We are excited to share the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion June newsletter featuring news, updates, and important information from our Cabinet.

Mayor Michelle Wu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Segun Idowu, and Director of Small Business Aliesha Porcena on stage with this year's 30 Legacy Business Award honorees at the 2025 Legacy Business Awards on June 3.

2025 LEGACY BUSINESS AWARDS CONCLUDES CITY OF BOSTON SMALL BUSINESS MONTH

In Honor of Small Business Month, throughout May, we hosted, sponsored, and promoted over 60 events aimed at supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs.

On June 3, we concluded Small Business Month with the 2025 Legacy Business Awards, celebrating 30 businesses representing 18 neighborhoods. The ceremony featured remarks from Mayor Michelle Wu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Segun Idowu, and Director of Small Business Aliesha Porcena. The Dorchester Reporter co-sponsored the event, with co-publisher Linda Dorcena Forry serving as emcee.

“I’m here to thank you tonight for your determination, not just to run your business but to believe in our city—to believe in what’s possible when you make it so people can find a home away from home and find the best of their community,” said Mayor Wu during her remarks.

As a collective, this year's honorees have been in business for over 1,200 years in Boston. It was a wonderful evening honoring a new cohort of legacy businesses who work tirelessly to make Boston feel like home for residents and visitors.

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES 2025 SCALE PROGRAM GRANT RECIPIENTS

Mayor Michelle Wu recently announced the 27 businesses participating in the City of Boston Department of Supplier Diversity’s Supplying Capital and Leveraging Education (SCALE) Program. 

Through the SCALE Program, the City of Boston provides participating small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses with six months of industry-specific technical assistance and grant funding of up to $200,000. The grant program funding is provided through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and is anticipated to total $6.5 million. The purpose of the program is to build businesses’ capacity to more effectively bid on, win, and perform public contracts, specifically for the City of Boston. 

This announcement builds on Mayor Wu’s work to make Boston a home for everyone and the City’s overall efforts to support small businesses across Boston neighborhoods.

OFFICE OF NIGHTLIFE ECONOMY LAUNCHES LATE NIGHT FOOD TRUCK PROGRAM

The Office of Nightlife Economy recently launched the Late Night Food Truck Program. This new program provides food trucks with the opportunity to utilize public sites designated for late night service. The seven sites are located near hospitals, universities, music venues, and nightlife districts, providing workers, residents, and patrons nighttime food options. 

Similar to the City of Boston Food Truck Program, food truck operators participated in an online lottery to select their sites. The lottery took place on Friday, June 6.

James Reginald Colimon, Deputy Director of Global Affairs and Protocol for the City of Boston, Gregg Carmen, General Manager and Head of North America for Qblox, Alia Forrest, Director of Business Strategy for the City of Boston, Niels Bultink, CEO of Qblox, and Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion for the City of Boston, at the Qblox grand opening.

QBLOX OPENS NORTH AMERICAN HEADQUARTERS IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON

On Wednesday, June 4, Qblox—a Dutch company leading globally in quantum control stack technology—officially opened their North American headquarters in Downtown Boston.

Representatives from the City of Boston, including Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Segun Idowu and Director of Business Strategy Alia Forrest, joined Qblox CEO Niels Bultink and General Manager and Head of North America Gregg Carmen to celebrate their opening at 99 High Street.

GLOBAL AFFAIRS WELCOMES HONG KONG UNIVERSITY MBA STUDENTS TO CITY HALL

On Wednesday, May 28, the City of Boston Global Affairs team welcomed a group of students visiting from Hong Kong University to City Hall. Deputy Director of Global Affairs and Protocol James Colimon and International Business Strategy Manager Yuxi Wang discussed how the City of Boston Business Strategy team works to engage and recruit global companies to expand their presence and establish offices in Boston.

TOURISM, SPORTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT

ECHOES OF FREEDOM

June 18 | The Strand Theatre | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Join the City of Boston for Echoes of Freedom, an evening of music, history, and celebration featuring the Howard University Gospel Choir, in honor of Juneteenth. This special performance will uplift, reflect, and celebrate Black resilience and liberation, filling the historic Strand Theatre with songs of hope, struggle, and triumph.

SUPPLIER DIVERSITY

WHITE STADIUM CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITY FAIR

June 24 | William E. Reed Auditorium| 6 pm - 8 pm

Join the City of Boston, Boston Unity Soccer Partners, and the White Stadium Supplier Diversity Advisory Group for the final White Stadium Contracting Opportunity Fair. This fair will take place on Tuesday, June 24 from 6 pm to 8 pm at the William E. Reed Auditorium (24 Washington Street, Dorchester).

At these events, contractors learn more about the White Stadium project’s status, contract opportunities, timelines, and expectations.

TOURISM, SPORTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT

DONNA SUMMER DISCO PARTY

June 27 | City Hall Plaza | 5 pm - 9 pm

The 11th Annual Donna Summer Disco Party will feature DJ Vince 1 spinning Donna Summer’s greatest hits in a groovy atmosphere complete with glow sticks, colorful lights, a disco ball, and the highly anticipated return of roller skating on City Hall Plaza.

Last month, Corean Reynolds, Director of Nightlife Economy for the City of Boston, visited Midway Cafe in Jamaica Plain. This local and iconic small music venue and cafe is keeping Boston’s nightlife alive seven days a week.

Since 1987, Midway Cafe has been a hub for live entertainment in JP, from Grateful Dead cover bands and comedy nights to their weekly Queeraoke every Thursday night.

Hear from owner Jay Balerna as Corean speaks to him about Midway Cafe’s impact on the local nightlife scene here in Boston. Visit midwaycafe.com to check out upcoming shows and events. They’re open daily until 2 AM at 3496 Washington Street in JP!

SERVICES | EVENTS | NEWS | DEPARTMENTS

Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion

1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201

econdev@boston.gov

617-635-5729

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