February 26, 2021 by Carol Britton Meyer
The recent “Race Talk” panel discussion, hosted by the Hingham Unity Council, attracted 200 participants -- residents, METCO Director Carols Perez, Police Chief David Jones and other members of the police department, Fire Chief Steve Murphy, town and school officials, and state legislators.
The remote conversation, moderated by Hingham resident Manny Oppong, featured a conversation among three Hingham residents -- including himself -- about what it’s like to be a person of color living in Hingham and their thoughts about racism and race as defined by their personal experiences.
HUC member Katie Sutton explained to participants that about a year and a half ago a number of concerned residents got together in the wake of some disturbing posts on social media "to talk and learn from one another about issues that affect our most marginalized residents.”
In late summer 2019, the HUC reached out to different people in town, “making an intentional effort to connect outside of our normal circles so that we were not just gathering like-minded people. We had a big meeting at the Community Center to listen and learn about what was most important to people.”
Since then, HUC has hosted a number of events, forums, and initiatives to try to create more opportunities for open dialogue, including the Feb. 25 “Race Talk.”
Hingham Unity Council leadership has also formed an independent sister organization, the Hingham Families of Color -- a Facebook page for people of color and their families who live in Hingham to connect and network.
“We plan to keep in close touch with this group so that the decisions we make and actions we take will be informed by their perspectives,” Sutton said.
She also highlighted HUC’s Black History Month project, which involves Black community members -- some who participated in “Race Talk,” as well as Hingham Historical Society and Harbor Media’s Joe Collymore to develop an online Black History Hingham timeline featuring some of the rich history and contributions of Black community members in Hingham over the past 400 hundred years.
In addition to Oppong, Sonya Fairhurst and Marc Lucas shared their experiences about living in Hingham. Participants were also encouraged to ask questions anonymously through “Chat.” All three parents and their families have lived in town for a number of years.
Oppong, the father of three boys who are enrolled in the Hingham Public Schools and who has lived in Hingham since 2008, led the conversation.
After experiencing racism in another town throughout the process of buying and moving into a new home, his family moved to Hingham.
After his experience in the other community, Oppong decided to “stay in my own corner” to avoid potential racial incidents. “I did that successfully for a few years until my kids started school, and then I couldn’t hide any longer,” he said.
Fortunately, a friend who was a member of the HUC helped make him feel more comfortable and part of the town and introduced him to the Council.
“I’m so happy to be here today [as part of the panel discussion],” Oppong said. “I went from living in seclusion to being part of this conversation today.”
Fairhurst -- a bi-racial mother of four who grew up in Hingham as did her parents -- lives in town because she feels comfortable here, despite a few race-related incidents she as a student earlier and her children more recently have experienced in school and on the school bus, including being called disparaging names.
She finds it hard to believe that “kids are using the same [racist] terms today that they did when I was in school.”
In response to a question about what she would say if a family of color asked if they should move to Hingham, Fairhurst responded, “Overall, the community has been very good to me, my family, and my kids, even though it creates a little bubble. My family has a long history here, and it’s a lovely town with lovely people. I’ve always felt safe and welcomed. It’s an amazing place to live and to raise kids.”
Fairhurst said becoming a HUC member is a good way for people of color to become involved in the community.
Lucas -- a father of three who grew up in Brockton and has lived on the South Shore all his life -- attended law school in Boston before deciding to move to Hingham in 2011 when searching for a larger home for his family.
After experiencing racial profiling in the past, Lucas said he expected to be stopped in Hingham sooner rather than later once he moved here and to be asked if he “belonged” in the community.
He was right. After attending an event at South School and parking on the street, a Hingham police officer knocked on his door upon his return home to say that a neighbor living near the school had filed a “suspicious character” report.
“I said I would be going to the school for the next 10 to 12 years, so what could I do to avoid such incidents in the future,” Lucas recalled.
The police officer made a couple of suggestions, and the issue was resolved amicably. However, it was disconcerting to see neighbors walking down the street who observed the presence of a police officer after just moving into their new home.
At the same time, Lucas called the Farms Hill community, where his family resides, an “incredible place to live.”
In response to a question about whether seeing the rainbow flag with brown and black stripes added to include people of color and Black Lives Matter signs around town might provide a feeling of safety for people of color, Lucas said yes, along with attending a Hingham rally, all of which were “a comfort to me and a sign of acceptance.”
Another question related to whether there should be consequences for students who use “hate speech” in school, with all three responding resoundingly in the affirmative.
Yet another question asked whether having a HPS director of equity and inclusion might encourage more families of color to move to Hingham. Adding such a position would make a statement about the town’s priorities and set a standard for the community was the general thought.
In response to a question about their children’s experience attending schools “where their teachers don’t look like them,” Lucas said because his wife is white, that’s not an issue. “Children learning from teachers who look like them helps them evolve as individuals,” he said. “There’s something to be said about having a mentor who looks like you.”
Multiple questions related to how people of color might respond to the thin blue line flag and how it might affect their sense of community.
“That’s a tough question,” said Lucas, whose best friend is a police officer. “To some people it might signal another agenda besides supporting the police. Black Lives Matter signs and the Rainbow Flag [with the brown and black stripes] are at least pushing for diversity.”
He said he would welcome more conversations like “Race Talk” because “the more people talk, the more they realize that there is more uniting than separating them.”
Keeping the lines of communication open is important, according to Fairhurst. “Keep talking, keep talking,” she said.
Oppong thanked everyone who participated, noting, “This is all for the good of the town.”
To join the HUC email list, visit hinghamunity.org. or email info@hinghamunity.org for further information. The “Race Talk” video will be posted on the HUC website in the near future.
HUC is also hoping to host a candidates' forum, more race and other talks, book and affordable housing discussions, and social/community-building events and to work with the HPS Equity Task Force.