The Asian American Civic Association hosted Violence In Boston, another in its ongoing series of community forums on November 30, 2023. In a packed room of residents from Chinatown, South End, Quincy, Springfield, South Boston, Dorchester, Roxbury, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Malden, East Boston, Chelsea, Charlestown, Brookline, Brighton, Newton, Somerville, Arlington, and Cambridge, they came to meet MBTA Superintendent of Transit Police Richard Sullivan; Deputy Superintendent of Community Engagement for the Boston Police Nicole Grant, Chief of the Civil Rights Unit for Suffolk County District Attorney Office Ursula Knight, Department, City Councilor at Large Erin Murphy, and City Council President Ed Flynn, The room felt tentative but a half hour in, the audience started to ask the tough questions and talk about their frustrations and fears about incidents of hate, increased youth violence, gangs, and more violence on the MBTA.
Asst Superintendent Grant responded to the belief in Boston that there have been more killings in Boston. She acknowledged that there is that sense but that we are trending down…. that actually this year the number of homicides have come down but, of course, not low enough. She explained that the BPD does not have enough officers to fully protect the city and they are actively campaigning and looking for more people to join the force. She asked the audience if anyone wanted to join and a hand went up!
Addressing concerns about the increase of violence perpetrated by youth, Superintendent Sullivan acknowledged that there has been an increase. He told the crowd that the police, by ourselves, is not the answer or solution. He said that they needed more engagement from all segments of society to help these kids out. It cannot be just the police. Sullivan said, “We will try to talk, engage, and de-escalate, but unfortunately, at the end of the day, sometimes our only tool is to arrest.” But it shouldn’t be an antagonistic relationship. He said, “ We run. Know Your Rights groups where we sit down in an informal setting and talk with kids so they get to know us and vice versa. Kids are good. It’s only a small fraction that we have to try to reach out to. At the MBTA police, we have our own juvenile services section dedicated to working with youth.” He pleaded, “This forum was one of the best turnouts for a community event I have gone to but, if you look at the population, there are very few people who get involved in civics. It’s like the old saying, ‘it takes a village.’ It can’t just be you and I, it has to be everyone contributing to make the crime rates low and having everyone more connected.”
An Asian American woman described to the speakers being a victim of verbal abuse and also witnessing abuse but being afraid to report for fear of retaliation. Her fear was real and validated by the speakers but she and the audience were encouraged by Asst DA Knight to speak up and report to the DA or the police if they have been verbally or physically abused because of your color, your language, where you were born, your religion, your sex. Assistant DA Knight said that she realizes we are not trained to speak up but people need to be talking to each other and to remove the stigma of reporting cases and to support each other. “Culturally, there is a complete stigma over reporting you were a victim and admitting someone verbally or physically harmed you strictly because of your ethnicity. By talking to someone and having community liaisons, there will be accountability and this victimization may stop happening in your neighborhood.” She said that people think that once they get the ball rolling, they’re stuck and that they have to follow through. She clarified, “If a person is willing to work with us, we can often plead their case and resolve cases without them ever going to trial.”
A senior resident who spoke Chinese, reported being attacked by a group and wanted them to be caught. Ed Flynn (City Council President) addressed her and the bigger issue of hate crimes in the Asian community. He said, “What this event is all about is bringing people together to let our immigrant neighbors know that they are part of the city and we won’t tolerate any type of discrimination or racism towards them. Boston works best when we work together.” Mary Chin, AACA CEO, said she would follow up with this woman and help her.
Erin Murphy (City Councilor, At-Large) responded to the concerns about violence in Boston:
“Each individual’s call to make a report or to request non-emergency city service through 311 may seem small but when they come together, they cannot be ignored anymore. Expecting our younger generation to always do the right thing when they are seeing the adults around them not doing the right thing is unacceptable and is not going to happen. One reason I think there’s a rise in violence with people who feel like they cannot afford to stay in the city is the lack of hope. People don’t feel like there are enough opportunities. Not all of our public schools are great. Many children don’t see themselves in a pathway to another job or to college. It is important that we continue to offer these children hope which can mean a summer job, or an opportunity to play on a sports team or to be in an art class. It is important that we help each other out and that we work together. The Center for Teen Empowerment in Roxbury hires youth organizers whose friends or family members have been murdered or hurt to become “ambassadors for peace” and to get their feelings out. When asked about comments on these programs, Ms. Murphy replied, “These kinds of programs should grow across the city. When someone, like another peer, is speaking up, I think it is a wonderful opportunity to get people more connected.”
An anonymous attendee of this community forum:
“It’s very good and positive to have this type of forum to talk about real things happening in the community. This forum is very well put together and informative. It allowed different people to speak and it made people feel like they belong to a community. Everyone needs to feel like they belong to a community.”
