Today we’d like to introduce you to Laniesha Gray, Quontay Turner, Keesa McKoy, Patrick McDowell and Asha Janay.
Laniesha, Quontay, Keesa, Patrick and Asha, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Boston Young Black Professionals (Boston YBP) was founded in 2012 and is organized by five Boston residents who have great love and affinity toward the city. We are two educators, a communications manager, an accountant and a social worker by day. At night, we are community organizers creating space for young Black folks to feel connected and affirmed in a city that can be socially and professionally challenging for minorities.
We were founded with the intent to bring together young, Black professionals for networking, fellowship and community purposes. A national survey commissioned by the Boston Globe last fall highlighted a familiar but stark reality: among eight major cities, black people ranked Boston the least welcoming to people of color. More than half of the respondents —54 percent— rated Boston as unwelcoming. Our meetups are an intentional effort to address that perception and connect black and brown people in a city that can otherwise feel isolating for minorities.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Racism and discrimination are real and most of us have experienced instances of both. Our gathering together is an act of resistance and an opportunity to create our own community.
Boston Young Black Professionals – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are over 2000 members strong. We are free and open to any young, Black professional (mainly between the ages of 21-38) who resides in the Greater Boston area. While we do have a target age range, we welcome anyone who identifies with our demographic, no matter how old they are. Our staple event is a monthly networking mixer called ‘Network After Work’ that takes place on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 7:00-10:00 PM. Other flagship events include an annual beach day, hiking trips, our Boston Black Owned Business (BBOB) Pop-Up Markets and a ski trip that takes place annually during MLK. Jr. weekend. We also collaborate with other organizations for special events such as our Black Boston Night Out: Black Panther private screening and after party with LiteWork Events and The Collier Connection or our special 30th anniversary screening of ‘Coming to America’ in partnership with the Roxbury Film Festival. Community is the most important thing to us. Remaining rooted in community and continuing to create space for Black people to connect, flourish and be affirmed is our priority.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
We are most proud of our newest initiative, the Boston Black Owned Business (BBOB) Pop-Up Market, which introduces diversity into the Seaport area and provides both an affordable platform for black and minority-owned businesses to sell their wares and services and an opportunity for the public to shop and support local black-owned businesses. The BBOB Market takes place monthly at Boston’s District Hall and is free and open to the public.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.meetup.com/BostonYBP/
- Instagram: boston_ybp
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bostonybp/?hc_ref=ARRrJ5exzphddl4a_jn3RA_7a940Ild2P1iGBYKeXeFigmifFCj4SbTwH0I8uf3idDI
- Twitter: @BostonYBP
- Other: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bostons-black-owned-business-pop-up-market-bbob-tickets-43705992801
Image Credit:
All photos taken by PM3 Photography
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
