Citizens participates in an impactful day of service with the NAACP in Boston

By Michael Givens | Citizens Contributor

The 114th NAACP National Convention was held in Boston in 2023, the first time the city has hosted it in more than 40 years. The annual meeting is an opportunity for the nation's oldest civil rights organization to bring together its members and Black activists, educators and professionals to network, discuss vital issues affecting the community and plan for a brighter future.

The convention's theme, "Thriving Together," especially resonated in the Boston area, which is the home of the NAACP's first chartered branch. When the city last hosted the convention in 1982, Boston was racially divided over school desegregation. This year, the NAACP preceded the conference with a powerful day of action where cooperation and community were the focus.

Citizens and its colleagues were proud to partner with city and state officials to welcome the NAACP and demonstrate its commitment to enriching our society.

Uniting through service and art projects

To kick off the day of service, Boston NAACP President Tanisha Sullivan, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Citizens' Massachusetts President Lisa Murray, among others, shared opening remarks in Boston's Mattapan neighborhood.

"We live here for a reason," Murray said. "It is a great place to live. It is a great place to be heard, to be seen, to be listened to. And there's a sense of inclusion and belonging."

The "Thriving Together" theme was fully present in two exciting activities hosted by Citizens.

Citizens colleagues and local residents participated in city-wide beautification projects. In Mattapan, they helped clean up parks and school playgrounds and spread fresh mulch at the Mass Audubon Boston Nature Center.

Community members and Citizens colleagues also participated in a vibrant art project. Partnering with local nonprofit Artists for Humanity, the volunteers painted a "Thriving Together" mural — a hand-drawn cityscape that captures the unity and inclusivity around Boston. Many neighborhoods with Citizens branches showcased the mural, including Dudley Station, Fields Corner, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan and Uphams Corner.

Citizens also displayed the murals at the Hub, an NAACP-funded gathering place created for attendees to engage with sports, arts, entertainment and technology. The Citizens station in the Hub included a large collaborative piece of cityscape artwork that conventiongoers vibrantly brought to life with markers.

Located in the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, the Hub was also the site for a number of panels, a block party featuring celebrity DJ Jazzy Jeff, a career summit that Citizens participated in and more.

Citizens' ongoing commitment to community

For Citizens, building and sustaining healthy communities goes beyond the convention.

The Citizens Helping Citizens program is an invaluable resource for keeping local communities connected and engaged. Citizens is committed to strengthening Massachusetts communities through volunteer service, initiatives to end hunger, charitable giving, workforce development and sound corporate citizenship.

Learn more about the program and how you can get involved.