A Legacy Betrayed: White Stadium and the Fight for Racial and Economic Justice
Rodney Singleton
Editors of the Globe,
A recent story highlighted the impending demolition of White Stadium on MLK Day, an unfortunate coincidence that underscores the stubborn and systemic work remaining to fulfill Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of racial and economic equity. The proposed privatization of White Stadium by the city exposes glaring contradictions in Boston’s governing principles of equity, affordability, and climate resiliency. For communities of color surrounding White Stadium, this plan feels less like progress and more like a bitter reminder of a historical pattern of exclusion and exploitation.
Boston’s decision to privatize White Stadium serves as a stark reminder of its systemic, institutional racism, akin to Urban Renewal and court-ordered desegregation of Boston Public Schools. It is hard to imagine the city proposing a similar plan to privatize Boston Common or the Public Garden, located in wealthier, whiter neighborhoods. Those iconic spaces have been maintained for public use despite the challenges of funding and upkeep, while White Stadium in Black and brown neighborhoods has languished in disrepair for years.
This neglect reflects a broader pattern of inequity where predominantly white areas are prioritized for public resources, while communities of color are left to fend for themselves—often with the city dictating terms that serve its own political and economic ambitions rather than the needs of the people. The privatization plan suggests that the only way forward for White Stadium is to surrender public control, eroding access to one of the few green and open spaces in these neighborhoods.
The parallels between this situation and colonialism are striking. Much like the West historically dictated the economic policies and agricultural practices of poorer nations to suit its needs, the city of Boston is dictating the terms of development for White Stadium without meaningful input from the surrounding community. This “I know what’s best for you” attitude is authoritarian, paternalistic, and blatantly racist.
The community surrounding White Stadium is not asking for a soccer stadium that will likely accelerate gentrification. They are asking for affordable housing, equitable work opportunities, and a chance to build generational wealth—requests that echo the very tenets of MLK’s Poor People’s Campaign. Instead, they are being told to comply with a plan that benefits billionaires and prioritizes political ambitions over community interests.
When Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis in 1968, he was fighting for the economic justice of sanitation workers—men who, like the residents of Boston’s Black and brown neighborhoods today, were demanding living wages and dignity. He understood that racial equity was inextricably linked to economic equity. Yet Boston’s current plans for White Stadium fly in the face of that legacy.
The city’s commitment to only 13%-17% Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) utilization for its portion of the project is another glaring example of inequity. In a city where people of color make up roughly half the population, this token commitment is an insult. By contrast, the women’s soccer team involved in the project has committed to 50% MBE utilization, demonstrating that higher utilization is achievable—but apparently, the city lacks the political will to do right by its Black and brown constituents, impacted by improvements to White Stadium, in their own neighborhood.
King once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Regarding environmental justice and climate resiliency, alternate plans were put forward instead of privatizing White Stadium for women’s soccer that preserve more green and open space for the enjoyment of the public. These alternate plans were never considered. Instead of more contemplative green and open spaces, Black and brown Boston will have to contend with the disruptive nature of over 10,000 fans attending events 20 prime-use days a year—hardly the kind of environmental justice that supports climate resiliency.
If Boston is truly committed to MLK’s legacy, it must ensure that more than half of the dollars spent on rebuilding White Stadium benefit firms of color in Boston. Anything less is a betrayal of the principles King fought and died for.
The Poor People’s Campaign sought to address fair wages, affordable housing, and access to economic opportunity—goals that remain painfully relevant today. The city’s plan for White Stadium, however, subsidizes billionaires while failing to address the community’s most pressing needs. At a time when the city is financially strapped, Boston could spend far less than the current proposal to repair and maintain White Stadium while also investing in affordable housing, job creation, and economic opportunities that directly benefit the surrounding neighborhoods.
MLK’s legacy is not about grand gestures or symbolic tributes; it is about tangible, transformative change. White Stadium represents an opportunity for Boston to honor that legacy—not by imposing a plan that marginalizes the community, but by collaborating with it to create a future that reflects equity, affordability, and justice.
As the city moves forward, it must ask itself: Are we living up to MLK’s dream, or are we perpetuating the very systems of inequality he fought to dismantle? The answer will define not just White Stadium’s future but Boston’s legacy as a city that either embraces justice or continues to sideline it.
Rodney Singleton
44 Cedar Street
Roxbury, MA 02119
(617) 417-5471(cell)
Rodney Singleton
Rodney Singleton
good luck with this as you know Brody and Eagan or Megan are two prime assholes. They carry the water of the administration whoever is in power and quietly are one of the most racist dogs they have in the whole pound.They are just providing a platform for the mayor to try to justify what we know is corruption at the highest level.I may try to tune in, but they control all the questions and who gets to ask them and I’ve gone through this several times with them in their bogus so-called public communication program.
