News & Events
Milestones
- Increase voting registration, census, and voter turnout in the Black community throughout Massachusetts and in other cities in the US that have large Black populations.
- Providing PPE to community members (Masks, gloves, cleaning supplies, etc.)
- Help reduce racial profiling/police reform through advocacy and legislation
- Provide economic opportunities for young people and community elders
- Help voters with Mail-in voting applications
- Increase the youth vote, particularly in Generation Y and Generation Z using social media outlets
US citizens of color on high alert after Supreme Court allows racial profiling
Following Supreme Court ruling, Americans worry about being detained because of the color of their skin
Funding Community Organizations Will Win Elections
By Michael Jacoby Brown, September, 2025 With significant help from Corita Brown, and contributions from Mary Ochs and Ron Bell If the Democrats want to win the House of Representatives n in 2026 and the Presidency in 2028 they need to provide year-round funding,...
NPR: Boston-based effort reminds Black people of rights when confronted by law enforcement
July 4, 20254:27 PM ETHeard on All Things ConsideredFrom GBH NewsBy Paul Singer With sweeping ICE arrests taking place, some Black residents worry the color of their skin could make them susceptible, and they're taking steps to prevent negative encounters. AILSA...
NEWSONE: Community Activists Create ‘Black Book’ To Empower Black Residents Amid Immigration Crackdown
Richard Claytor and Ron Bell, two dedicated community leaders from Boston, Massachusetts, have developed a crucial resource to help Black residents and other communities of color navigate increasing immigration enforcement actions under the Trump administration and...
Video: FIVE YEARS LATER: Reflecting on the Legacy of George Floyd
In May 2020, the death of George Floyd became a symbol of police brutality and triggered thousands of protests across the country and throughout the world. In Massachusetts, these events galvanized community action and helped accelerate statewide police reform and...
5th Anniversary Rally for George and Justice, by Courageous Conversations – May 22, 2025
Despite the harsh wind and rain of a rare spring nor’easter, over 50 people gathered at Parkway Methodist Church Thursday evening to mark the fifthanniversary of George Floyd’s death.
Black neighborhoods brace for aggressive policing with ‘know your rights’ guides
Ron Bell, founder of the civic engagement organization Dunk the Vote, shows off the new "know your rights" handbook his organization has begun distributing in Boston's predominantly Black neighborhoods. PHOTO: GBH NewsFor Richard Claytor, watching migrants being...
Milton gathering honors 5th anniversary of George Floyd’s death
MILTON — Despite the harsh wind and rain of a rare spring nor’easter, over 50 people gathered at Parkway Methodist Church Thursday evening to mark the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s death. In a small hall adjacent to the sanctuary, activists, community and...
Five years after the murder of George Floyd, local activists say progress has stalled
Hodan Hashi was 21 years old when George Floyd was murdered on May 25, 2020. She was about to become an activist. “It just felt like we should say something, our voices do matter,” Hashi said on an episode of GBH News Rooted this week. “And that was, I think, the...
Local nonprofit launches civil rights education effort with ‘The Black Book’
Ron Bell (right), founder of Dunk the Vote, hands out copies of the organization’s “Black Book” at the Boston Office of Black Male Advancement Empowerment Summit, March 7. The book explains civil rights broadly, as well as specifically in reference to areas like...