In response to criticisms of a lack of diversity in city government, the host committee for Boston’s 2004 Democratic National Convention announced the addition of three black members and four women to its board of directors.
After NAACP leaders met with David Passafaro, president of Boston 2004, a week ago, the leadership was persuaded to enact a diversity plan to include more women and minorities, bringing the total number of board members to 14, according to Leonard C. Alkins, president of the NAACP’s Boston branch.
NAACP leaders and Mayor Thomas Menino had argued over convention commitments to minority contracting and hiring after Boston was awarded the event in November. Menino hired a public relations consultant to produce a plan that involves minority groups and city neighborhoods in the event, but did not make any commitments.
The move comes one week after Menino announced his intent to desert the city’s 25-year-old affirmative action contracting plan, which set aside 15 percent of all contracts to minority-owned firms. After a meeting this past Sunday with minority community leaders, the mayor said that he has since reinstated the plan because of NAACP pressure, Alkins said.
‘Had we not objected, these things probably would not have happened,’ he said.
Alkins said though he is pleased with the decision, Boston’s minority population is still underrepresented in city and state government.
‘This is just the beginning,’ Alkins said. ‘The mayor indicated that there was diversity in the city, but there clearly wasn’t.’
Before the move, there was only one black director on the board: Carol Bolling Fulp, a community relations executive at John Hancock Financial Services.
Clayton Turnbull, a city business owner and one of three black members named to the board, said the change would bring about greater communication in general.
‘I think it’s great,’ said Turnbull, who has consistently been involved in community organizations, including the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative and Neighborhood Housing Trust.
However, Turnbull would not elaborate on the board’s community outreach mission, which will be presented to the Democratic National Committee in one month.
‘We’re hopefully launching this city to be a convention city,’ he said. ‘This is a new era.’
The other new black directors are Juanita Wade, Menino’s human services cabinet chief, and Dorothy Terrell, a former executive with Sun Microsystems.
Other additions to the board are Kathleen Casavant, treasurer of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO; David Burke, former chief of staff to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy and an organizer of Robert Reich’s 2002 gubernatorial campaign; and Micho Spring, a public relations executive.
Representatives from Menino’s office could not be reached for comment yesterday.
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