol, it eraces an entire
tapestry of really beautiful people.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
AMRII I really am interested to know how you've been
able to bring all these other communities together. It's must
have been a lot of work to reach out. I
mean more than one hundred and fifty partners. There's a
lot of people involved here.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Yeah, you know, when we thought about this, it was
really this emphasis on telling a robust story about America.
Really Boston telling this robust story about America and really
given the country permission to do the same. Boston is
one of America's storytelling cities. And so if Boston can change,
if Boston can talk about all the intricate details of
(05:41):
being fully inclusive, being a fully inclusive city America after
permission to do the same.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
And I don't think we could have imagined.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Two and a half three years ago that the very
idea of who's American and who's not American would be
seen as an act of terrorism, would be seen as
an act of being non American. And we reflect back
into nineteen seventy six, years after King was assassinated, the
(06:10):
country was in an inflationary times. During the celebration of
the Boston Tea Party, they were throwing oil into the.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
T so they weren't celebrating.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
The three top TV shows the social media at the
time was regular old TV. Number one TV show was
All in the Family, rich Man, poor.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Man, and Lavernon Shirley.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
And so this narrative around this racialized America, this narrative
around pulling yourselves up by the bootstraps, and this narrative
around this return to nostalgia. Fast forward to twenty twenty
six and we're in a similar context where we're in
all time unusual inflation. We have a presidential crisis, you know,
(06:50):
seventies it was Nixon being impeached, and Ford were in
a different context, but similar presidential constitutional crisis. The social
media of the time is telling us narratives around the
same racialized America around, pulling ourselves up the boot by
the bootstraps.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
This idea of meritocracy.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
And this return to nostalgia make America great again. And
so we have an opportunity to engage what it means
to be American and tell all the American origin stories
from whenever your origin story started, like we do when
we make New Year's resolutions, like we do when we
sell the great Birthdays as an opportunity to start over
(07:30):
and say, here's what we're going to do now moving.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Forward, Jennay kind of building on that. You know, how
are you and the others in the movement, I guess
going to navigate this drawback of diversity and equity and inclusion,
not just programs, but just in a world where it's
being suppressed and essentially eliminated in some places.
Speaker 5 (07:49):
Boldly, boldly, lovingly, with all of the space holding making
and taking we need to do. We are not backing down.
We are doubling down and standing up. We are in
a whether people know it or not, we are in
(08:09):
a dystopia. Tyranny is upon us, and to me, every
once who's fifty is charged with being its own revolution
and reminding each and every individual involved and called to
the table that they too are a bunch of little
revolutions within themselves, and this is our time to stand
up for one another, to hold one another, to remind
(08:32):
people of the power of the artist and the creative,
which Kennedy himself has always held up as the person
charged with holding our country to its greatest potential. So yeah,
we plan, we plan to stand up quite boldly, aggressively,
but with love.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Now, Brian, you're from Mass Humanities and we've been talking
about the dozens and dozens of different groups involved here.
Tell me about what you at Mass Humanities are going
to be doing to get involved in this and other
groups that are coming together to uplift these stories matter manners.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Is really fortunate in that have a network all over
the city and of the state of storytellers who have
been taking on narrative shift as not just an opportunity
to tell eny, but really to contribute to a more
just idea and a more responsible idea who lives here.
So for us, it's really bringing as many people in
(09:27):
organizations and as possible the benefit from all that's going
to happen around the two fiftieth I think everyone two
fifty is always said that a lot of people are
going to come in from around the world because of this.
They're going to be spending money, They're going to be
consuming narratives, and for we want to make sure that
they're being nourished by the truth in this time when
(09:47):
there is manipulation and misinformation, when there's certainly going to
be you know, some serious stunting around what it means
to be America. We believe that in Massachusetts and have
this responsibility to move in a direction that honors what
the best we've done have been, but also this particular
(10:08):
moment when the country is calling on truth telling. So
I think for us, it's really you know, activating the
people that we know are out showing the courage to
tell stories about the revolution that took place last year
and it's going to take place ongoing because people in
Massachusetts are smart enough and brave enough to do that work.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Yeah, and they're all there are all these different activities
and so on and so forth going on around the state.
