Recents
Community Events
Find black, urban, & queer events here.
Hosting something the community should know about? Add it to the TBI calendar.
Oldway Sessions X TCC
Oldway Sessions delivers a free, low-barrier arts-based education experience rooted in the movement, history, and cultural traditions of Ballroom Old Way, facilitated by Rodd Juicy 007. Through recurring sessions, participants develop technical skills, artistic confidence, historical understanding, and creative expression in an affirming learning environment. Each session serves as an incubator for preserving and passing forward Ballroom’s living lineage as a Black Queer Cultural tradition.
HEARTH : a queer men of color cocktail night | Partiful
The classic Men of Melanin Magic-style cocktail night & day party returns for its FOURTH INSTALLMENT, hosted by Allain and Corei This event seeks to bring together Boston’s gay/bi/trans/queer men of color for fellowship and fun under one roof. This is a guerrilla-style takeover of the space aiming to pack the room out with as much of the Greater Boston community as possible. No reservations, no special treatment, just energy. Consider this an ongoing social experiment: can Boston’s new guard recreate a certain sorcery that took our city by storm so many years ago?
TDOR Trans Artist Open Mic
TDOR Trans Artist Open Mic at Ula Cafe, Jamaica Plain — a call for trans artists & creatives, framed for Transgender Awareness Month and Trans Day of Remembrance. Open now for sign-up.
$5 Third Thursday at the MFA
Enjoy the MFA after dark with just $5 admission from 5 to 10 PM. Explore galleries including Counter History: Contemporary Art from the Collection, join hands-on art-making, shop, and experience the museum in a whole new way. $5 minimum, pay-what-you-wish.
The JUKE at Roundhead Brewing Company | Creativity, Community, & Culture
Get Ready for The JUKE! Here’s your invitation. THE JUKE is where community, performance, and culture meet. Join us for a night celebrating local Boston artists through live performance and good energy in a community space. We got a room you can come back to. Featured Artists Come experience a curated lineup of Featured Artists bringing their talent, stories, and full energy to the stage. Follow us in on Facebook and Instagram @thejuke_wherewemeet to learn more about the artists. At the JUKE, each one performs a 15 minute set sharing their artistry. Every JUKE is a little different, and that's part of the fun. The Community Stage Is Open to You Singers, dancers, poets, comedians, DJs, and performance artists are welcome! The Community Stage is your opportunity to share your art, whether it's something you've been rehearsing, creating, or spending time with and are ready to bring into the room. Each performer gets up to 5 minutes to share their work. Night-of slots are limited, so sign up in advance to secure yours. Visit our website to sign up and learn more. We'd love to see what you've been working on! Make a Night of It at Roundhead Come for THE JUKE and stay for the vibes. Roundhead Brewing is an intimate, laid-back space with local beers, good people, and Latin-inspired food that deserves your attention. With non-alcoholic, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, there's something for everyone. Grab a bite, sip something local, settle in, and make a night of it. Come for the Art. Stay for the People. Whether you're ready to perform, supporting a friend, discovering local talent, or simply looking for a good night out, there's a place for you at THE JUKE Event Details | THE JUKE | Thursday, November 19th at 8pm Community Connections and Seating begins at 7:30pm. Free RSVP ADA Accessible Free Parking Available Roundhead Food and Drinks Available for Purchase THE JUKE. Where we meet.
The Pumps New England Awards Kiki Ball
✨👠The Pumps New England Kiki Awards Ball 👠✨ A celebration of the power, glamour, and CUNT of wearing heels on the ballroom floor. It’s a call to bring the PUMPS back— back to the runway, back to performance, and back into the culture of stepping onto the floor and commanding the room ✨👠 For every, you are challenged to incorporate pumps into your effect. Whether you're a seasoned walker or putting on heels for the first time, this is the time to pump the runway! This isn't about who has the highest heel or the most expensive shoe. It's about how you wear it, how you move in it, and what you create with it! 👠✨ ✨Location: Spontaneous Celebrations (45 Danforth St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130) ✨MC: Icon Precious & "The Voice of New England" Pooh Mulan ✨DJ: Mars 007 ‼️Free Entry‼️ ✨House Tables: Six house are FREE on first come, first serve basis✨ Doors Open at 6pm‼️ OTY New England Award Ceremony at 7pm‼️ LSS begins at 8pm!‼️ ✨Categories Breakdowns✨ 👠Beginner’s Performance “Break Them In!” (1 Trophy) Beginners get ready to step onto the floor in their pumps! Show us that even if you're new, you know how to move, dip, and perform in your heels. 👠 Virgin Runway “First Time in Pumps!” (1 Trophy) Your first runway experience in pumps! Whether they're sky-high, classic, platform, or strappy, show us that your first walk can still be unforgettable. 👠Commentator v Commentator “Pump the Beat!” (1 Trophy) DJ pump the beat! Each commentator must use the word “pump” in an original chant! Can you make us FEEL it!? 👠Best Dressed “Pumps Complete the Look!” (1 Trophy) The outfit isn't complete without the perfect pair of pumps. Serve a head-to-toe look where your shoes are the finishing touch! 