Imari K. Paris Jeffries

Cognoscenti contributor

Imari K. Paris Jeffries is the executive director of King Boston. A military veteran, he has served in executive roles at several Boston non-profits. Imari serves as a trustee of the UMass system, as well as on the boards of USES and Governor Baker’s Black Advisory Commission. He is pursuing his Ph.D. through UMass Boston’s higher education program.

Recently published

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. acknowledges the crowd at the Lincoln Memorial for his "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington, D.C. in this file photo of Aug. 28, 1963. (AP)

Nearly 60 Years Later, We’re Still Chasing Dr. King’s Dream

We must imagine new ways that economic and racial justice can be met in Massachusetts, writes Imari K. Paris Jeffries. Here are some ideas.

Cognoscenti

Aug 25, 2021

In this June 19, 2020, file photo, protesters chant as they march after a Juneteenth rally at the Brooklyn Museum, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (John Minchillo/AP)

The Promise Of Juneteenth

Juneteenth has the power to bring us together in our newfound humanity, writes Imari K. Paris Jeffries.

Cognoscenti

Jun 18, 2021

A woman hands out surgical masks to people standing in line to vote in Wisconsin’s spring primary election on April 7, 2020 at Riverside High School in Milwaukee, WI. (Sara Stathas for the Washington Post via Getty Images)

Voting Rights Have Never Been Equal. These 6 Reforms Would Help

Voter ID laws, voter purges and poll closures have long been used as strategies to alter elections, write Imari K. Paris Jeffries and Rahsaan Hall. COVID-19 has just made it...

Cognoscenti

Sep 1, 2020