Recovery Month Film Screening - Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy

Please join us for a film screening of and panel discussion about how, in the early 1980s, the crack epidemic tore through America’s inner cities like a tsunami, ravaging all in its wake. Decades later, the destructive effects on people’s lives, families and communities are still deeply felt.

Directed by Stanley Nelson, Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy (2021 | Not Rated | 1 hour and 29 minutes) examines not only the personal devastation caused by the drug, but also the shadowy origins of the crisis and the resultant, ongoing marginalization of Black and Brown people trapped by the U.S. prison and healthcare systems.

Please register on this Eventbrite page.

Panelists

Byron Rushing: Former MA State Representative

Byron Rushing served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1983 to 2018, where his priorities were human and civil rights, and the development of democracy; local human, economic and housing development; and housing and health care for all.

During 1972 to 1985, he was President of the Museum of Afro-American History, when Museum purchased and began the restoration of the African Meeting House, the oldest extant black church building in the United States. In 1979, Byron oversaw the lobbying effort in Congress to establish the Boston African American National Historical Site, a component of the National Park Service.

During the 1960's he was active in the civil rights movement--working for CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) and for the Northern Student Movement. He directed a group of organizers, Roxbury Associates, who helped to found the Lower Roxbury Community Corporation, one of the first CDCs in the nation.

An active Episcopalian, Byron has been an elected lay deputy to its General Convention, the chaplain to its House of Deputies in 1994--the first layperson to hold this position. He serves as Vice-President of the House of Deputies—-the highest elected position held by a layperson in The Episcopal Church.

During all his time in Boston, Byron has worked for and with community-based organizations--for greater political participation and against neighborhood debilitation. He continues his work to increase the understanding of the history of poor and working class people.

Berto Sanchez: Director of Policy and Equity, Bureau of Recovery Services, Boston Public Health Commission

Heriberto "Berto" Sanchez is a bilingual public health professional with over 25 years of experience working in the field of addictions with an emphasis on harm reduction. He has been employed by the Boston Public Health Commission for over 13 years, and currently serves in the position of Director of Policy and Equity. Berto engages and educates organizations across sectors, such as community street-based programs, academic settings, healthcare agencies, and the criminal justice system about harm reduction.

Tania Fernandes Anderson: Boston City Councilor

Tania Fernandes Anderson was born in Cape Verde. At the age of 10, she immigrated from Cape Verde to Roxbury, two places that she says formed the foundation of her unwavering commitment to the community. Councilor Anderson was elected to the Boston City Council on November 2, 2021, becoming the first African immigrant and Muslim-American elected to the Boston City Council. She proudly represents District 7, consisting of Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway, and part of the South End.

Ruth Rollins: Founder, We Are Better Together Warren Daniel Hairston Project

Ruth Rollins is a domestic violence advocate and community leader. She is a co-founder for Operation LIPSTICK (Ladies Involved in Putting a Stop to Inner-City Killing) and is nationally recognized as a leader in addressing gun violence and community violence.

Ruth's personal and professional experience, her spiritual beliefs, and her deep connections in the community make her a powerful force for peace. She is committed to using her expertise in service to help mothers heal and ensure that no families have to suffer in silence. Through the We Are Better Together Warren Daniel Hairston Project, Ruth and courageous mothers like her are working to end cycles of violence in our community.

Moderator

Brendan Little: Brendan Little Strategies; Activist, Filmmaker

Brendan Little has 12 years of experience in government. He served as the inaugural Policy Director for the Mayor's Office of Recovery Services (ORS) from 2016-2021, the City of Boston's office coordinating substance use recovery efforts across the city. ORS was the first municipal recovery office in the United States.

In 2021, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker appointed him to the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund Advisory Council, a body that will determine how the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will spend the millions of dollars from the state’s lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors.

This program is presented in partnership by the Boston Public Library, RIZE Foundation, the City of Boston Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, the City of Boston Mayor's Office of Recovery Services / Boston Public Health Commission, Brendan Little Strategies, and the City of Boston.

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