Gail Snowden

President of First Community Bank, a division of BankBoston.

People need to get over their fear of the inner city and actually locate businesses there. [Harvard Business School professor] Michael Porter wrote a terrific paper on the competitive advantages of the inner city. People need to do more about creating jobs and making sure that the inner city is not an island isolated by this wonderful city.

At First Community Bank, we're seeing a lot of requests from small businesses. I see a lot of economic activity going on. It's just that there are some major projects that need to be undertaken that would actually change the character of the community. For example, in Dudley Square there are a couple of buildings that, if they were renovated and put to good use, the whole physical appearance of the neighborhood would change. If we could do some signature projects, that would jump-start things.

Even though the school system is improving, we are still having problems getting kids of color into the exam schools. But I'm at a stage where I'm also saying I'm not sure it's up to politicians to find solutions. Concerned parents need to band across lines of color and figure out how to get their kids prepared for the schools, or even go to the school committee and raise issues. I've seen politicians raising issues, but I haven't seen parents raising issues.

I can remember years ago, when my parents [Otto and Muriel Snowden] were running Freedom House, it seemed that people stood up more for the things that concerned them. I wonder what's happened to people in this city. Have they become so depressed over the years, and so hopeless, that they feel like their voices don't count?

The livability of the city continues to be one of its greatest assets, particularly since I've moved back into Boston. Right now I'm living in South Boston. I walk along the waterfront and go all the way down to the North End. It's just wonderful. On a Saturday I'll go over to Newbury Street or the Boston Public Library, and I see lots of different kinds of people. It seems to have a vibrance and an excitement. So while we talk about Boston as a city of tribes, I see the other side: lots of young people making a difference and doing things together. Maybe that's where the hope is going to come.

<-- Bruce Marks | Mary Bonauto -->