You know, Amari, are you working with any of the
other I suppose celebrations or communities or groups to essentially
integrate the work you're doing, to try to infuse some
of the work from Everyone two fifty into these long
standing celebrations, or are you kind of going it alone
(10:50):
right now and maybe working on that a little bit later.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Yeah, we're definitely integrating our work.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Both Brian and I are involved in the State Commission
around the two fifty. I'm involved in the Cities Commission
on the two fifty, and it's a coalition of over
one hundred plus organizations who are activating in their own way.
And so, you know, part of the idea and the
design is to build relationships between what one piece one
(11:18):
story that is an American story with another. Right, how
does what the Huntington Theater Company is performing during that
time relate to what Originations is performing at the time.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
How do they talk to each other? How do they
tell a.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Complete story by putting them together and seeing both both shows,
both plays, both activations, And so that's part of the plan,
is that we want people to work together. It's an
incredibly busy year. There'll be World Cup Games, the tall
ships will be here, will be celebrating the two fifty.
The BSO is involved in Everyone two fifty, So of
(11:53):
course people spend the fourth of July the year but
there's other things that they can do prior, there's other
things they can do, words that we want them to do,
all the things.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Yeah, you've got a rally, You've got a special book
coming out, Jenny, I'd love to hear from you about
the book.
Speaker 5 (12:07):
So we're going to do a coffee table book ambitiously.
So we're going to do a very democratic call for
submissions across the community. They'll be probably about twenty guaranteed
published slots. But in addition to that, because we do
want it to be as inclusive as possible, we're going
to try to publish maybe four mini zines so that
(12:30):
we can get other stories in those kind of old
school zine style, and then we'll tell stories on Instagram
as well, shorter stories, pieces of art. We're going to
do as be as expansive as possible. Once we get
the book, submissions carried away and the call and invite
for submissions will happen next week, so that'll start your
roll out on social media, and there'll be a lot
(12:52):
of branding and celebration and just calls to action and
creativity around that.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Love that and then, Brian, what else do you have
coming down the pike?
Speaker 4 (13:00):
Matthewill is going to be giving out grants under the
title of Promises of Revolution, So we're going to be
funding work all over this that's going to be very
much in this same line, asking people to imagine what
is we're made in seventeen seventy six, what promises were kept,
what were broken? Who has carried them forward? Because we
(13:20):
feel like local is a place where real change can happen,
whether that's s Bury or that's in Rutland. We know
that people want to find ways to play and so
as a funder of storytelling, we really believe that we
can't we can't back away from the challenge of this
really complicated topic. This isn't a time to say I
(13:42):
don't want to talk about what happened, or you're part
of the revolution but you're not. You really want to
activate as many people through our funding to be a
part of be a part of it in a meaningful
way that really has long term impact on how we
think of ourselves as okay.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
And coming together people. And Mari, there's this rally you
have planned to believe it's next month. Tell me a
little bit more about that and what you hope to achieve.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Yeah, so it's the anniversary of the nineteen sixty five
Freedom Rally. So this was the largest civil rights march
in New England. Twenty thousand people marched from Roxbury carter
Field in Vat all the way to the apartment bandstand,
so steps away from where the Embrace is located.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
And so we.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
Are recreating that march. We are commemorating as a part
of the two fifty engagement that march. We won't march
from Carterfield, but we'll keep it a little bit more localized.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
And that day is April twenty seventh of this year.
That's a Saturday, and so exciting. We want people to
come down. There were four reasons why.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Doctor King and other local activists marched in nineteen sixty five.
They were education, housing, racial equity, and poverty. And so arguably,
I think if you ask anyone in any major city,
including Boston, what would be some of the things that
would be troubling you? What were some of the things
(15:06):
or are some of the things that you would want
to see change, I bet that most people would say.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Those four things. I imaginated at a few more to that.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
And so now in this moment in time where you
know our country is having some significant conversations around what
it means to be American. We're having some significant conversations
in our role as a global leader in democracy. We're
having conversations around who's included. We're having conversations around immigration.
