Town of Braintree, I Am Disappointed

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a Black man, was murdered at the hands of an officer of the Minneapolis Police. While not the only death of unarmed Black people by the hands of police (see Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and sadly, so many others), his murder further ignited a worldwide movement towards police reform and drew to attention the various inequities that exist for Black and Brown people in this nation. From Washington, DC to Seattle, WA, protests have been held, public officials have spoken out, and many have realized the need to educate themselves and each other about the experiences of people of color in America.

Massachusetts is not immune to this necessary revelation. Protests in Boston, Worcester, Everett, and others[1] have sprung up in order to encourage action, and not a continued stance of passivity that has gripped our nation for so many years when it comes to systemic racism and inequality. Local towns have held their own forms of protest; Quincy had a peaceful vigil to raise awareness that Black Lives Matter[2]; Hingham residents[3] did the same.

Braintree, for the most part, has been silent. And to be silent, especially right now, is to be complicit.

As a Black resident of Braintree, I thought that the multiple times I have been called a racial slur walking my dog around town would have been the lowest point of my time here. And yet, here we are. I am frustrated. I am saddened. And I am disappointed.

Even in a town that is, according to DataUSA, made up of over 80% residents who identify as white compared to only 3.4% of Black residents[4], this is important. We MUST stand on the right side of history. We MUST stand up to racism in all of its forms. And, it is up to us all to educate ourselves more. It is up to us all to stand up against injustice. It is up to all of us to realize that Black Lives Matter.

I call on our residents to lean into discomfort more, and learn about the Black experience here in America. Reading literature by people of color, donating to organizations that are working to dismantle systemic racism, and promoting the work to their friends and neighbors through signs and local protests would be a great start. I call for us to support each other in the work, and for our Town to do the same. Library promotions, highlighting small businesses run by people of color, and publicly showing their support for the cause. I also call for cultural competency training for our town’s educators, so that the lessons our students learn will better reflect the rich diaspora of voices that shaped, and continue to shape, the world.

I call on our Town government to publicly state that Black lives do indeed matter, and the actionable steps they will take to both ensure that our own police department follows through with reforms and education around cultural competencies. I call on our elected representatives at the State House, Senators Keenan and Timilty and Representative Cusack, to support the changes called for in 10-Point Plan to combat systemic racism dealing with policing and police brutality; this was put forth by the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus[5].

We can make Braintree stronger and better for all, as Mayor Kokoros and other officials allude to in their statement about the murder of George Floyd[6]. However, this can’t be done unless we ALL take a hand in pushing…no, demanding, change. Do not be complicit. Only through action can we help make this place truly equitable.

Michael Chapman is a Braintree resident and an educator.

[1] https://whdh.com/news/here-is-a-list-of-rallies-against-racism-police-brutality-in-mass-this-weekend/

[2] https://www.patriotledger.com/news/20200602/thousands-gather-in-quincy-center-to-protest-march

[3] https://hingham.wickedlocal.com/news/20200602/hundreds-flock-to-hingham-vigil-to-say-black-lives-matter

[4] https://datausa.io/profile/geo/braintree-town-ma/#:~:text=The%20ethnic%20composition%20of%20the,83%20Some%20Other%20Race%20Alone

[5] https://www.mablacklatinocaucus.com/

[6] https://patch.com/massachusetts/braintree/braintree-officials-condemn-killing-george-floyd