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Truth Matters: Disagreement in an Age of Division

The Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture and The Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University welcome you back to The Embrace for another season of public conversations on democracy, justice, memory, and values.

August 20, 2025
Event Date2025-08-20T17:15:20 - 2025-08-20T21:00:20



Join us for a public conversation followed by a free public dinner.

This conversation will bring together Robert P. George and Cornel West, who represent divergent intellectual traditions, to explore the possibilities of meaningful discourse amid political fragmentation. Their friendship demonstrates a practice of democratic engagement that addresses disagreement without falling into simplistic political categories. Through their conversation, they will show how engagement across differences can illuminate our complex moral and political landscape. As polarization increases, George and West will offer a model of intellectual exchange that respects principled disagreement while maintaining a commitment to truth, a practice important for democratic vitality in challenging times.

Brandon M. Terry, the John Loeb Associate Professor of the Social Sciences at Harvard University will introduce the event.

Robert P. George is McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. He has frequently been a visiting professor at Harvard Law School. In addition to his academic service, Professor George has served as Chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. He has also served on the President’s Council on Bioethics, as a presidential appointee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and as the U.S. member of UNESCO’s World Commission on the Ethics of Science and Technology. He currently chairs the New Jersey Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. He is a former Judicial Fellow at the Supreme Court of the United States, where he received the Justice Tom C. Clark Award. Professor

George is author of Making Men Moral: Civil Liberties and Public Morality (Oxford U. Press), In Defense of Natural Law (Oxford U. Press), The Clash of Orthodoxies (ISI) and Conscience and Its Enemies (ISI). His most recent book, written with Cornel West, Truth Matters: A Dialogue on Fruitful Disagreement in an Age of Division (Post Hill Press). His book Seeking Truth and Speaking Truth: Law and Morality in Our Cultural Moment will be published later this year by Encounter Books.

Dr. Cornel West is the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair at Union Theological Seminary. West teaches on the works of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, as well as courses in Philosophy of  Religion, African American Critical Thought, and a wide range of subjects — including but by no means limited to, the classics, philosophy, politics, cultural theory, literature, and music. 

Dr. West is the former Professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy at Harvard  University and Professor Emeritus at Princeton University. Cornel West graduated  Magna Cum Laude from Harvard in three years and obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. in  Philosophy at Princeton. He has written 20 books and has edited 13. He is best known for his classics, Race Matters and Democracy Matters, and for his memoir, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud. His most recent book, Black Prophetic Fire, offers an unflinching look at  nineteenth and twentieth-century African American leaders and their visionary legacies. 

Dr. West is a frequent guest on the Bill Maher Show, CNN, C-Span and Democracy Now. He has a passion to communicate to a vast variety of publics in order to keep alive the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. – a legacy of telling the truth and bearing witness to love and justice.

Seating will be provided but please feel free to bring blankets in case the chairs fill.

August 20, 2025
Event Date2025-08-20T17:15:20 - 2025-08-20T21:00:20

Harambee Park Cricket Fields Ribbon Cutting

August 14, 2025
Event Date2025-08-14T10:00:00 - 2025-08-14T11:00:00

Please join Mayor Michelle Wu, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, Harambee Park neighbors, cricket leagues, and the local community as we officially celebrate the completion of the new Cricket Fields.

August 14, 2025
Event Date2025-08-14T10:00:00 - 2025-08-14T11:00:00

Free Verse

A monthly series of open mic events including youth showcases, spoken word, poetry, DJ sets, musical performances, and standup comedy.

August 28, 2025
  • 6:00pm - 9:00pm
  • Civic Pavilion
    5 Congress Street
    Boston, MA 02203
  • Contact:
    Arts and Culture
  • Price:
    Price
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Published Date
Event Date2025-08-28T18:00:12 - 2025-08-28T21:00:12

Join us under the Civic Pavilion lights for a night of truth-telling, healing, and radical creativity!⁠

Featuring powerhouse spoken word poets:⁠

  • Rebecca Dupas⁠
  • Abigail Jean-Baptiste⁠
  • Josiehanna⁠

This is more than an open mic—it’s a cultural movement. A space where BIPOC, LGBTQ+ creatives, youth, elders, and everyone in between are seen, heard, and held.⁠

Come to be moved. Stay to be transformed.⁠

🎟️ Admission is free and all are welcome.⁠

Free Verse flyer

August 28, 2025
  • 6:00pm - 9:00pm
  • Civic Pavilion
    5 Congress Street
    Boston, MA 02203
  • Contact:
    Arts and Culture
  • Price:
    Price
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Published Date
Event Date2025-08-28T18:00:12 - 2025-08-28T21:00:12

"if you can Feel it, you can Speak it"

An open mic series dedicated to the voices and experiences of LGBTQIA2+ communities of color and allies. 

