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Boston: Black Men's Health Activation Summit

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Mayor Michelle Wu, the City of Boston, and Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) convened community leaders, public health experts, and advocates for the Black Men's Health Activation Summit on Wednesday, June 3, on the UMass Boston campus. As part of the City of Boston and BPHC's Live Long and Well health equity agenda, the Black Men's Health Activation Summit represents a targeted effort to address inequities in life expectancy, chronic disease, and access to care.

Boston's Black male population experiences disproportionately high rates of preventable illnesses and premature death from screenable cancers, cardiometabolic diseases, and unintentional overdose, causing Black men to have the lowest life expectancy of all Boston residents, an average of nine years less than other men. To close the gap, structural inequities must be addressed with coordinated and sustained action.

"The Black Men's Health Activation Summit follows through on Boston's Live Long and Well health equity plan to address the disparities driving life expectancy gap for Black men in Boston," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "We are convening every resource in our city to take meaningful steps so that every Boston resident has the opportunity to live longer, live well, and be an active part of our communities. Thank you to the Boston Public Health Commission and all of our community members who joined today."

"This is more than a meeting. This is a critical component of our City's investment in Black men's health and well-being. We are committed to addressing long-standing health inequities by working with and investing in the communities that are most impacted," said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health for the City of Boston. "The insights and momentum generated at the Activation Summit will directly inform how we move forward to build a healthier, more equitable city."

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The Black Men's Health Activation Summit helped inform how Boston Public Health Commission will invest $1 million this year in organizations that aim to improve Black men's health. A request for proposals (RFP) will be released this summer to identify partner organizations that target areas of priority championed by participants at the Activation Summit. Going forward, an annual $1 million investment will be made from the Declaration of Racism as a Public Health Crisis funds to continue work supporting Live Long and Well.

BPHC's February 2026 report, Closing the Gap: An Examination of Life Expectancy Among Black Residents in Boston, shows that Black residents have the lowest life expectancy of any racial or ethnic group in the city. From 2013 to 2024, the life expectancy gap between Black residents and their neighbors doubled, growing from 3.3 years to 6.6 years. Between 2022 and 2024, Black women lived an average of 80.1 years, about 6.4 years fewer than their counterparts. During that same period, Black men lived an average of 71.8 years, 9.3 years fewer than other men in Boston. This represents the lowest life expectancy of all groups included in this analysis. Projections show that if no additional and meaningful action is taken to reduce the inequities Boston's Black communities face, the life expectancy gap will remain the same through 2035.

"The life expectancy gaps and unique health challenges that Black men in Boston experience are the result of deeply entrenched disparities and systemic barriers that undermine health. This has to change, and I commend Mayor Wu, the Boston Public Health Commission, and the City of Boston for their commitment to fostering positive change," said Michael Curry, Esq., President and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. "As a trusted provider of care and services in Boston's neighborhoods and in neighborhoods across the state, community health centers are eager to help and share our best practices and insights for promoting accessible and culturally competent care that will improve the health of Black men."

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On Wednesday a cross-sector group of stakeholders engaged in critical conversations about solutions to the adverse systemic, social, and environmental factors that shape poor health outcomes among Black men. During small-group breakout sessions, participants identified challenges and elevated solutions rooted in lived experiences. Sessions included: Strengthening Systems, Equity, Access, and Economic Mobility; Advancing Prevention, Wellness, and Holistic Health; Centering "Behavior and Health" in Behavioral Health; and Building Community, Strengthening Connection, and Mobilizing Collective Action.

A key moment of the event included the recognition of those whose leadership and commitment have already advanced Black men's health in Boston. Honorees included: Manny Lopes, who received the Elmer Freeman "Trailblazer" Award; Concerned Black Men of Massachusetts, Inc, who received the CBO Excellence Award; and Shawn Brown, who received the Unsung Hero Award. Their work reflects the community-driven solutions at the heart of this effort.

"Concerned Black Men of Massachusetts, Inc. (CBMM, Inc.) would like to express our thanks for receiving the CBO Excellence Award from the Boston Public Health Commission Black Men's Health Activation Summit, along with the opportunity to join with others to celebrate and be part of this important convening on behalf of the community!" said Richard Harris, President of Concerned Black Men of Massachusetts, Inc.

BPHC and the City will continue to work with partners across sectors to translate the ideas and connections generated at the summit into concrete initiatives, policies, and programs that support Black men's health and wellbeing.

A recording of the event is available here.

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