BOSTON — “I grew up in humble beginnings,” said Lee Pelton, President and CEO of The Boston Foundation. “The house that I lived in growing up had no indoor plumbing until I was six years old.”
That was in Wichita, Kansas back in the 1950s.
Fast forward a few decades — and 1,400 miles — and Pelton is now at the helm of one of Boston’s most venerable institutions.
Founded in 1915, The Boston Foundation now has net assets of $1.7 billion.
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Pelton said his principal role at the foundation is to improve lives and strengthen communities. “That is our mission, and we do that with equity in the center of all that we do and all that we hope to do.”
Pelton came to The Boston Foundation in 2021 after leading Emerson College for a decade.
His primary objective for the foundation is sharpening its focus to make equity central to all its projects.
“Now is a time for us to pivot in a different way.”
One particular area of concern is addressing the wealth gap. Pelton says it’s massive here in the Boston area.
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Citing a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, he said, “White residents have a net worth of almost $250,000 and that Black residents have a net worth of eight bucks. That’s not a mistake. Eight dollars.”
Another issue Pelton wants to address is the disparity in housing. “Because it is still the largest component of accumulated wealth for most individuals and families. It’s a way to build wealth.”
When asked what gives him hope for the future, Pelton said “What gives me hope about the city of Boston is it continues to change. This is not the place that you know 50 years ago, where we had, you know, the 1974 disruption and busing. We’ve made tremendous progress.”
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“No Kings” rallies are scheduled in Boston and across Massachusetts on Saturday and are expected to draw large crowds, organizers said.
Organized by the ACLU of Massachusetts, Indivisible Mass Coalition, and Mass 50501, the event is a mass mobilization in protest of the Trump administration.
The No Kings theme was created by the 50501 Movement, a national movement made up of Americans who stand for democracy and against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. The name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement.
“The Trump administration is trying to shred the Constitution; the No Kings movement is an unequivocal statement that we, the people, will not let that happen. This will be the third global No Kings Day, and it’s not just about protesting what’s wrong—it’s about building something better. We intend to show our power, build our power, and power a democracy that advances freedom, equality, justice, and dignity for all,” organizers wrote.
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The rally, one of thousands scheduled across the country this weekend, is planned for the Boston Common from 2 to 4 p.m. More than 100,000 people are expected to attend Boston’s rally. Other events are scheduled in Pittsfield, Northampton, Lancaster, Worcester, Framingham, Methuen, Lexington, and towns in southeastern Massachusetts and the Cape. For a map of No Kings events near you, click here.
Speakers include elected officials Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Gov. Maura Healey, Sen. Ed Markey and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, and civic leaders Hessann Farooqi Marcelo Gomes Da Silva, Darlene Lombos, president of the Greater Boston Labor Council, Carol Rose, executive director of ACLU of Massachusetts, Jessica Tang, president of the American Federation of Teachers of Massachusetts, and others. It will be moderated by Rahsaan Hall, president and CEO of Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts.
There will also be performances by the Dropkick Murphys, Boston Area Brigade of Activist Musicians, BVOCAL Chorus, and Jimmy Tingle.
A previous No Kings rally in October drew massive crowds estimated in the tens of thousands.
NBC10 Boston
NBC10 Boston
An aerial view of the crowd at Boston’s “No Kings” rally on the Common on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025.
ALLSTON, MASS. (WHDH) – Boston police are searching for a gunman who opened fire in Allston Thursday and left one person hurt.
Police responded to a radio call for a person shot in the area of Brighton Avenue at approximately 6:46 p.m. When officers arrived, they said they found a male “juvenile” suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim’s age has not been released.
Boston police said the shooter fled the scene and remains at large. No arrests have been made.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Boston police.
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This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
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:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/GD7JXCIVCRHL5DRKY7F5BVIVHI.jpeg?ssl=1 "Black History Month: Lee Pelton working to close Boston’s wealth gap")