Rodney Singleton
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Not wanting to get in the middle of a heated political discussion, but personally I feel like Jim Braude and Margery Eagan are two of the best reporters we have on local news.Note that Adrian Walker in the Globe came out in support of Mayor Wu on White Stadium, in a pretty good Or-Ed.
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Rodney Singleton
Hello Friends and Supporters,
On Wednesday, January 29th, Boston City Council will be in session and will be voting on a resolution, filed by Councilor Mejia, “That the Boston City Council calls for an immediate pause on White Stadium demolition and construction until the City finalizes comprehensive transportation, parking, and climate resilience plans; releases a fully public renovation option; and addresses concerns related to community engagement and transparency to ensure investments in White Stadium benefit all Boston residents equitably.”
The City’s singular focus on the current public-private partnership plan and the lack of alternative renovation models, leaving significant questions about whether a fully public option could better meet the needs of students and the community while ensuring fiscal responsibility has not been thoroughly discussed.
Please call your local district City Councilor and the four at-large city councilors (who represent all of Boston).
Call Tuesday 1/28 (all day) and Wednesday 1/26 until 10am
Your local City Councilor can be found here: https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-council/who-my-boston-city-councilor
City Council Session Starts Wednesday,1/29 at 12pm
Watch Live Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igJTKxLEeIU
(Please feel free to share with others)
Best,
Jun Lee
Engagement & Policy Manager
617.522.2700 (o)
857.264.0861 (c)
(He/Him)
Did you know? The Emerald Necklace Conservancy is 100% supported by charitable donations from foundations, local businesses and individuals like you! Your tax-deductible gift to the Conservancy can make a huge difference to the plants, wildlife and people that depend on the 1,100-acre Emerald Necklace park system every day. Give a gift here to support the park system that supports us all!
Randy, thanks for your perspective.Adrian Walker's recent Globe piece notwithstanding, last week's city council hearing made clear that crafting the RFP for the renovation of White Stadium had zero community involvement. This was a question from Councillor Julia Mejia to Dion Irish, who answered "NO," to community engagement, during crafting of the RFP.
This is a real pain point for the community. The RFP was crafted by the city, with no collaboration from the community. Apparently, there was just one bid, following issuance of the RFP, with the privatization idea of women's soccer. Following that, an IAG was formed and these community groups are always billed as ticking the community engagement box. But by its very definition, Impact Advisory Groups, the city hasn't engaged the community at all as to our vision of how we'd like to see White Stadium renovated. Given an IAG, we've only been engaged to assess the impact to a plan the city has come up with without our input.
Rodney Singleton
Dr. King said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Those words remain a call to action, reminding us that silence in the face of injustice only serves those in power. In Boston, communities of color continue to bear the weight of inequitable policies, and now, yet again, we are called to speak truth to power.
And the battle for environmental justice isn't new to us. The City of Brookline, citing concerns over jet noise from Logan Airport’s Runway 27, successfully sued MassPort, arguing that its population was impacted more than the historically marginalized parts of Chinatown, the South End, Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, and Mattapan—combined. The result? A flight path adjustment that reroutes air traffic away from Brookline and directly over these very communities. Once again, money and influence dictated policy, leaving Black and brown Boston to bear the brunt of environmental burdens.
This pattern of inequity extends beyond air traffic. It seeps into decisions about public spaces and infrastructure. The proposed demolition and construction of White Stadium makes the point, where voices of impacted communities have been sidelined. Mayor Michelle Wu, as recently quoted in Adrian Walker’s Boston Globe article, acknowledged the deep history of disappointment these communities have faced. Moving forward with demolition and construction without addressing key concerns would only add to that legacy of neglect.
If the city truly wants to “get it right,” it must take concrete steps toward equity, including:
- A comprehensive transportation, parking, and climate resilience plan to ensure accessibility and sustainability.
- A fully public renovation option that prioritizes the needs of students and residents over corporate interests.
- A transparent, community-driven process that fosters genuine engagement and accountability.
The city’s narrow focus on a public-private partnership, without exploring alternative solutions, stifles creativity and limits opportunities for a more inclusive, community-centered approach. A fully public plan could better serve students and local residents while ensuring affordability and fairness.
This is no time for silence. It's time to make noise, to demand justice, and to hold Boston’s leadership accountable. We urge the Boston City Council to uphold Dr. King’s legacy of equity and justice by voting YES to an immediate pause on White Stadium’s demolition and construction.
The fight for justice has always been a heavy lift, and it's far from over. But together, we can ensure that Boston’s Black and brown communities are heard, respected, and most importantly, served.
MLK once said "our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." All of our lives are impacted and depend on the Globe's silence about things that matter.