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Boston.com readers disagree with a report saying Boston is entering its ‘next chapter’
"Boston still has a long way to go."
Conde Nast Traveler says Boston is entering its “next chapter” when it comes to diversity and inclusion in an article about the historic city featured in its September/October issue.
We asked Boston.com readers in an informal poll if they agree, and the majority said no.
In the piece, author Sarah Khan wrote that Boston has a reputation as “the exclusive enclave of Mark Wahlbergs, ‘paahked caahs,’ and obnoxious sports fans,” but the city’s artists, entrepreneurs, chefs, and Mayor Michelle Wu — the first woman and person of color elected mayor — are changing that.
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Khan, a native of the area, wrote that she left Boston decades ago because it was “a place where the invisible boundaries that partition communities felt difficult to transcend.”
For the piece, she visited diverse restaurants and other businesses across the city, spoke with the folks running them, and seemed satisfied with her experience.
“I’ve spent the past few decades continent-hopping, from New York City to Cape Town, Mumbai to Dubai, all cities I found more cosmopolitan and exciting than Boston,” wrote Khan. “But my Hyderabadi parents still live in the suburbs and so I’ve kept finding my way back, wondering when Boston will catch up with the world. I’m starting to think the moment has come.”
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Of the 200 readers who answered our poll, the majority — 66 percent — said they don’t feel that Boston is entering its “next chapter” at all.
Ahead, read their responses.
‘Boston still has a long way to go’
“I used to live in San Fran. That’s was diverse. Here it’s fake diversity, sorry.” — Emily from Needham
“Boston will always be the city of the tea party and the founding fathers. And the founding fathers were not what the Broadway show Hamilton implied. Let’s be serious.” — Lebar from Back Bay
“I was just at Fenway Park. It was a sea of white people. Made me uncomfortable.” — Jane from the South End
“I voted no because there’s still a lack of Black-owned businesses in the Boston proper area. If you walk in any bar or restaurant in the city, diversity is almost non existent.” — Danny H. from the South End
“Boston has changed very slowly (because the world around us has changed). The fact that Boston is still a city of very segregated neighborhoods is very indicative that Boston has not caught up to the global inclusiveness of today’s modern society.” — Stephen P. of West Bridgewater
“Boston still has a long way to go. It is still conservative and provincial. The legislature is still dominated by white corporate Democrats.” — Madruszka from Boston
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“People who actually live here know Boston’s been in that chapter for some time. The media continues to depict Boston like it was still the 70s: 80% white, distinctly Irish, blue-collar, and deeply racist and segregated. Boston today is 55% nonwhite, mostly white collar, and honestly has more of a Caribbean flair than an Irish flair. And the locals are generally more concerned with the cost of housing and insane traffic than the race of their neighbors. The old Boston stereotypes fled to the southeast suburbs decades ago.” — Mike from Hyde Park
“To say it is just now entering it’s next chapter is a falsehood. Boston has been in that ‘chapter’ for a while. As long as one was willing to cross invisible lines with an open mind, Boston has been open to ‘mixing’ for at least as long as I can remember. It sounds like Khan just never explored Boston and its different cultures until now.” — E from the South End
“Turning Boston into New York won’t make it “cosmpolitan”, it will simply reduce the overall diversity of the USA by turning every city into the same bland mix of woke politics and neutered, neutral American consumer values, much like chains replace mom-and-pop shops. Stop shoving your nonsense down our throats. The ethnicities of the mayor or city council do not matter: only their actions do. And Wu has been good on some things and terrible on others. Judge her on that and only on that. Boston is unique and special. Don’t kill its uniqueness.” — Anonymous from Somerville
‘I do believe we are changing as a city’
“I do believe we are changing as a city and we are becoming the Boston we always wanted to be.” — Devahn G. from an unknown hometown
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“Having moved back about 10 years after going to college here, it has been a breath of fresh air! Boston has always felt diverse but now those communities seem to be really coming together. It’s definitely inspired me to start picking up little bits of the many languages spoken here, even just to say good morning! Everyone has been very friendly — contrary to the popular belief about Bostonians.” — Aleena M. from Roslindale
“We finally have city government that looks like the whole city. The old vanguard has been voted out or has died. The bigotry and parochialism is fading as time goes on.” — Joseph Z. of Boston
“Boston and the communities outside of Boston have clearly become more diverse, and more importantly there has been a positive change in attitude that has resulted in a noticeable higher tolerance and the acceptance of people of people of different race and ethnicity.” — Ken from Somerville
“The rest of the city (minus the Seaport) is finally catching up to Downtown Crossing — a cross-cultural, socioecoicially diverse cosmopolitan melting pot. Finally.” — Jeff S. from Boston
“I’ve been living here for 16 years and it’s very diverse in my experience in Dorchester. This started several years ago and I don’t recognize what old timers describe to me as how it used to be.” — Steven R. from Dorchester
“Boston is a much more interesting and inclusive city than the one I first encountered some three decades ago. I hope that these dividing lines continue to dissolve, for as our awful national situation teaches us, we’re better off seeking common ground and acceptance of differences than the other way around.” — David Y. from Jamaica Plain
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“I think Boston is entering its next chapter because more companies are moving their headquarters to Boston where they hire people of color. Once the headquarters moves to Boston, so do people of color which helps Boston become more diverse. Not only do the headquarters relocating to Boston diversify the city it also gentrifies the city which makes living in Boston just as expensive as NYC.” — Matthew D. from New Haven, Conn.
“Yes…but. Boston is entering a new diverse chapter and is a very vibrant city, however I walked through Fanuiel Hall and many stores were closed. Faneuil Hall needs a lot of attention and it is a shell of its former self.” — Ryan from Boston
“I’ve lived here most of my life and Boston is definitely changing for the better in many ways but the continued rise in cost of living here is threatening to block a lot of people from being part of it. I recall many years ago Boston being described as ‘the rich kid’s playground’ due to the wealthy college students coming here; currently it’s becoming the playground of the rich in general. It’s common now to see dozens of super yachts tied up in the harbor and many of the local establishments are catering to the higher income levels. It’s great to see barriers being broken but some will be much more challenging than others.” — Jack M. from Lynn
Condé Nast Traveler says Boston is entering its 'next chapter.' Do you agree?
Yes
35%
No
65%
Some responses have been lightly edited for clarity.
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