Why I’m Changing My Mind about Boston: A Story from the Vantage of an African American Transplant

Read Time: 6-8 minutes

A Southern Belle Descends Upon Boston.

My first time in Massachusetts was nearly 13 years ago as a student at College of the Holy Cross, where I earned my Bachelor’s in Chinese Language and Education (yes, I’m a Black girl that can read, write and speak Chinese). I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, affectionately considered a “Black Mecca”, given the breadth of economic opportunities for African Americans that have existed throughout the city since the Civil Rights Era till now. So, as you can imagine, moving to Massachusetts, who’d only started to abandon segregation in the 70s, was a stark juxtaposition and huge culture shock for me. I mean, even me living abroad in China wasn’t as bad of a culture shock as living in Boston (but that’s a story for another day).

Moving to Massachusetts for college was the first time my Blackness was put on display for me. From my southern accent, to the way that I dressed, to how I engaged with people– I immediately became aware of myself in a way that I didn’t have to living in a predominantly Black, southern city. In Atlanta, my classmates were all Black, my teachers were Black, our politicians were Black, the food was blackity-black. It was and still is Black Bliss. I was aware that I brought a distinct flavor of being to Boston, even in comparison to Black Bostonians- I was commanding, southernly affectionate, hospitable, and colorful, a really striking contrast to my more reserved, preppy, politically-correct and ‘socially elite’ peers who fit the Northeasterner status quo. I’m talking about the endless sea of Hunter Boots, L.L.Bean, Vineyard Vines, Lily Pulitzer, and Longchamp as fashion- it was astonishing.

But more importantly, was the very palpable racism and discrimination I experienced throughout the 7 years of my undergraduate and graduate experiences. And, I’m not talking about microgressions, I’m talking about macrogressions: Being nudged off a sidewalk by a white man, yelled at by an old white woman to go ‘back to my country’ while grocery shopping, being denied an opportunity to walk through the front entrance of an academic event (told to use a side door), told by a hairstylist that she was ‘happy to not have my hair’ during a salon visit, to blatantly being called the ‘N’ word by one of my classmates. These experiences I’ve shared only scratch the surface, and I don’t think I need to elaborate.

After living in the state during this time, my only goal was to finish my degrees and bounce. In fact, the day I graduated from Harvard Graduate School of Education with my Masters in International Education Policy, I was so eager to leave, that I booked my flight back to Atlanta for 4 hours after I crossed the stage. That’s right. With a diploma in hand, I rushed to the airport with my family. Sayonara Boston. See you never. I decided that this was the one place I’d never return to ever in my life.

But life as we know it, is wild, peculiar, and hilarious to say the least.

I did in fact move back home to Atlanta, Georgia for about 6 months after graduating Harvard, and shortly after, relocated to Alabama to pursue a career in Higher Education at Auburn University- a partner university for the company I was working for, called Shorelight (based in Boston). I hired a therapist for the first time in my life to help me unpack what I’d experienced living in Massachusetts.

After working at Auburn University for about two years, I was promoted within the company and offered the opportunity to sit in its corporate office in Boston-which I was reluctant to accept because they were pushing me to relocate. They wouldn’t let me give up the opportunity, and were not open to me working remotely at the time, so I accepted the offer, but begrudgingly relocated back to Beantown.

I have to say- experiencing Boston as a professional, however, was a different experience from the life I experienced as a student in the city. As a professional, I had more time to explore the city’s culture, nightlife, and social networking events. And though it still felt very pale, racist, and classist, I felt that things were turning a corner, specifically when I heard of this new organization and movement called Boston While Black, founded by Sheena Collier.

I was drawn to Boston While Black because I found that my previous experiences in Massachusetts weren’t unique to me, which I’d internalized for a really long time. In fact, I learned that many Black transplants and students had similar experiences to mine, and consequently, would leave the city only after a few years. These hardships, expensive cost of living, and the overall lack of social and networking opportunities for Black professionals -particularly in comparison to other cities like NYC, DC, Houston and Atlanta--have been a major turnoff for Black transplants who live and work in the city.

However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Boston round 2 was different--there were burgeoning communities of Black professionals like Boston While Black, and they were aiming to change the trajectory of belonging for Black Professionals in Boston. I began to think about the possibilities of a longer-term stay in the city, if the social aspect of my life would develop in a way that I’d envisioned.

Almost four years later, I’m still here and I’m happy to experience Boston turning a corner, thanks to leaders like Sheena.

Last week, I had an opportunity to attend the 2nd Annual Boston While Black Summit, which honestly filled my cup in ways I didn’t know I needed. It was attended by 750+ of Boston’s most powerful and connected Black professionals across finance, public service, tech, venture capital, entrepreneurship and more. It was a safe space for Black professionals to engage with one another in an authentic way. I learned about the ‘who’s who’ of Boston and how they’re working to activate change in the community, whether that’s socially, financially, or professionally.

In particular, I was inspired by Summit panels like ‘Whose Funding Boston’s Black Entrepreneurs’ facilitated by Nicole Obi, CEO of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, the “C-Suite & Board Seats: Creating Your Pathway to Leadership,” which was facilitated by Hilina Ajakaiye, Executive Vice President of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, involved Michael Curry, CEO Massachusetts League of Community Health, and, April English Chief Secretary to Governor Maura Healey.

These individuals and more showed that Boston is a place where Black professionals can thrive if given the right opportunities. And while the opportunities are there, they are still limited, which is why the work of organizations like Boston While Black remains critical.

If there was one takeaway I got from the summit, it was that Boston’s Black community might not ever mirror those in NYC, DC, Houston and Atlanta, and that’s okay. The beauty here is that the Black folks get to engineer- from the ground up- how we want Boston to look, feel and serve our unique interests. We get to shape this city -for us, by us. It's encouraging to see the real investments that businesses, corporations, and philanthropy, are putting behind the missions of organizations like Boston While Black. It’s truly remarkable and I’m happy that I get to experience Boston’s transformation.

So, while Boston still has a long way to go, even in the span of 3 years, it’s come a long way. I have no doubt that if we stay the course, Boston will become a more inclusive city for not just Black transplants, but also for the Black Bostonians who have long been here and a key part of this city’s history.

I’m Raven- an Atlanta native & now optimistic Bostonian, and Vice President of Partnerships at The Possible Zone, a non-profit organization serving youth entrepreneurs across Boston. My inbox is always open; feel free to reach out or connect with me on LinkedIn.