August 10, 2025
  • 5:30pm - 9:00pm
  • Civic Pavilion
    5 Congress Street
    Boston, MA 02203
  • Contact:
    Arts and Culture
  • Price:
    Price
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Published Date
Event Date2025-08-10T17:30:52 - 2025-08-10T21:00:52

Featured Artist, August 2025: Tenille Ja’Nae

Founded in 2009, the "if you can Feel it, you can Speak it" (FISI) open mic prides itself on being the only monthly open mic in the greater Boston area dedicated to voices of the LGBTQIA2+ communities of color and our accomplices. Anyone is welcome to step up to the mic! This is a non-discriminating platform for one and all to express themselves.

Never been on the mic before? More reason to come! Don't consider yourself an Artists/Performer? That shouldn't stop you from expressing yourself! All forms and levels of talent and expression are welcome. FISI has long been regarded as one of the best spaces to try something for the first time and/or test out new material. 

In the mic's 15 year history, it has hosted events at various venues across the city, and began as the opening event for the legendary Lezbns N' Power Entertainment Thursday night parties. The Milky Way/Bella Luna in Jamaica Plain was FISI's home for over a decade, and in 2024 they were invited to host a year-long series of events at the Civic Pavilion on Boston City Hall Plaza. FISI returns to City Hall Plaza in 2025 with a new series of open mics for all to enjoy!

Flyer for Feel it Speak it August Mic

August 10, 2025
  • 5:30pm - 9:00pm
  • Civic Pavilion
    5 Congress Street
    Boston, MA 02203
  • Contact:
    Arts and Culture
  • Price:
    Price
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Published Date
Event Date2025-08-10T17:30:52 - 2025-08-10T21:00:52

Ready Boston Field Day 2

Join us for our second Ready Boston Field Day on October 09 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. For National Preparedness Month, come learn how to prepare for emergencies and disasters and leave with safety tips, giveaways, and life-saving skills. This event will also include a Depolyable Flood Barrier demonstration by City and private partners.

October 9, 2025
Event Date2025-10-09T11:00:00 - 2025-10-09T15:00:00

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is hosting the City’s two Ready Boston Field Days the first on September 13, 2025 at Walker Playground ( 550 Norfolk St, Mattapan, MA 02126) and the second on October 09, 2025 at City Hall Plaza ( 1 City Hall Sq, Boston, MA 02201). These family friendly events are open to all!   

  • Learn CPR and first aid from Boston Emergency Medical Services through demonstrations and practice sessions.
  • Get fire-safety tips from the Boston Fire Department.
  • Participate in an emergency exercise with public safety professionals.
  • Get an inside look at emergency vehicles: SWAT vehicles, ambulances, police cruisers, fire trucks, emergency management vehicles, and more.
  • Build an emergency kit to help you and your family prepare for an emergency.
  • Play preparedness games and collect giveaways!
October 9, 2025
Event Date2025-10-09T11:00:00 - 2025-10-09T15:00:00

250th Anniversary Celebration of Prince Hall Freemasonry

August 8 - August 9, 2025
Event Date2025-08-08T18:00:52 - 2025-08-09T00:00:52

Thursday, March 6, 2025 marked the 250th Anniversary of Prince Hall Freemasonry. This year, Prince Hall Freemasons all around the world will be celebrating the initiation of Prince Hall and fourteen other men of color into the oldest fraternity in the world on Castle William Island in Boston Harbor, on March 6, 1775, exactly 250 years ago on this date. Prince Hall was a former slave who later became a prominent member of the African American community in Boston, Massachusetts. He was an advocate for education rights and the abolition of slavery.

The 250th Anniversary Celebration Banquet will be held on the weekend of August 8-9. The distinguished speaker for the evening is RW Brother Dr. Oscar Alleyne, Past Junior Grand Warden of New York. Brother Alleyne is an internationally respected Masonic speaker and practical thought leader having presented over 200 lectures covering multiple areas of interest to over 8000 Freemasons and has published in several widely distributed Masonic journals, research bodies and educational conferences on Freemasonry.

The reception on August 8 will be held at the Dedham Boston Hilton Hotel from 6pm-10pm and the banquet on the 9th will be held at the William E. Reed Auditorium, 24 Washington Street Dorchester, MA from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. (cocktail hour), 7:30 (dinner) and the program to begin by 9 p.m.. The attire for this event is semi-formal. 

August 8 - August 9, 2025
Event Date2025-08-08T18:00:52 - 2025-08-09T00:00:52

Addiction Performance Project

A dramatic reading of Act Three of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night to frame a guided audience discussion about addiction.

August 5, 2025
  • 3:00pm - 5:00pm
  • Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library
    149 Dudley Street
    Boston, MA 02119
  • Contact:
    Arts and Culture
  • Price:
    Price
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Neighborhood
    Roxbury
  • Published Date
Event Date2025-08-05T15:00:43 - 2025-08-05T17:00:43

A banner with the title "Addiction Performance Project" in white text on a black background, featuring the headshots of four participating performers.

The Addiction Performance Project presents dramatic readings of Act Three of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night as a catalyst for guided audience discussions about substance abuse and addiction as they affect individuals, families, caregivers, and communities. O’Neill’s play depicts the struggles of Mary Tyrone, a woman who abuses prescription painkillers and relapses into full-blown morphine addiction, and the impact this has on her family. This unique participatory event is intended to break down the stigma associated with addiction and promote healthy dialogue among diverse communities - public and professional - fostering compassion, cooperation, understanding, and positive action.

