This is a web edition of GBH Daily, a weekday newsletter bringing you local stories you can trust so you can stay informed without feeling overwhelmed.
⛅ Sunny, breezy and not as warm, with a high of 70. Sun sets at 7:42 p.m.
This morning, you’ll hear from Debra Adams Simmons, Editor-in-Chief of Special Editorial Projects at GBH, about the GBH Media Summit: Bridging the Divide in 2025 that begins today and will explore ways to reduce polarization, increase trust and strengthen democracy. But first, here’s what you need to know to start your day:
Four Things to Know Today
1. The Latino population in Massachusetts accounted for $30 billion of the state’s economic growth over the last decade, according to a new report . Those contributions — amounting to more than a quarter of the state’s total economic growth in that timespan — are despite continuing gaps between the Latino population and other Massachusetts residents. Disparities in the workforce, educational attainment and homeownership amount to billions of unearned dollars for the state’s Latino population, according to the report from We Are ALX, The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation and the Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development & Public Policy.
2. Harvard University announced it has renamed its Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging , and is refocusing its mission, just a week after suing the Trump administration over what it called government overreach. The office will now be known as the Office of Community and Campus Life. A campus-wide email said the renamed office “will redouble its emphasis” on supporting low-income and first-generation students, and “opportunities to engage across difference.”
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3. Budget deliberations get underway: A $61 billion state budget up for debate in the Massachusetts House this week marks an opportunity for Republican state representatives to draw attention to hot-button issues at the national level, from lower taxes, to voter ID, to restrictions on food dyes and who can participate in girls’ school sports. But on the first day of budget deliberations, division within the GOP caucus stymied efforts to force roll call votes on some of those policies.
4. Local activists marked President Donald Trump’s 100th day in office with a rally in downtown Boston to highlight what they say has been Trump’s negative impact on Massachusetts. The activists, which represented several statewide advocacy groups, created and presented a “100 Days of Harm” list they say the Trump administration has caused, including stripping “disability” language from federal grants, cutting National Institutes of Health funding and revoking international student visas.
The GBH Media Summit: Bridging the Divide in 2025
Where do you get your news, and how do you determine what makes a trustworthy media source? How do you hold a conversation with someone whose truths and facts are fundamentally different from yours? Journalism is a key part of what we do at GBH, and we’re looking forward to gathering some of the most forward-thinking minds in media, education, philanthropy, and more this week. The GBH Media Summit: Bridging the Divide in 2025 will explore ways to reduce polarization, increase trust, and strengthen democracy. Lofty, but crucial goals for a divided time in our country.
On Wednesday, April 30, we are welcoming the public to join three free conversations with some of these leaders at the Boston Public Library in Copley. We hope to see you there for Accessing Reliable Information with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and 300th Anniversary University Professor at Harvard University and GBH Board Chair Martha Minow; Misinformation and Civil Discourse with Deb Roy, Rajiv Vinnakota and Lee Hill; and Planting Seeds: Educating and Empowering our Youngest Generation with Seeta Pai, Lisa Guernsey, Sara DeWitt, Neema Avashia, Merve Lapus, Alberto Vasallo III, and Sandra Lopez.
Keep an eye on GBH News and GBH Forum Network across all platforms, including web, social, radio, and television, as we share conversations from the GBH Media Summit. We’d love to hear what you think.
Debra Adams Simmons
Editor-in-Chief, Special Editorial Projects at GBH