We're having conversations around justice and the role back of
(15:37):
some equity, diversity, and including some of the items of
the nineteen sixty four Civil Rights Act that President Johnson
signed alongside of doctor King and other advocates. We have
a lot to march for, a lot to celebrate and
have some righteous anger, some good trouble that needs to
(15:57):
be displayed, and so I think the march will materialize
some of those feelings that some and some action moving forward.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Let's talk about how people can get involved, because there's
a lot going on. You've got the book, you've got
the rally, You've got all these great initiatives from all
these local groups Brian Mass Humanities and these other organizations
coming together. How can people get in touch with you
and learn more about the work you're doing in this regard.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
Mass Humanities dot org has the information about the grant making.
That's your next week. And you know, I think all
of us are available on social media, but there's going
to be, you know, opportunities to plug in live and
in person through the programming that Everyone to fifty is planning.
So I'm really looking forward to doing it in real life.
I think it's going to be it's going to be
really exciting.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Agreed and Janney. If people want to get in touch
about maybe talking about helping with the book or the zines,
or if they want to get in touch with you
about the work you're doing, how can they find you?
Speaker 5 (16:52):
You can actually find all of us at info at
everyone two fifty dot org. Okay, every last one of
us is available by that email as well as social media.
If they reach out to me at a beautiful Resistance
on Instagram, I am the one who answers that, so
I'm there. But that email info at everyone to fifty
dot org. Literally you can reach every last one of us.
(17:14):
That is a direct line to us.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
And speaking of social media, m Mari, Everyone two fifty Instagram, Facebook,
so on and so forth, Everyone.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
To fifty Instagram, Embrace Instagram or I'm on Instagram at
ask you Mari.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Okay, thank you all three of you for coming together
and talking about this with me. It's going to be
a very impactful, eventful year, and I wish you all
the best.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Thank you be well, have a safe and healthy weekend.
Please join me again next week for another edition of
the show. I'm Nicole Davis from WBZ News Radio on
iHeartRadio
From WBZ News Radio in Boston. This is New England Weekend.
Each and every week right here, we come together and
talk about all the topics important to you and the
place where you live. It is always good to be
back with you. I'm Nicole Davis. We're not too far
out now from April nineteenth, and if you're here in Massachusetts,
you might know why that's kind of a big deal.
This year, April nineteenth marks the two hundred and fiftieth
(00:29):
anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War. A lot
of celebrations and programs and commemorations are all planned. So
this week here on the show marks the first installment
of a new series I'm working on, called Revolutionary Roots.
What we'll do leading up to April nineteenth is bring
you interviews from the people making those celebrations and programs happen.
What I'm going to do as well is continue this
(00:51):
throughout the year because while the Revolutionary War anniversary is
in just a few weeks, the nation's two hundred and
fiftieth anniversary technically comes next year, so we've got some time.
So when we talk about Boston's history, it is definitely
easy to focus on the stories we know, you know,
Paul Revere and the Revolution, the Founding Fathers, all that stuff.
(01:12):
The true story of Boston, though, is not complete without
the contributions and the stories of everybody who lives here.
Black and brown Bostonians have played crucial roles in shaping
the hub and what it's become today as we approach
this big anniversary. Now there's a new movement of arts
and culture groups in Boston hoping to highlight those stories.
It's called Everyone two fifty, and here on the show
(01:33):
we have some of the co chairs of the movement.
