Wars and borders divide us, but the World Cup brings us together. It is the greatest unifying force on the planet, capturing the hearts of over five billion viewers who gather to celebrate passion, teamwork, and the beautiful game. For one spectacular month every four years, the globe becomes a single, cheering stadium.

Here in Boston, as one of several hosts cities in the US, seven matches will have been played, and millions will have visited Beantown. Even if you don’t understand the game, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement. To help us explore the significance of Boston hosting the event, we'll speak to a few journalists who have been covering the action on and off the pitch.

Guests:

Omar Cabrera
Mass Latino and NE Revolution Spanish Announcer

Caleb Pongratz
Major League Soccer Lead content contributor for Spotrac

Esteban Bustillos
Reporter for GBH News

Esteban is a reporter for GBH News. Born and raised in Texas, he interned at the San Antonio Express-News, NPR’s “All Things Considered,” and The Dallas Morning News before coming to Boston. He’s a graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas, where he was the Editor-in-Chief of the student newspaper, The Mercury, and was a DJ for Radio UTD.

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

As Massachusetts prepares to honor the city’s vibrant heritage, join us for a special look into the history, culture, and communities that define Boston.

From immersive storytelling experiences to dynamic cultural gatherings, we explore a statewide celebration featuring over 250 cultural organizations across the Commonwealth. Tune in as we honor the people, places, and diverse voices that have shaped—and continue to shape—our incredible city.

Guests:

Bryon Rushing 
Historian
Former MA State Representative  

Edmund Barry Gaither, PhD
Executive Director Emeritus
Museum of the National Center of Afro-AmericanArtists

Nerissa Williams
CEO & Lead Producer, That Child Got Talent Entertainment
Executive Producer, Echoes of Liberty

Kyera Singleton, PhD
Executive Director
Royall House and Slave Quarters

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

Join Jimmy Hills and social impact entrepreneurs Anthony and Errin Davis, CEO and COO of The Davis System, for a timely conversation on today's political landscape and its impact on marginalized communities. Drawing from their extensive experience working on successful political campaigns and helping shape local and national programs and policies, Anthony, Errin, and Jimmy will explore how government decisions affect everyday lives. Together, they'll examine politics through both a national and local lens, offering real-world insights on policy, power, advocacy, and community impact.

Guests:

Anthony Davis
CEO, The Davis System

Errin Davis
COO, The Davis System

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

Join host Tracy Chang for a high-energy conversation with the team behind the Refugee Food Festival and Refugee Supper Club. We’re diving into the incredible story of Natalia Durnieva, a Ukrainian powerhouse who has reinvented herself as everything from a sushi chef to a licensed construction supervisor while building BloomBridge to help fellow refugees bypass low-skilled labor. It’s a conversation about grit, entrepreneurship, and the "magnifique" cakes Natalia bakes along the way. Plus, get the scoop on the upcoming Refugee Food Festival on June 20th, where you can taste authentic flavors from Somalia, Haiti, Ukraine, and beyond!
GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond!

Guests:

Natalia Durnieva, Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center



Jonny Zackman, Refugee Supper Club



David Lander, Refugee Supper Club


The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

Join us at the GBH Studios at the Boston Public Library for NOVA science trivia! Get ready for creative categories that test your knowledge of science, from the depths of the universe to the history of science. This month, we will quiz you on the moms of nature, funky fossils, deepfake deceptions, and more!

Join host Ron Mitchell as he and his guests discuss the myriad of opportunities and challenges facing today’s Black entrepreneurs, like how the current political climate impacts the ability to secure business loans and generate vital capital. This conversation highlights the indispensable role that wealth plays in the entrepreneurial journey, offering a transparent look at the strategies needed to build lasting financial legacies and bolster our local economies.

Guests:

John Barros
Interim Executive Director,
Massachusetts Convention Center Authority

Marvin Gilmore
President and Co-Founder, Western Front LLC
Celebrated entrepreneur, distinguished veteran, and civil rights activist

Nicole Obi
President & CEO,
Black Economic Council of MA

Colette Phillips
President & CEO
Colette Phillips Communications 

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

This Thursday, May 7, on GBH Amplifies, we’re getting real about what it takes to build, survive, and lead, when the system wasn’t designed for you to win, government entities are cutting funding, while the needs increase.

Guests:

Conan Harris — founder of Conan Harris & Associates, a Boston-based strategist working at the intersection of workforce development, public safety, and economic opportunity.

Jamaal Wornum — community leader focused on creating access, equity, and grassroots impact across Boston.

Joseph Bennett — Boston native who spent over two decades incarcerated, now founder of YardTime Inc., advocating for returning citizens and breaking cycles tied to incarceration.

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

Join host Tracy Chang as she explores a growing movement of young professionals who are walking away from comfortable, high-paying careers to take a run at public office. We’ll be joined by Marena Lin, a scientist who traded her specialized career path for the front lines of community organizing. From fixing broken food supply chains during the pandemic to fighting the frustrating "phone trees" of Medicare as a family caretaker. Together, we’ll explore why a new generation of professionals are deciding that fixing systemic problems from the inside is more important than a corporate paycheck.

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

As we transition into the spring and summer months, the expansion of outdoor athletics offers a powerful medium for the unique communal experiences that define us as social and psychological beings. This conversation explores how sporting events serve as a vital catalyst for well-being, providing a rare space to thrive through shared identity and emotional support. According to the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being, these gatherings do more than just entertain; they foster essential social connections that preserve our health and happiness. Whether we are united by the electric joy of a collective victory or finding solace in a shared defeat, the bonds formed in the stands and on the field are fundamental to our enduring sense of belonging. Join us as we dive into the science of connection and celebrate the spirit of the game.

Guests:

Alex Richardson
Career Development Manager, The Base

Adrienne Benton 
Co-founder, Black Unicorn Marathoners
Member, Black Girls Run Boston

Tony Richards, Sr.
Founder and Program Director
No Books No Ball Basketball Program

Yamiley Millor
Cheer Coordinator, Brookline Jamaica Plain Patriots Cheer Squad

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.

Join Jimmy and guests Victor Ortiz, Director of the Office of Problem Gambling Services and Ben Hires, CEO of Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, as they discuss how resources, services, and partnerships can mitigate harms associated with gambling.

GBH Amplifies is a community conversation series focused on expanding the reach of local voices from Greater Boston and beyond. The series features community leaders hosting public conversations in the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, providing a platform for inclusive perspectives on the issues that matter most to New England communities. GBH Amplifies happens weekly on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30pm at the GBH BPL Studio. This event is free and open to the public.

GBH Amplifies is also being supported by the Barr Foundation.

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Limited seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. If you require a seat, we encourage you to arrive before the start time of this event.