Order for a hearing on Expanding Access for Minority Business Enterprises into High Volume Commercial Centers.
Console and console me here, console Murphy in the chair as well. And talk of 0767 will be assigned to the committee in Boston's COVID 19 recovery. Mr. Clarke please read 0768, please. Duncan 0768 Council is me here in Arroyo for the following quarter for a hearing on expanding access for minority business enterprises into high volume commercial centers. Thank you. The chair recognizes. Counsel me here. Counsel me here. You have the floor. Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you to my co-sponsor for joining me on this re file. Actually, we hosted a hearing last year in regards to the fact that a lot of businesses across the city of Boston, primarily in places like the Seaport, Newbury Street, Faneuil Hall, we don't have a lot of presence of black and Brown owned businesses. And we felt we had an opportunity to not just call that out, but to really as a city, lean into that conversation because you can't say that we're about economic empowerment and then shut out all of the different ways that people can actually be about that. So most recently, this past weekend, I got wind of an incident that happened in the seaport venues in Boston, such as society on High in the financial district were recently issued a cease and desist letter on the grounds of optics and that negatively impacting the clientele of color of color and the service providers of color and its employees. In fact, over 50 employees were impacted as a result of this. And so one thing is to create opportunities for businesses of color to thrive throughout the city. But then the other piece of it is what are we going to do to address the racial discrepancies that continue to manifest? So we want to file this here in order to give an opportunity to talk about what we can do as a city, to not only create more opportunities to build economic prosperity for communities of color, but more importantly, what are we going to do to ensure that that we are holding ourselves? To a standard of what it looks like when we create space and are super intentional about that space and also recognizing that here in the city of Boston. And we I know I always bring this into the chamber. You know, we have a history here. We have a history here, and that history lies in an opportunity, I believe, for us to really repair the harm and lean into this conversation. So it is my hope that with this refile, we can not only just have a conversation but actually put some thought into what are we going to do in regards to that through legislation. So and I just want to thank my co-sponsor for also bringing this up and in championing this alongside me. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you. Constantly hear the chair recognizes counsel of royal counsel of royal view of the floor. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you to counsel me here for sponsoring this with me. I think it's important for everybody on the council that Boston reflect. It's values in that those values include making sure that people of color, specifically black people within the city of Boston, are able to open and manage businesses in all places within this city. And that clientele of color, specifically black clientele, are able to go and enjoy these spaces without feeling unwelcome or unaware, disinvited, or as if somehow they are a burden. And, you know, I think these kinds of conversations can be difficult to have, but is important to understand that history of this country and in the ways in which black talent and culture have been invited into these spaces, while black clientele have not. And making sure that we are creating these spaces where if you are profiting off of the talent of individuals of color, you are also making it a welcoming environment for individuals of color and that we are continuing to do the work to raise those things where we see it flare up, where there are problems, where black talent is welcome, the black clientele is welcome. We will not stand for that. We will not tolerate that where there are issues, where businesses are making it harder for people to succeed in an area. And on those kinds of grounds, I think it's incredibly important that we stand up with one voice and push back against this. So making that more welcome is is incredibly important, I think, to the continuing success of the city. And, you know, I want to applaud it where it happens. We do have restaurants like Sabor Restaurant and Lounge, which is the only black owned restaurant and lounge in the downtown area of Boston. And so making sure that we go from just having one place to multiple places, I think is incredibly important for all of us in making sure where places aren't necessarily owned by people of color, but they are hiring talent of color that when that talent attracts people from all over the city, as it should, that all of them are welcome in these spaces and feel welcome in these spaces. So with that, I thank the the original sponsor councilman here. I look forward to a hearing on this to make sure that we are doing everything in our power to to live our values. Thank you. Thank you. Counsel Arroyo, the chair recognizes counsel, clarity. Counsel, clarity of the floor. Thank you, Mr. President. Please add my name. And as you know, we've been working very closely, along with Congressman Lynch, Senator College and Representative Deal with some of the major stakeholders down on the South Boston waterfront. And one that comes to mind is the West Company that's done phenomenal work in the space at our prodding and I believe probably a model for other destinations here in our city, but also other business districts that in and out through all across the city that could benefit. So at the appropriate time when this hearing takes place, that may be a good opportunity for them to come in and share with us the model that we have been working with them in. They've put in place down south by some waterfront that seems to be paying dividends, if you will. There's a lot of excitement about it. A number of different businesses have benefited from it, and I think there's a real opportunity to expand that model throughout other parts of our city. Thank you, Mr. President, and please have my name and thank the maker of the makers of your deck. Thank you, Counsel. Clarity. What? Anyone else like to speak on it or the name? I would also like to highlight that Councilor Warrell has also been fully engaged and active on this issue. In fact, he called me over the weekend about the high street location. I had a discussion with council where also I know this issue is very important to him as well. So just wanted to highlight the work of our colleague Councilor Brian. Well, Mr. Clarke, please add. Councilor Baker. Councilor Borg Councilor Braden. Council Councilor Fernandez Anderson. Councilor Fiery Cancellara. Councilor John. Please. Out the chair, please. Councilor Murphy. Dawkins. Dawkins 0768 will be assigned to the Committee on Small Business and Professional License. Mr. Kirkby, please read 07690769.