Doctor Amai Paris. Jeffries is from Embrace Boston, Janey Oster
Helch you might have read her work in the Globe
and she's from a Beautiful Resistance, and Brian Boyles is
with us from Mass Humanities. So it is really good
to have you all here on the show. Imri, if
you could expand a little bit more on your mission
here for Everyone two fifty.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
You know, the idea came from all of us in
our own spheres of influence. You have been talking about
both belonging the two hundred and fiftieth in Boston's role
as a significant player actor place the region really as
a place.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Where the American story could be told.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
And so, you know, when there was an opportunity about
two and a half years ago for us to begin
this conversation. We started with the Summit, the Art and
Culture Summit, and we thought it was a great place
as to introduce this idea but really codify our own
beliefs around what it meant to celebrate the two hundred
(02:37):
and fiftieth anniversary of this country.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
And so from my.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Perspective, that's where it began, and it began really in
conversations with some of the other co founders.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
All of this really does circle around creatives and people
who are artistic and Brian you know, why do you
feel that art is such an important medium for these
communities and these organizations to tell these stories.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
Art allows us to imagine the different way stories can
be told. Artists are able to bring us into best
and guide us to the future. And I think that
for many many people the image of a tricornered hat
is not going to bring them in. So artists really
talk about what the revolution means to them and why
(03:20):
it's ongoing is the best way I can make this
sort of really celebration and certainly that's what everyone two
fifty is set out to do.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Yeah, for sure, And Jinnee, you know you do great
work with a beautiful resistance. I read it in the Globe,
telling the stories of Black Bostonians and who they are
at the core and what the experience is like through
everyone two fifty. How do you plan to take that work?
And how do you and all the other coalitions plan
to come together to tell those stories?
Speaker 5 (03:46):
You know? For us, everyone two fifty is exactly about
that everyone, and it's about the radical act of being
truly inclusive. Too often in this nation, when we mark
big events such as the two hundred and fiftieth, we
mark them in this way that doesn't fully acknowledge the
true history of the moments, and it leaves out real
(04:08):
people and real stories. In our attitude towards this is
you know, who's missing from the picture. What have we
been told about Boston? What are the lies we believe
about ourselves? And how can we amplify the truth. So,
for me, it's not just about amplifying the truth of
Black Bostonians. It's about us amplifying the truth of every
(04:33):
marginalized identity across the diasporas. Of this very richly nuanced city.
It's about us celebrating our layers and layers and layers
of diversity that we have. And that's not the story
that has been told. Boston has been used as kind
of America's racist face. And it's not that racism isn't here,
(04:57):
it's that racism's everywhere. And when we allow a city
like Boston to become that symbol, it eraces an entire
tapestry of really beautiful people.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
AMRII I really am interested to know how you've been
able to bring all these other communities together. It's must
have been a lot of work to reach out. I
mean more than one hundred and fifty partners. There's a
lot of people involved here.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Yeah, you know, when we thought about this, it was
really this emphasis on telling a robust story about America.
Really Boston telling this robust story about America and really
given the country permission to do the same. Boston is
one of America's storytelling cities. And so if Boston can change,
if Boston can talk about all the intricate details of
(05:41):
being fully inclusive, being a fully inclusive city America after
permission to do the same.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
And I don't think we could have imagined.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Two and a half three years ago that the very
idea of who's American and who's not American would be
seen as an act of terrorism, would be seen as
an act of being non American. And we reflect back
into nineteen seventy six, years after King was assassinated, the
(06:10):
country was in an inflationary times. During the celebration of
the Boston Tea Party, they were throwing oil into the.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
T so they weren't celebrating.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
The three top TV shows the social media at the
time was regular old TV. Number one TV show was
All in the Family, rich Man, poor.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Man, and Lavernon Shirley.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
And so this narrative around this racialized America, this narrative
around pulling yourselves up by the bootstraps, and this narrative
around this return to nostalgia. Fast forward to twenty twenty
six and we're in a similar context where we're in
all time unusual inflation. We have a presidential crisis, you know,
(06:50):
seventies it was Nixon being impeached, and Ford were in
a different context, but similar presidential constitutional crisis. The social
media of the time is telling us narratives around the
same racialized America around, pulling ourselves up the boot by
the bootstraps.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
This idea of meritocracy.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
And this return to nostalgia make America great again. And
so we have an opportunity to engage what it means
to be American and tell all the American origin stories
from whenever your origin story started, like we do when
we make New Year's resolutions, like we do when we
sell the great Birthdays as an opportunity to start over
(07:30):
and say, here's what we're going to do now moving.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Forward, Jennay kind of building on that. You know, how
are you and the others in the movement, I guess
going to navigate this drawback of diversity and equity and inclusion,
not just programs, but just in a world where it's
being suppressed and essentially eliminated in some places.
