Derek Green (LeadBoston Class of 2013), Admin Assistant at the Boston Police Department, spoke with YW Boston about Black History Month, his accomplishments, and the importance of teaching Black History in schools. 

What does Black History mean to you? 

Black History means to celebrate, highlight and observe any and all who have made contributions to Black people, culture, and society. Black History should have no end date as history is constantly being made. 

What personal or professional accomplishment are you most proud of? 

I am proud of my work coaching youth with the Mattapan Patriots.  For the past fouryears I have coached kids ages 5 to 10 in youth tackle football.  Although we have shared several stories of success and championships on the field, the real victories occur off the field when we help the youth develop socially and morally.  

What is a family tradition you wish to pass down to the next generation? 

The family tradition I would like to pass down is the holiday of Kwanzaa. 

What are your thoughts on recent efforts to reduce or remove lessons on Black history in public schools? 

I can’t understand why Black history is being removed from schools. Black history is a part of American history and World history. Without Black history, there is no history. 

What are you reading, watching, or listening to right now? Do you have any Black History Month book, documentary, or podcast recommendations? 

I’m listening to Killer Mike (hip hop) and the Push Black podcast. I also tune in to Dr. Umar Johnson. 

About LeadBoston

Our signature leadership program, LeadBoston, supports all individual participants as they create and implement a leadership commitment. This leadership commitment is an action plan that confronts some of the systemic inequities they’ve learned about and that are showing up in their organization. This plan, and the collective LeadBoston experience, empowers leaders to create meaningful change in their workplaces, in their communities, and in the city of Boston itself. Staff work alongside alums for a year following the program to ensure participants have what they need to see their plan through. Click here to learn more.