[1] Rushing possesses an honorary doctorate from the Episcopal Divinity School, where he serves as an adjunct professor.

[9] Under his direction, the museum purchased and began the restoration of the African Meeting House, the oldest extant black church building in the United States.

[2] He led the Commonwealth's anti-apartheid efforts[2] and was the co-author, with Simon Billenness,[11] and chief sponsor of the Massachusetts Burma law,[12] which was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2000.

[13] He was the chief sponsor of the health reform law ending pre-existing condition refusals by insurance companies.

[17] He ran on his progressive record of accomplishment as well as unfinished work regarding gun safety, immigration, criminal justice reform, affordable housing, civil rights, health care treatment, treatment of drug addiction as a health issue not a crime, and neighborhood quality of life issues.

[6] Rushing is an active Episcopal layperson and a member of St. John's, St. James' Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts.

Rushing was appointed to the Boston Public Library Board of Trustees in 2010 by Mayor Thomas Menino to help resolve the budget crisis.

[21] He was an essential figure alongside Deval Patrick in convincing the black religious community that marriage is a civil right.

[citation needed] In 2018, he spoke at The Human Rights Commission at the annual Martin Luther King Jr.