City Council nominates candidates for Boston Commission on Black Men and Boys

Updated March 16 at 7:42 p.m.

The Boston City Council Wednesday approved a list of 14 names for the newly formed city Commission on Black Men and Boys, and Mayor Michelle Wu will choose seven to appoint.

The commission was established last September and carries a wide-ranging charge including: advising the mayor on issues pertaining to Black men and boys; assisting the mayor's office in determining budget and policy priorities; and designing projects and programs that promote equity without duplicating existing city initiatives.

The council's slate of recommendations includes former Roxbury City Councilor and mayoral candidate Tito Jackson and the Seaport Advisory Council’s former director of port development Louis Elisa.

The panel will ultimately consist of 21 members, all appointed by the mayor, serving staggered terms of two, three and four years.

At-Large Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune said that Wu had requested the recommendations in order to collaborate with the Council. The names, she said, came to City Council through an online application process.

Dorchester Councilor Brian Worrell, the Council's lone Black man, will also serve on the commission in a yet-to-be determined capacity, Louijeune said.

"It's our understanding that Brian Worrell, who had overwhelming support during the City Council process, will be included in the administration selection process, which may also include being a member of the steering committee," she said.

Earlier this year, the ordinance establishing the commission was amended to ensure that paid city employees can serve on the volunteer commission without conflict.

Wu has said that she will tap Frank Farrow, executive director of the Mayor's Office of Black Male Advancement, to lead the commission. In a statement Wednesday, Farrow said he's grateful for the nominations.

"I look forward to supporting the Mayor as she selects seven members from this group to join the other fourteen members that will be advising the City on our work to address the challenges facing Black men and boys in Boston," he said.

The 14 recommended names are: Tito Jackson, Darryl Miller, James Hills, Dave Bazil, James Mackey, Jeff Similien, Justin Brown, Alex Edwards, Devin Morris, Kurt Faustin, Kwame Adams, Louis Elisa, Osa Ohiomoba and Stephen Hanton.

Correction: A previous version of this article said that Louis Elisa still worked on the Seaport Advisory Council. That has been corrected.