Speaker 5 (07:49):
Boldly, boldly, lovingly, with all of the space holding making
and taking we need to do. We are not backing down.
We are doubling down and standing up. We are in
a whether people know it or not, we are in
(08:09):
a dystopia. Tyranny is upon us, and to me, every
once who's fifty is charged with being its own revolution
and reminding each and every individual involved and called to
the table that they too are a bunch of little
revolutions within themselves, and this is our time to stand
up for one another, to hold one another, to remind
(08:32):
people of the power of the artist and the creative,
which Kennedy himself has always held up as the person
charged with holding our country to its greatest potential. So yeah,
we plan, we plan to stand up quite boldly, aggressively,
but with love.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Now, Brian, you're from Mass Humanities and we've been talking
about the dozens and dozens of different groups involved here.
Tell me about what you at Mass Humanities are going
to be doing to get involved in this and other
groups that are coming together to uplift these stories matter manners.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Is really fortunate in that have a network all over
the city and of the state of storytellers who have
been taking on narrative shift as not just an opportunity
to tell eny, but really to contribute to a more
just idea and a more responsible idea who lives here.
So for us, it's really bringing as many people in
(09:27):
organizations and as possible the benefit from all that's going
to happen around the two fiftieth I think everyone two
fifty is always said that a lot of people are
going to come in from around the world because of this.
They're going to be spending money, They're going to be
consuming narratives, and for we want to make sure that
they're being nourished by the truth in this time when
(09:47):
there is manipulation and misinformation, when there's certainly going to
be you know, some serious stunting around what it means
to be America. We believe that in Massachusetts and have
this responsibility to move in a direction that honors what
the best we've done have been, but also this particular
(10:08):
moment when the country is calling on truth telling. So
I think for us, it's really you know, activating the
people that we know are out showing the courage to
tell stories about the revolution that took place last year
and it's going to take place ongoing because people in
Massachusetts are smart enough and brave enough to do that work.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Yeah, and they're all there are all these different activities
and so on and so forth going on around the state.
You know, Amari, are you working with any of the
other I suppose celebrations or communities or groups to essentially
integrate the work you're doing, to try to infuse some
of the work from Everyone two fifty into these long
standing celebrations, or are you kind of going it alone
(10:50):
right now and maybe working on that a little bit later.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Yeah, we're definitely integrating our work.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Both Brian and I are involved in the State Commission
around the two fifty. I'm involved in the Cities Commission
on the two fifty, and it's a coalition of over
one hundred plus organizations who are activating in their own way.
And so, you know, part of the idea and the
design is to build relationships between what one piece one
(11:18):
story that is an American story with another. Right, how
does what the Huntington Theater Company is performing during that
time relate to what Originations is performing at the time.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
How do they talk to each other? How do they
tell a.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Complete story by putting them together and seeing both both shows,
both plays, both activations, And so that's part of the plan,
is that we want people to work together. It's an
incredibly busy year. There'll be World Cup Games, the tall
ships will be here, will be celebrating the two fifty.
The BSO is involved in Everyone two fifty, So of
(11:53):
course people spend the fourth of July the year but
there's other things that they can do prior, there's other
things they can do, words that we want them to do,
all the things.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Yeah, you've got a rally, You've got a special book
coming out, Jenny, I'd love to hear from you about
the book.
Speaker 5 (12:07):
So we're going to do a coffee table book ambitiously.
So we're going to do a very democratic call for
submissions across the community. They'll be probably about twenty guaranteed
published slots. But in addition to that, because we do
want it to be as inclusive as possible, we're going
to try to publish maybe four mini zines so that
(12:30):
we can get other stories in those kind of old
school zine style, and then we'll tell stories on Instagram
as well, shorter stories, pieces of art. We're going to
do as be as expansive as possible. Once we get
the book, submissions carried away and the call and invite
for submissions will happen next week, so that'll start your
roll out on social media, and there'll be a lot
(12:52):
of branding and celebration and just calls to action and
creativity around that.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Love that and then, Brian, what else do you have
coming down the pike?
