When can you say you’re from Boston?

What are the defining moments and experiences that mark the transition from outsider to Bostonian? The answer to this question perhaps goes back further than we would like to admit: to the revolutionary era.

Boston’s identity has long been rooted in three things: sports, politics and revenge, according to Thomas Whalen, an associate professor of social sciences at Boston University. “The Boston Tea Party represented our cantankerous personality as a city,” Whalen said. “Politically, we don’t like being told what to do. And we will push things to the extreme to guarantee our independence.”

That rebellious spirit, Whalen said, has defined Boston for centuries, making it a city that demands respect and a little courage from anyone who wants to be a part of it. But some will say it’s not that simple.

“I’ve been focusing on being a Black Bostonian lately because I feel like our experience is a little different,” said Kaylicia Merisier, a longtime Mattapan resident. “Traditional Boston marketing is very Paul Revere on night drives, and I wish they would broaden their focus more.”

Dan O’Brien, professor of public policy and urban affairs at Northeastern University, agrees. He views the city as “three Bostons” coexisting side by side. “There’s the old white Boston, the new privileged Boston, and the Boston of people of color,” he explained, adding that the relationships between these groups reflect Boston’s evolving identity. , particularly at the neighborhood level.

“Boston likes to pretend that it’s a city of neighborhoods, and I think that’s really the case,” O’Brien said.

Certain neighborhood customs, O’Brien added, show how long someone has lived here. “In South Boston, during the winter, they have an informal practice of clearing out a parking space and then putting something up to prevent others from using it,” he said. “Knowing these things is something you learn if you’re here long enough.”

Yahaira Acuna, who grew up in East Boston, knows Boston is home because of her neighborhood’s strong community.

“It’s very heavily Hispanic, so it still feels like a community, and people are still looking out for each other,” she said.

Acuna noted, however, that gentrification has begun to change parts of his neighborhood.

“In highly gentrified neighborhoods, it almost doesn’t feel like East Boston anymore… It feels more like a city, more upscale and less like the East Boston I grew up in.”

Acuna’s experience reflects a broader trend that experts see in changing neighborhoods.

“As neighborhoods gentrify, there is often an effort to highlight the culture of certain longtime residents,” said Japonica Brown-Saracino, professor of sociology and women’s, gender and studies. sexuality at Boston University “This usually happens at the same time that these same residents are being pushed out by rising costs.”

The feeling of belonging – and its loss – is at the heart of belonging.

“The feeling of loss highlights belonging…to lose something, you have to be part of something,” said Landon Lauder, a doctoral student in sociology at Boston University, recalling the closure of the LGBTQ+ nightclub beloved Machine. “For me, losing [Machine] It was a pivotal moment where I was like, “Oh, I was part of a community, but now it doesn’t exist anymore.” »

For others, belonging is defined by the connections that endure.

“Being a true Bostonian is when you feel like this is your home and you can’t imagine living anywhere else,” newcomer Amin Karmali said. “It’s when you find something that keeps you here.”

Readers: When can you say you’re “from Boston”?

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