A Series of Virtual Events on Race and Inequality
in Partnership with the NAACP Boston Branch and WORLD Channel
Series Opens with “The State of Race: COVID-19” on July 22nd
BOSTON (July 16, 2020) – Boston public media producer WGBH and The Boston Globe have joined together for a series of virtual events looking at race and inequality in Massachusetts. Produced in partnership with the NAACP Boston Branch and WGBH’s WORLD Channel, The State of Race will premiere on Wednesday, July 22 at 7:30 p.m. with a discussion on the intersection of race and COVID-19.
The State of Race: COVID-19 will feature interviews with people directly impacted by the pandemic along with a discussion featuring NAACP Boston president Tanisha M. Sullivan, Esq., Dr. Thea James, Vice President of Mission and Associate Chief Medical Officer at Boston Medical Center, and Boston Globe columnist Adrian Walker. The discussion will be moderated by award-winning journalist and contributor to WGBH’s “Beat The Press,” Dan Lothian. The event will be free but reservations are required. Registration is available at wgbh.org/stateofrace.
“WGBH is committed to meaningful actions that deepen understanding and create shared experiences that can advance racial justice,” said Jon Abbott, president and CEO of WGBH. “Together with our colleagues at the NAACP and the Globe, we hope these forums will be a step in exploring the many dimensions of this issue, leading to a more inclusive and equitable community.”
Following the July event, the series will resume in September with monthly conversations, looking at different issues of race and inequality. The conversations will be supported by research released by the NAACP Boston Branch in advance of the national organization’s annual convention, which was originally planned to be held in Boston this summer; the gathering will now be virtual.
“There is no greater issue for our nation than the fight for racial equality and the elimination of racial inequities,” said Tanisha M. Sullivan, Esq., President of the NAACP Boston Branch. “We are proud to partner with The Boston Globe and WGBH to bring this series of policy-based conversations to the Commonwealth in support of action-oriented solutions to help achieve racial equality.”
"In this current moment, we find ourselves at the intersection of responsibility and opportunity to impact meaningful change within our community," said Brian McGrory, editor in chief of The Boston Globe. "The Globe is committed to examining core issues of racial inequity across all facets of life in our region, and we look forward to partnering with the NAACP Boston branch and WGBH to host conversations that can serve as a foundation for durable progress."
About WGBH
WGBH Boston is America’s preeminent public broadcaster and the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web, including Masterpiece, Antiques Roadshow, Frontline, Nova, American Experience, Arthur, Molly of Denali and more than a dozen other primetime, lifestyle and children’s series. WGBH’s television channels include WGBH 2, WGBX 44, World and Create. WGBH TV productions focusing on the region’s diverse community include Greater Boston, Basic Black and High School Quiz Show®. WGBH Radio serves listeners across New England with 89.7 WGBH, Boston’s Local NPR®; 99.5 WCRB Classical Radio Boston; and WCAI, the Cape and Islands NPR® Station. WGBH also is a major source of digital content and programs for public radio through PRX, including The World and Innovation Hub, a leader in educational multimedia with PBS LearningMedia™, providing the nation’s educators with free, curriculum-based digital content, and a pioneer in services that make media accessible to deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired audiences. WGBH has been recognized with hundreds of honors: Emmys, Peabodys, duPont-Columbia Awards and Oscars. Find more information at wgbh.org.
About Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC
Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC provides news and information, entertainment, opinion and analysis through its multimedia properties. BGMP includes The Boston Globe, Globe.com, Boston.com, STAT, and Globe Direct.
About the NAACP Boston Branch
Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. The NAACP Boston was founded in 1911 and is the oldest branch of the NAACP. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons. NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund — also referred to as the NAACP-LDF was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but separated in 1957 to become a completely separate entity. It is recognized as the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization and shares our commitment to equal rights.
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