Frank Farrow, who formerly served as the family organizing director at School Facts Boston, will now serve as executive director for the newly formed Mayor’s Office for Black Male Advancement.
Mayor Michelle Wu announced the decision at a press conference Feb. 3.
“I’m excited for Frank’s leadership in ensuring that our City’s policies and programs are truly connected with and supporting Black men and boys across each of our neighborhoods,” Wu said.
The new office will fall under the umbrella of the Wu’s Equity and Inclusion Cabinet, according to a press release.
“The office will work with the Equity Department and other city agencies to ensure that the policy program and resources from within city government has a racial equity lens,” Farrow said. “We are uplifting and improving the outcomes for Black men and boys in the city of Boston.”
The Mayor’s Office for Black Male Advancement will work hand in hand with the Commission on Black Men and Boys — established in Oct. 2021 under then-acting Mayor Kim Janey — to identify issues and provide resources to the Black community on the City level.
“That ordinance [to establish the commission] was originally pushed by former Councilor Tito Jackson back in 2014,” Farrow said. “And then last year, it was reintroduced by Councilor Julia Mejia, and passed into law by Mayor Kim Janey.”
Boston City Councilor At-Large, Julia Mejia, explained some of the commission’s responsibilities.
“The Commission is tasked with holding community conversations and making space for topics such as education, mental, physical and sexual health, sexual orientation, economic empowerment, and more,” Mejia wrote in an email.
She added the office and commission will make sure Black men and boys are represented in important decisions.
“Our vision for the Office is to help support the Commission on Black Men and Boys with budgetary and staffing needs so that they can get to work on advising city agencies and departments on how to best provide services and care for Black men and boys across the city,” Mejia wrote.
Tito Jackson, former District 7 City Councilor and current CEO of Verdant Medical Inc., showed support for Farrow’s nomination, calling him “a really dedicated leader.”
He also said those in Boston who have been “left behind the most” are Black men and that the office, working in accordance with the commission, will examine policies that could effectively create job and vocational training opportunities for Black men and boys.
“The real underlying objective is that the city of Boston, as well as the country, has not had good outcomes for Black men when it comes to any host of metrics,” Jackson said.
Farrow added the office will aim to address disparities in incarceration, homicide and education on the federal and state levels.
Director of Political Advocacy for Black Boston, Alexandria Onuoha, said the office is a good start to combating racial inequities in the city.
“I think this is a great office … especially if it includes Black men who are born and raised in Roxbury and other cities in Boston,” Onuoha said.
But she added that there is still more to be done to ensure Black men and boys are prospering in Boston.
“This is one of many things that need to be in place,” she said. “Obviously, we can’t fix every single thing. I think this is an excellent start.”
