In our city and across the state, the minority-owned businesses that Bostonians used to frequent each day are facing unparalleled struggles due to the economic recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now more than ever, the Boston community needs to work with Black and Latinx entrepreneurs to close the racial wealth gap.

On June 22, Eastern Bank hosted a Color & Capital For Good virtual town hall to discuss what can be done to support professionals of color and their communities in Boston.

Eastern Bank President Quincy Miller's Community Pledge
Near the closing of Eastern Bank's town hall, Quincy Miller asked viewers to join an inaugural community pledge and be part of the solution to ending Boston's wealth gap in underresourced communities. As president and vice chairman of Eastern Bank, Quincy Miller leads the overall strategic direction at Eastern. He has been instrumental in much of the work Eastern has done to support minority-owned businesses.

Since he is a core advisor for the growth of Boston's business community and a notable member of Get Konnected's 100 Most Influential People of Color in Boston, there was no one better to lead participants of the virtual town hall in the community pledge.

Pledge to Do Your Part in Closing the Racial Wealth Gap
This pledge serves as a call to action to affirm one's commitment to positively and diligently work towards dismantling the racial wealth gap.

• I recognize that dismantling racial inequities requires intentional efforts to change my thinking and actions.
• I will deliberately seek and suggest working with small Black & Latinx businesses when in need of vendors for my company/organization.
• I will lead in sponsoring Black and Latinx businesses.
• I will intentionally buy from Black and Latinx small business owners.
• I believe in the power of speaking up for Black and Latinx community members, especially when they are not in the room.
• I will intentionally make room at the table for diverse representation and true inclusivity of diverse voices.
• I will lead in curating brave spaces to unpack and address personal biases that further perpetuate oppressive behavior to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
• I will ask questions rather than lead with assumptions when entering unchartered territory.
• I will use my voice intentionally to make room in all spaces for Black and Latinx representation, especially in leadership roles.

Take Eastern Bank's community pledge and encourage others to commit alongside you to dismantling the systems that create and sustain the racial wealth gap.