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Facilitators raising their hands

A historic year behind us.

Big elections coming up.

Now is the time for Boston’s historically underheard to have a real voice.
Prioritized Neighborhoods

Listen to the powerful testimonies of your neighbors

Leading up to the local elections in November, Real Talk hosted small group conversations with folks across the city that are too often underheard by current civic processes. These conversations were grounded in the rich practice of sharing experiences, initiated by two questions:

What is your question about the future of Boston and your place in it? And...What experience led you to that question?

This portal features a growing number of deeply personal answers to those questions, which you can explore by theme, neighborhood, and key demographics.

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Explore the conversation portal >

In the news

BNN: Watch mayoral candidates Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George respond to clips from Real Talk conversations with Boston residents.

Annissa Essaibi George Interview Subscribe Arrow Red

Michelle Wu Interview Subscribe Arrow Red

Anissa Essaibi George and Michelle Wu featured on BNN

Real Talk for Change featured in the Boston Globe

Read the Article Subscribe Arrow Red

RTFC Featured in the Boston Globe

How it works

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1
You join one of many conversations around the city.
Trained facilitators will host 100+ small group, recorded conversations with Bostonians in neighborhoods across the city.
2
Real Talk highlights and summarizes the conversations.
Real Talk fellows and facilitators will use online tools to highlight and summarize the conversations in a publicly viewable conversation portal.
3
Your voices will be shared on the live conversation portal with...
Boston city hall

BOSTON’S MAYORAL AND CITY COUNCILOR CANDIDATES

Boston’s mayoral and city councilor candidates will be invited to use the conversation portal to better understand the hopes, concerns, and experiences of the city’s voters

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DEBATE MODERATORS AND JOURNALISTS

The fellows will also use conversations to inform recommended questions for debate moderators and media interviewers.

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THE GENERAL PUBLIC

Finally, the portal will be made available to the public to listen and learn from one another.

Prioritized Neighborhoods

This is your chance to be heard.

We are giving the mic to folks who are experiencing the most urgent issues of our time: poverty, racism, housing instability, immigration, and mass incarceration.

Join a conversation

...
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Learn more >

Our Collaborators

Cortico
MIT Center for Constructive Communication
Dunk The Vote
The Boston Foundation
Circle of Nations Inc.
Family Nurturing Center MA
South End Technology Center
Metro Boston Alive
Freedom House
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