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Brookline residents urge board to revisit Juneteenth planning, call for a Black and Brown commission
Summary
Multiple public commenters told the Select Board that this year’s Juneteenth planning excluded Black and brown residents and organizers, urged changes to the event location, and called for a standing Black and Brown commission to avoid repeat exclusion.
Several public commenters used the meeting’s public comment period to criticize how the town selected organizers and a site for this year’s Juneteenth celebration, telling the Select Board the process shut out Black and brown residents and will cast an "ugly cloud" over the holiday.
Donnell O’Neil, a town meeting member and advisory committee member, said the process for deciding who would sponsor the celebration was "flawed and unfair," and said the event site (FFR Field) felt to some like "celebrating at a concentration camp" because of its historical context. He urged consideration of Amerie Field as a more appropriate site and said the town should create a Black and Brown commission to ensure inclusion in future planning.
Arthur Conquest, a town meeting member, said town funding decisions have historically shortchanged Black residents and that recent event planning mirrored those patterns; he told the board he had sent a memo to town staff and that community trust has been eroded. Other online commenters echoed those concerns and said they will continue to press the town for change.
Board members acknowledged the criticisms, expressed regret about reported hateful remarks at a recent counter‑demonstration, and encouraged organizers and residents to pursue community solutions. The chair said staff and the Select Board would monitor developments and invited those who want to lead an inclusive community conversation to step forward.
