Metropolitan Beaches Commission Hearing on Racial Justice Summary

Summary

39 community members from neighborhoods in Boston’s Metropolitan Region discussed racial justice barriers on our region’s public beaches. This hearing took place on May 6th from 10 AM - 12 PM. Public testimony was heard from each of the Commission’s nine communities - Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy, and Hull - and more. 

Important Themes 

  • Access to the beaches: participants expressed that many people don’t know how to access our public beaches, or know that they are “allowed” to use them

  • Language accessibility: signage on our beaches are not accessible to non-English speakers. There is a lack of communication between the facilities and the public. Many people don’t know what the flagging means, where they are allowed to be, etc. 

  • Culturally relevant activities: have more inclusive events at the beaches

  • Transportation: people who get to the beaches by car expressed that parking is inaccessible and often crowded. Those that 

  • Lack of inclusivity: many participants expressed the need for more inclusivity on our public beaches

Public Testimony: Important Quotes

Doneecca Thurston, Director of Lynn Museum

“For those who don't know, Lynn is very much a majority-minority community, we have dozens of languages that are spoken. I think we could really benefit … from [signs] being translated into other languages … usually, if we have something that's put out in the city, it's in English, Spanish, Khmer, Haitian Creole, and Russian. And those seem to be the primary languages that are spoken here in the community.” 

“I think it would be really awesome to see different types of musical genres that would appeal to a wider group of folks. Perhaps it's, you know, a Merengue band that speaks to, you know, the Dominican population. Maybe it's more Haitian style music, just something that's more expansive and inviting to more types of people to really celebrate the folks that are here in the community.” 

Ghizlane Benzerdjeb, Revere Resident

“Having more signage in different languages, as well as who to call when you are in need… There's not a lot of people who have access to very easy technology, I know for myself will use it as an example, I still have a Blackberry, I might not be able to access that kind of information right on the beach, I might not have service, you know, the screen won't load that kind of stuff. So making sure that particular signage for improved accessibility is there effective immediately.”

Abdi Ali, Eastie Anti-Racism Coalition in East Boston

“We have a lot of elders in our neighborhood, mostly from Northern Africa, during Ramadan [ ] taking a lot of walks, towards the end of the day… there's a greenway that connects us to Constitution Beach, and sometimes when folks are coming back …  the park will close …  at a certain time. And ... I saw an elder one time who couldn't … get out… we really need to think about people who are managing these spaces… they use sirens sometimes to get us ushered out of the park… And so that really creates trauma, and [ ] really makes us feel unsafe ... So, it's important that we really think about overly policing [ ] these spaces and … People who come in to manage the spaces, we need to see them speak, you know, languages that are other than English, so they can communicate with our residents. “

“The last thing I want to really highlight is that cultural activities are really important… when I hear music being played in the neighborhood that is culturally relevant to me that's inviting to me, I feel comfortable, so we need to stop asking for people's permission, but we really start encouraging folks to really...  to play music that is culturally relevant and inviting and welcoming. So, folks [know] that they're culturally valued, and that they are welcomed.” 

Alex DeFronzo, Piers Park Sailing Center 

“The DCR beach format is pretty similar from beach to beach … a lot of it's very car centric. And there's some of the beaches that are accessible by T, like you can get to Constitution. From the Orient Heights T-stop, you can get to Carson beach from JFK UMass, but it really doesn't feel like you're supposed to because you have to traverse a lot of car infrastructure to get there.”

Sarah Francis, Dorchester Resident 

“[The beach is] five minutes from the T. So that is what's working. What's not working, I would say is sort of an understanding that the beach is there...When I speak to people, they just have no clue that this great beach is available.” 

Patricia Williams, Hull Resident 

“I agree with having ethnic foods on the food stands and minority businesses appearing on the beach… And a lot of people working on the beach in these food stands who are black people or other ethnicities” 

Shavel’le Olivier, Mattapan Food & Fitness 

“We started to do more bike rides to the beaches to let people know how to get [there] from Mattapan… I'm still focusing on [ ] how to get my community to the actual beach, the community who do not drive like me… And so, we created an event … called Mattapan on Wheels. And this event is [ ] having residents explore places that they've never been by bike...lots of individuals are amazed [by] how close or how far these places are.”

Rita Lara, Maverick Landing Community Services 

 “I think ... signage in multiple languages [is important]. I think making sure we examine how we communicate things, thinking about things like the digital divide, and making sure we reach out, especially to institutions where people who struggle with access live, like low-income housing developments.”

List of All Speakers

  • Chris Mancini, Executive Director of Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay

  • Brendan Crighton, State Senator for 3rd Essex District

  • Adrian Madaro, State Representative for 1st Suffolk District

  • Bruce Berman, Director of Strategy & Communications of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay 

  • Maya Smith, Partnerships & Program Development Director of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay 

  • Doneeca Thurston, Executive Director of Lynn Museum & Historical Society 

  • Anthony Barletta, Town Manager of Nahant

  • Ghizlane Benzerjeb, Revere Resident

  • Abdi Ali, East Boston Anti Racism Coalition 

  • Chris Byner, Police Activities League Program Administrator for Boston Center for Youth & Families

  • Philip Chong, President & CEO for Quincy Asian Resources  

  • Dr. Michael Myers, Chief Medical Officer for Compass Medical

  • Adriana Paz, Lynn Human Rights Commission

  • Rich Ackerman, Harpoon Brewery

  • Barbara Kelly, South Boston Condon Community Center

  • Rita Lara, Maverick Landing Community Services

  • Magdalena Ayed, East Boston Harborkeepers

  • Alex DeFronzo, Piers Park Sailing

  • Sarah Francis, Dorchester Resident

  • Nikki Sanders, Chair, Scituate DEI Committee 

  • David Spillane

  • Stephanie Burke, Scituate Pride

  • Shavel’le Oliver, Mattapan

  • Niki Ghosh, Hull Haus 

  • Patricia Williams

  • Mercy Robinson, South Boston En Accion