Those Closest to Pain Should Be the Closest to Power, Fierce Urgency of Now, Be the Change Panel
October 20, 2021
On the second day of the Fierce Urgency of Now festival, a world-class panel convened to discuss how businesses impact our region, how people can advocate for change no matter the industry they work in, and what Boston’s tomorrow will look like.
As the panel kicked off, a quote from Massachusetts State Representative, Ayanna Pressley, was shared, “the people closest to the pain should be the closest to the power.”
The moderator and panelists detailed as follows:
- Dr. Karilyn Crockett, Professor of Urban History, Public Policy & Planning, MIT – MODERATOR
- James Rooney, President & CEO, Boston Chamber of Commerce
- Herbe Duverne, CEO, Windwalker Group
- Micho F. Spring, Chair, Global Practice & President, New England, Weber Shandwick
- Jim Canales, President & Trustee, Barr Foundation
In this event, questions were posed for the panelists to discuss. Below we recap the key takeaways.
What is the business community’s role in further amplifying the immigrant population’s voice in Boston?
The Boston Chamber of Commerce’s President and CEO, Jim Rooney, replied:
Even before COVID, the population of immigrants was increasing in Boston. We are in a moment now where 1/3 of the workforce in the region, and 22% of Bostonians, are immigrants. Immigrants hold $36B in spending power, and contribute $10B to federal taxes and $5B to state taxes. The business case is clear. What we need is advocacy at the federal level. We need to:
- Uplevel the dialog beyond the wall and the southern border to talk DACA and visa reform
- Use our collective voice to keep a dialog about workforce needs for native born Bostonians, folks that have relocated to work in Boston, and immigrants
- Take responsibility – English language training programs can and should be set up by companies in-house, not just by the Federal government
- Celebrate “We are Boston” and the incredible contributions of immigrants in our community
COVID-19 shifted the business community, from remote work to new jobs, to the challenge to communicate in the virtual world. What have we learned from the past year and a half? New skills?
Weber Shandwick’s Micho Spring, who came to this country from Cuba at age 10, replied:
After managing the communications of the racial riots in the 70s at City Hall, for American Airlines during 9/11 and the Boston Athletic Association through the Boston Marathon bombing, Micho says the important thing to do is “meet the moment and bracket it – this is the end, and we are now going to move forward.” COVID-19 defies bracketing in that there is no marker to take it back to what we knew.
Nothing has as ever impacted every human being on the planet at the same time – the dynamics of work/family, employer/employee, and business/society. Here’s what we’ve learned about communication from this:
- It is more important than ever. It is the currency for change, and we are living it. Companies earn unprecedented trust and confidence when they are in constant communication with employees.
- Technology enables us to equate in-person meetings to a learning opportunity to better listen and create an empathetic and responsive environment.
- We’ve created new ways to reach further and deeper as we use this moment to define a new future.
Boston’s infrastructure was built with racism throughout. As a city, how do we come back from the history? What should urban planners focus on?
Windwalker Group’s Herbie Duverne shared:
We already see a prime example of how we are coming back from this history as a city by looking at the diversity in the candidates for the Boston mayoral election. People are focusing on making change. It is not just enough to invite a marginalized community to a space, but they have to be involved in the planning efforts. We need to examine their needs so that we can address them. Urban planners should focus on prioritizing green space so that everyone is able to go to parks.
How do we create safeguards to keep inclusive spaces in mind?
The Barr Foundations’ Jim Canales replied:
Boston ranks second in the United States as having the largest number of residents within a ten-minute walk of a public park. We are doing well, but one thing we have not done is to go to the neighborhood level and invite them to tell us what they want from open space, streets, and communities. We did experiments during COVID with turning converted parking to restaurant space in order to serve more people outdoors. This created spaces for dining and helped restaurants. We need to continue to drive a narrative that is more inclusive and inviting.
Amidst the pandemic, many people are at a crossroads in their career with 1/3 professionals looking for a new job when the pandemic subsides. How can leaders be bold, but pragmatic when planning professional journeys?
Micho Spring replied:
The most important things are to define your values and what is important to you while looking for opportunities that reflect and channel your values through an organization’s leadership. Think about where you will grow as a person. For many, the ability to grow personally and professionally means more than pay itself. As the lines between work and personal lives blur, find an environment where you will learn from the right people, that will make you proud each day, and that allows for progressive change. The pandemic has also shifted power to employees, so be bold in asking for what you want.
What excites you most about the new generation of Boston professionals?
A couple of our panelists weighed in on this final question:
Micho Spring said: “they not only demand business have a plan, a conscience and that it delivers. They believe in the role business can play in societal change, they don’t take no for an answer and expect a diverse workplace.”
Jim Canales added: “the level of energy, ambition and the push for bold and aspirational solutions. They hold managers accountable, are flexible and able to pivot and have a high level of engagement to help Boston fulfill promise.”