Hear our voices. A digital protest hosted by Black creators.

On Tuesday, June 9th at 3pm EST, join Black creators for a digital protest designed to hold a space for those who are unable to protest in person during this pandemic. While the event is free, they are accepting donations, with 100% of proceeds going towards Black Lives Matter.

Be sure to register today!

Black-owned marijuana store looted in Boston

Following peaceful protests in Boston on Sunday, May 31st, Pure Oasis, the first Black-owned marijuana store in Massachusetts and the first retail marijuana shop in Boston, was looted.

Founded by Kevin Hart and Kobie Evans, Pure Oasis first opened its doors on March 9, 2020, only two weeks before they were forced to shut down as Governor Charlie Baker issued an emergency order shutting down all “non-essential” businesses in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic. On Monday, May 18th, the business was allowed to reopen for curbside pick-up only, as part of Massachusetts’ Phase I reopening plan.

Now, less than two weeks later, the store has lost over $100,000 worth of product in what they believe was a targeted attack. Despite the robbery, the store is already open for business and doing what they can to recoup their losses.

At this time, we don’t know of any efforts to donate directly to the store other than by purchasing product, but we will keep you posted if that changes!

Business Highlight: Frugal Bookstore in Roxbury

Frugal Bookstore is a family-owned, family-run business located in Roxbury and the only Black-owned bookstore in Boston. The owners Clarrissa and Leonard Egerton are on a mission to “Change Minds One Book At A Time.” But their work doesn’t stop there. In addition to selling books, Frugal Bookstore is host to a number of community events, including poetry nights and book signings.

You can support Frugal Bookstore today by placing an order or by donating directly to their GoFundMe page, and help them stay afloat during the pandemic.

Learn more about bookstore here.

Welcome to Boston Beat

Welcome to Boston Beat! This website was put together with the hope of bringing more visibility to Black-owned businesses in and around Boston, and to highlight talented local artists and musicians.

As we get things up and running, we’d love to hear your feedback. Please let us know if you have any thoughts or ideas for the site, or if you’d like to contribute!

In the meantime, stay tuned for a number of exciting new features, including:

  • Artist spotlights, where we interview local artists and musicians and showcase their work.
  • Business spotlights
  • And more!

Make sure to follow us to stay up-to-date on new content as it arrives.