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The Duties of the Commission shall include, but not be limited to:
(A) Advising the Mayor on issues pertaining to Black men and boys;
(B) Assisting the Office of the Mayor in determining budget and policy priorities;
(C) Monitoring and advising City Agencies and Departments on issues pertaining to Black men and boys;
(D) Designing projects and programs that promote equity for Black men and boys which are not currently being implemented by existing City Agencies;
(E) Performing outreach, communication and liaison to Black men and boys related to community groups and organizations;
(F) Working with the Department of Intergovernmental Relations concerning commonwealth and federal legislation and programs that are of concern to Black men and boys;
(G) Working with City Departments including, but not limited to: the Human Rights Commission, the Equity and Inclusion Cabinet and Boston Public Schools to assure that Black men and boys are represented at all levels of city government;
(H) Coordinating dialogues and action on behalf of city government to issues of concern to Black men and boys and related organizations, including, but not limited to: concerns related to national origin, sexual orientation and gender identity, mental, physical and sexual health, violence prevention, employment and more;
(I) During the first year of its existence, the Commission shall hold monthly meetings and give updates to the Boston City Council on a quarterly basis; and
(J) Producing a yearly report pertaining to the work of the Commission and the progress of the city and the community to advance the status of Black men and boys. The Commission shall submit the report to the City Clerk who shall forward the report to the Mayor of the city and shall file the report and include the docket on the agenda of the next-occurring meeting of the Boston City Council.
(CBC 1985 15-11.3; Ord. 2021 c. 11)
The purpose of this Section is to establish a Task Force on literacy rates in the city whose goals shall be: to study rates of illiteracy across the city; to develop an action plan that may be undertaken by the city in order to help both adults and children who are not able to read or write in any language to access education and city services, due to limited function or otherwise; and to help boost opportunities for adults and children to learn how to read through actionable policy and programming recommendations.
(CBC 1985 15-12.1; Ord. 2021 c. 18 § 1)
(A) The Task Force will include eight members appointed by the Mayor, as follows:
(1) One representative of English for New Bostonians (“ENB”);
(2) One representative of the Adult Literacy Initiative or other organization who works specifically with adults who cannot read or write;
(3) One representative of the commonwealth’s Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition or other organization who works with individuals who are English language learners;
(4) One representative of ReadBoston or other organization who works on literacy among early learners;
(5) Two representatives who are recent graduates or current BPS students who have literacy-based lived experiences; and
(6) Two representatives who have adult illiteracy lived experience.
(B) The Task Force will include the following seven people or their designees, ex officio:
(1) A member of the Boston City Council designated by the Boston City Council President;
(2) Superintendent of Boston Public Schools (“BPS”);
(3) Director of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Advancement (“MOIA”);
(4) Director of the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development (“OWD”);
(5) President of Boston Public Library (“BPL”);
(6) Commissioner of Boston Centers for Youth and Families (“BCYF”); and
(7) Director of the Office of Language and Communications Access (“OLCA”).
(C) The Task Force will exist for as long as it takes to provide an accurate understanding to develop a comprehensive and usable plan which the city can undertake to achieve the goals established in Subsection 15-12.1 for up to five years from the founding of the Task Force.
(D) Members of the Task Force will elect a Chair of the Task Force every year with a simple majority vote. Any Task Force membership removals or vacancies shall be filled in the manner in which they were appointed.
(E) The Task Force will convene within the first 60 days of the effective date of this Section and will meet periodically thereafter as required.
(CBC 1985 15-12.2; Ord. 2021 c. 18 § 1)
(A) The primary responsibilities of the Task Force are to determine the scope of illiteracy in Boston as well as to create an actionable and coordinated plan that both boosts literacy rates amongst adults and children as well as finds ways for the city to make it easier for people who cannot read or write in any language to access education and city services. In the course of their work, the Task Force may deem it necessary to, among other things: determine the number of people in the city who cannot read or write in any language based on demographics; make necessary distinctions between individuals with little-to-no literacy versus individuals with some literacy capability; identify clear deliverables and goals for boosting literacy rates in Boston; conduct a cost analysis of providing the necessary resources to improve the accessibility of education and city services as well as to boost literacy rates; and generate a comprehensive and actionable plan that would sufficiently address the goals identified in Subsection 15-12.1.
(B) The Task Force shall prepare annual progress reports on the status of their work along with any necessary materials to the City Clerk, and the Clerk shall forward the report to the Mayor of the city and shall docket the report and include the docket on the agenda of the next-occurring meeting of the Boston City Council. The Task Force may be called in to testify and to update the Boston City Council on the progress of the Task Force.
(CBC 1985 15-12.3; Ord. 2021 c. 18 § 1)
The provisions of this Section are severable, and if any provision, or portion thereof, should be held to be unconstitutional or otherwise invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality or invalidity will not affect the remaining provisions, which will remain in full force and effect.
(CBC 1985 15-12.4; Ord. 2021 c. 18 § 1)
(A) There shall be established in the city a Task Force, to be known as the Task Force on the Study on City of Boston Reparations to the Descendants of formerly enslaved Black people.
(B) (1) The Task Force’s work shall include several phases, and the Task Force shall make meaningful efforts to include community engagement with residents and community members in each phase. The city shall engage additional scholars and experts, as necessary, to support the Task Force during each phase:
(a) Phase 1: Research and document the city’s role in and historical ties to the African slave trade and the institution and legacies of slavery. Phase 1 shall end no later than June 30, 2023 with the issuance of a written report;
(b) Phase 2: Assess the city’s actions to date to address continued impacts of enslavement. Phase 2 will conclude no later than December 31, 2023 with the issuance of a written report; and
(c) Phase 3: Make final recommendations to the city for truth, reconciliation and reparations addressing the city’s involvement with the African slave trade. This phase shall be completed no later than June 30, 2024 with a written report.
(2) To support any recommendations the report shall include:
(a) The role Boston played in supporting the institution of slavery;
(b) Forms of discrimination and racism in the public and private sectors against freed slaves and their descendants;
(c) The persistent, systemic and lingering negative effects of slavery on Boston residents who are the descendants of African slaves; and
(d) Any other areas required to fulfill the purpose of the task force herein described.
(3) In addition, the report shall include an implementation plan for actions to begin no later than October 1, 2024. If the task force is unable to meet this timeline, they must notify the Mayor in writing requesting to extend the phases.
(CBC 1985 15-13.1; Ord. 2022 c. 12)
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