Speaker 4 (13:00):
Matthewill is going to be giving out grants under the
title of Promises of Revolution, So we're going to be
funding work all over this that's going to be very
much in this same line, asking people to imagine what
is we're made in seventeen seventy six, what promises were kept,
what were broken? Who has carried them forward? Because we
(13:20):
feel like local is a place where real change can happen,
whether that's s Bury or that's in Rutland. We know
that people want to find ways to play and so
as a funder of storytelling, we really believe that we
can't we can't back away from the challenge of this
really complicated topic. This isn't a time to say I
(13:42):
don't want to talk about what happened, or you're part
of the revolution but you're not. You really want to
activate as many people through our funding to be a
part of be a part of it in a meaningful
way that really has long term impact on how we
think of ourselves as okay.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
And coming together people. And Mari, there's this rally you
have planned to believe it's next month. Tell me a
little bit more about that and what you hope to achieve.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Yeah, so it's the anniversary of the nineteen sixty five
Freedom Rally. So this was the largest civil rights march
in New England. Twenty thousand people marched from Roxbury carter
Field in Vat all the way to the apartment bandstand,
so steps away from where the Embrace is located.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
And so we.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
Are recreating that march. We are commemorating as a part
of the two fifty engagement that march. We won't march
from Carterfield, but we'll keep it a little bit more localized.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
And that day is April twenty seventh of this year.
That's a Saturday, and so exciting. We want people to
come down. There were four reasons why.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Doctor King and other local activists marched in nineteen sixty five.
They were education, housing, racial equity, and poverty. And so arguably,
I think if you ask anyone in any major city,
including Boston, what would be some of the things that
would be troubling you? What were some of the things
(15:06):
or are some of the things that you would want
to see change, I bet that most people would say.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Those four things. I imaginated at a few more to that.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
And so now in this moment in time where you
know our country is having some significant conversations around what
it means to be American. We're having some significant conversations
in our role as a global leader in democracy. We're
having conversations around who's included. We're having conversations around immigration.
We're having conversations around justice and the role back of
(15:37):
some equity, diversity, and including some of the items of
the nineteen sixty four Civil Rights Act that President Johnson
signed alongside of doctor King and other advocates. We have
a lot to march for, a lot to celebrate and
have some righteous anger, some good trouble that needs to
(15:57):
be displayed, and so I think the march will materialize
some of those feelings that some and some action moving forward.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Let's talk about how people can get involved, because there's
a lot going on. You've got the book, you've got
the rally, You've got all these great initiatives from all
these local groups Brian Mass Humanities and these other organizations
coming together. How can people get in touch with you
and learn more about the work you're doing in this regard.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
Mass Humanities dot org has the information about the grant making.
That's your next week. And you know, I think all
of us are available on social media, but there's going
to be, you know, opportunities to plug in live and
in person through the programming that Everyone to fifty is planning.
So I'm really looking forward to doing it in real life.
I think it's going to be it's going to be
really exciting.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Agreed and Janney. If people want to get in touch
about maybe talking about helping with the book or the zines,
or if they want to get in touch with you
about the work you're doing, how can they find you?
Speaker 5 (16:52):
You can actually find all of us at info at
everyone two fifty dot org. Okay, every last one of
us is available by that email as well as social media.
If they reach out to me at a beautiful Resistance
on Instagram, I am the one who answers that, so
I'm there. But that email info at everyone to fifty
dot org. Literally you can reach every last one of us.
(17:14):
That is a direct line to us.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
And speaking of social media, m Mari, Everyone two fifty Instagram, Facebook,
so on and so forth, Everyone.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
To fifty Instagram, Embrace Instagram or I'm on Instagram at
ask you Mari.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Okay, thank you all three of you for coming together
and talking about this with me. It's going to be
a very impactful, eventful year, and I wish you all
the best.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Thank you be well, have a safe and healthy weekend.
Please join me again next week for another edition of
the show. I'm Nicole Davis from WBZ News Radio on
iHeartRadio
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