Roxbury Unity Parade celebrates Black culture and honors residents in Boston
Celebrating Black culture and excellence, the annual Roxbury Unity Parade took center stage Sunday in Boston.
Kicking off at Madison Park High School, Roxbury families, elected officials and those running for office marched in solidarity. The parade is meant to honor the past and reflect the rich tapestry of Roxbury's legacy.
Celebrating Black culture
"Today we celebrate Black beauty, Black brilliance, Black resilience, Black innovation," said Rep. Ayanna Pressley.
Found Toy Burton said the parade began in 2017 after a summer of violence.
"Let those who grow up here know that they come from a proud neighborhood," said Burton. "There's good happening here every day and that's why we give away awards to uplift those who uplift Roxbury every day."
Mayor Wu and Josh Kraft attend parade
Wu and Kraft also took part in the event.
"We are still in a moment where people are really struggling," said Wu. "The cost of just putting food on the table is still a big, big stress, so we are going to keep fighting, we're going to fight against the federal administration that's trying to attack our identities, take us backwards, rejects the beauty of our diverse communities."
Kraft said there is a lot of work that needs to be done in the community.
"Celebrating the legacy through a powerful parade the way Toy Burton has created is an easy thing to get behind," said Kraft. "The number one concern in the city is people don't feel listened to, they don't feel connected to the city and the first tangible issue that we hear about is housing. Housing is unaffordable and unattainable, especially for working families."
Boston music legends and Roxbury natives Michael Bivens and Ron DeVoe from New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe also made an appearance at the parade and helped present community awards.
