On Tuesday, Dumas Lafontant of the Friends of Frederick Douglass visited with 7th and 8th graders to deliver exciting news and an inspiring message. Due to student letters advocating for a statute of Frederick Douglass in Roxbury, the Boston Art Commission recently decided to move forward and support the project. The Friends of Frederick Douglass, a group of prominent local artists, have been lobbying for the project for four years. They had reached a dead end until the Commission received the students’ letters. Mr. Lafontant praised students for their civic engagement. “What you have done is remarkable,” he told students. “Your efforts helped push the statue project forward. People always say that young people are the leaders of tomorrow. But with your actions, you have shown that young people are leaders of today. I hope you continue to choose to fight for justice and equity throughout your lives.”
At the invitation of the Boston Arts Commission, a small group of students attended a commission meeting on Tuesday afternoon to observe the decision-making process. Students will return to the Commission on April 12 to formally present their case to the Commission.