Featuring performances by Maryann Plunkett (Little Women, The Squid and the Whale), Peter Frances James (The Rosa Parks Story, Godfather of Harlem), Michael Braugher (The Gilded Age, To Kill a Mockingbird), and Marjolaine Goldsmith (Dress).

Co-presented by Theater of War Productions, Bloomberg American Health Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Boston Public Health Commission, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, and Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture.

Adapted, directed, and facilitated by Bryan Doerries.

August 5, 2025
  • 3:00pm - 5:00pm
  • Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library
    149 Dudley Street
    Boston, MA 02119
  • Contact:
    Arts and Culture
  • Price:
    Price
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Neighborhood
    Roxbury
  • Published Date
Event Date2025-08-05T15:00:43 - 2025-08-05T17:00:43

Boston’s Cultural District Festival: One Boston, Many Stories

Come celebrate the diversity and richness of Boston's cultural districts at our One Boston, Many Stories Festival - a day filled with music.

July 20, 2025
Event Date2025-07-20T12:00:29 - 2025-07-20T17:00:29

Welcome to Boston’s Cultural District’s One Boston, Many Stories Festival! Join us at City Hall Plaza for a day filled with diverse cultural experiences, live performances, art exhibitions, and delicious food. Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Boston’s history and heritage through interactive activities and engaging storytelling sessions. Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate the vibrant cultural mosaic that makes Boston unique. Mark your calendars and come ready to explore, learn, and connect with the community!

This dynamic festival brings together the heartbeats of four unique cultural districts — the Latin QuarterFenway Cultural DistrictRoxbury Cultural District, and Boston Little Saigon.

One Boston, Many Stories is more than a festival — it’s a movement to honor the voices, histories, and creative spirit of our neighborhoods. Come celebrate with us and be part of Boston’s living cultural legacy.

July 20, 2025
Event Date2025-07-20T12:00:29 - 2025-07-20T17:00:29

Dog Licensing And Low-cost Rabies Clinic - Dorchester

Animal Care and Control offers dog licensing and free rabies vaccines at the clinic.

October 18, 2025
  • 10:00am - 2:00pm
  • BCYF Leahy Holloran Community Center
    1 Worrell Street
    Dorchester, MA 02122
  • Contact:
    Animal Care and Control
  • Price:
    Price
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Neighborhood
    Dorchester
  • Event Type:
  • Published Date
  • Downloads:
Event Date2025-10-18T10:00:00 - 2025-10-18T14:00:00
Dog licensing fees:
  • $15 for spayed and neutered pets (please provide proof)
  • $30 for intact males and females
  • For seniors residents over 70, there is no charge to license their pets.
Rabies Vaccine Fees
  • Boston Residents: $5
  • Residents over 70: $2
  • Non-resident: $10
Please note:
  • Three-year rabies vaccines will be given if you are able to show proof of previous rabies vaccines.
  • All pets must be accompanied by a person 18 years or older and on a leash or in a carrier.

For more information, call 617-635-1800 or find us on Facebook @bostonanimal

October 18, 2025
  • 10:00am - 2:00pm
  • BCYF Leahy Holloran Community Center
    1 Worrell Street
    Dorchester, MA 02122
  • Contact:
    Animal Care and Control
  • Price:
    Price
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Neighborhood
    Dorchester
  • Event Type:
  • Published Date
  • Downloads:
Event Date2025-10-18T10:00:00 - 2025-10-18T14:00:00

Dog Licensing And Low-cost Rabies Clinic - Hyde Park

Animal Care and Control offers dog licensing and free rabies vaccines at the clinic.

September 27, 2025
  • 10:00am - 2:00pm
  • BCYF Hyde Park Community Center
    1179 River Street
    Hyde Park, MA 02136
  • Contact:
    Animal Care and Control
  • Price:
    Price
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Neighborhood
    Hyde Park
  • Event Type:
  • Published Date
  • Downloads:
Event Date2025-09-27T10:00:00 - 2025-09-27T14:00:00
Dog licensing fees:
  • $15 for spayed and neutered pets (please provide proof)
  • $30 for intact males and females
  • For seniors residents over 70, there is no charge to license their pets.
Rabies Vaccine Fees
  • Boston Residents: $5
  • Residents over 70: $2
  • Non-resident: $10
Please note:
  • Three-year rabies vaccines will be given if you are able to show proof of previous rabies vaccines.
  • All pets must be accompanied by a person 18 years or older and on a leash or in a carrier.

For more information, call 617-635-1800 or find us on Facebook @bostonanimal

September 27, 2025
  • 10:00am - 2:00pm
  • BCYF Hyde Park Community Center
    1179 River Street
    Hyde Park, MA 02136
  • Contact:
    Animal Care and Control
  • Price:
    Price
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Neighborhood
    Hyde Park
  • Event Type:
  • Published Date
  • Downloads:
Event Date2025-09-27T10:00:00 - 2025-09-27T14:00:00
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