👠Face “Beat it!” (1 Trophy) Make sure your BEAT compliments your PUMPS! The pumps may be on your feet, but the attention should be on your face. Sell the fantasy from your eyes down to your toes. (Male Figure and Female Figure) 👠Realness “Pump it Up!” (10 Trophies) PUMPS or not! Show us that you’re real no matter the shoes! Male Figure: Executive, Thugs, Pretty Boy, Trans Man, School Boy Female Figure: Everyday, Bangy, Pretty Girl, Drags, Butch 👠OTA Runway “Pump the Runway!” (2 Trophies) Bring your best runway! Strut, pose, turn, and give us a walk that makes the judges forget you're walking on shoes designed to make you suffer! (European: Heels are MANDATORY! American: Dress shoes are MANDATORY!) 👠OTA Performance “If the pumps fit, PERFORM!” (6 Trophies) HEELS are MANDATORY! Whether it’s a block or stiletto, step onto the floor and show us what you can do in your pumps! Give us performance, attitude, musicality, and creativity from the first beat to the last! (Femme Queen, Butch Queen, Womens, Twisters, Drags, Old Way) 👠Legendary/Iconic Performance “Dust off those Pumps!” (1 Trophy) Has it been a minute? That never mattered! Put on your best pumps and show us why you’re legendary and/or iconic! HEELS are MANDATORY! 👠 $1k Tag Team Performance “The Perfect Pair of Pumps! (2 Trophies) Two performers, four pumps, one performance. Work together to create a pump fantasy that shows cohesion, creativity, and control! HEELS are MANDATORY!
News
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TBI Mag
Cover StoryNews
Massachusetts Votes Tuesday: Most Ballot Questions In History & the Racial History Behind Question 8
Read Cover StoryLatest News
1News
Massachusetts Votes Tuesday: Most Ballot Questions In History & the Racial History Behind Question 8
Massachusetts voters head to the polls Tuesday, November 3, to elect state and federal officials and decide nine statewide ballot questions, the largest number of binding statewide questions in the Commonwealth's history. In Boston, polling places will be open from 7 a.
2News
Boston opens $1M grant competition for Black men's health — proposals due Oct. 30
Boston has opened a $1 million funding competition for organizations working to improve Black men’s health, with applications due by 5 p. 30 according to the official request for proposals.
3News
Black Cat Eatery Closes Its Wink & Nod Residency After a Final South End Service
Chef Valentine Howell and Renea Adger’s Black Cat Eatery served its final dinner at Wink & Nod on Sunday, Oct. 11, closing the Afro-Caribbean residency inside the South End cocktail bar’s Culinary Incubator kitchen.
4News
BryanXMiguel Hosted Fashion Night Out at ba&sh, Extending Boston Fashion Week Beyond Its Official Calendar
BryanXMiguel hosted Fashion Night Out at ba&sh on Newbury Street on Oct. 9, bringing local fashion creatives together during Boston Fashion Week for an evening built around networking, collaboration and the kind of room the duo has spent years learning how to create.
News Desk Preview
Local + National Watch
Local
Oct 14
Boston opens $1M grant competition for Black men's health — proposals due Oct. 30
Boston has opened a $1 million funding competition for organizations working to improve Black men’s health, with applications due by 5 p. 30 according to the official request for proposals.
Oct 7
Candace Nguyen Wins Inaugural Lavender Laureate Award from Queer History Boston
Candace Nguyen, known for her drag persona Candace Persuasian and a viral Beyoncé Renaissance Film moment, was named the first-ever Lavender Laureate at Queer History Boston's revamped Living Archive Honors. Candace has spent years making space for trans people in Boston — in drag rooms, health care, community work and City Hall.
National / World
Oct 2
No Murder Charge, But Nolan Wells’ Death Still Leaves Too Much Unanswered
A Mississippi grand jury found no evidence of criminal conduct in the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, who disappeared on Horn Island over the Fourth of July and was found dead two days later. His family's attorney, Ben Crump, says the case still leaves more questions than answers.
Sep 29
Years Of Black Journalism Disappeared From BET's Website
BET Digital has permanently removed years of written news articles from BET.com in a shift toward video-first content, erasing a large share of its written record of Black culture, entertainment, and news coverage.
TBI Directory
Talents & Certifieds
The Talent Studio
BIPOC or Queer artists, & change makers
The Business Certifieds
Established Black owned and culturally aligned businesses
District 7
Royal C. Smith's vision has transformed Roxbury's Warren Street with not one, but two thriving Black-owned establishments: the long-standing District 7 Tavern, a vibrant neighborhood juke joint, and the newer District 7 Cafe, a welcoming spot for coffee, community, and nourishing meals, both serving as vital anchors for the local Black community.
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Beacon Academy
Closing Opportunity Gaps and Cultivating Black Leaders for Competitive Futures, Beacon Academy empowers talented students from under-resourced communities with a unique 10-year program, providing intensive preparation and long-term support to ensure their success in competitive high schools, colleges, and careers, while fostering pride in their authentic Black and diverse identities.
View cardSpaces
Find Black and queer spaces, gathering places, clubs, programs, and communities built for connection, recovery, or entertainment.