The Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, the Greater Boston Latino Network and Amplify Latinx today asked the Justice Department to look into why the city of Boston awarded only 1.2% of $2.1 billion in procurement contracts in recent years went to Black and Latino businesses.

Lawyers for Civil Rights filed the complaint for the groups with the federal departments of Justice and Transportation this morning.

In a statement, BECMA President and CEO Segun Idowu said:

The study reveals what BECMA members and community leaders have been saying for decades: The City of Boston does not value Black businesses or the Black community. Mayor Martin J. Walsh and his administration have failed to deliver fair and equitable procurement for Black owned businesses, as well as for other minority-owned businesses. Bold leadership is required to immediately correct this systemic problem.

Read more here.