Remembering Reverend Dr.
Michael Haynes
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The Roxbury community lost a giant with the passing of Reverend Dr. Michael Haynes on September 12th. He was the longtime pastor of the historic
Twelfth Baptist Church
on Warren Street and a well known spiritual leader, mentor, community activist, State Representative, and Boston hero. His brother, C. Vincent Haynes, was a founding member of Madison Park Development Corporation in 1966 and continued to serve on the Board of Directors through the 1990s. MPDC's Haynes House is named after Vincent Haynes.
A few years ago, to honor the Haynes family's legacy, MPDC established The Haynes Family Scholarship Program for those seeking college or vocational training.
Reverend Dr. Michael Haynes will truly be missed by the community.
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EVENT SPOTLIGHT
Melnea Cass Apartments
Ribbon Cutting & Celebration
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WHEN:
Saturday, October 26
12:00pm - 3:00pm
Celebrate the completion of the Melnea Cass Apartments with a ribbon cutting and community housewarming celebration to welcome 76 families to their new homes in Roxbury!
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A super September at The Dewitt Center
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We have lots of exciting
programs
,
workshops
,
activities
, and
events
planned at The Dewitt Center during the fall and we are ready to
#DoItAtTheDewitt
!
You can see a schedule of Dewitt Center programs & events
here
.
Interested in hosting a community event or program at The Dewitt Center?
for more information.
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Elevate Northeast
hosted part one of their
Cannabis and Me
series at The Dewitt Center. The event educated guests on the
health benefits
of cannabis and why new regulations regarding marijuana have become welcomed in many states. The evening included information about cannabis
science
,
data
,
medicine
, and the
economic reasons
people are getting involved in this innovative industry.
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The S.T.A.R (Striving to Achieve Righteousness) Program launched their
1st Annual Backpack & School Supplies Giveaway
at The Dewitt Center on September 6th. The family-friendly event included a screening of
Step
,
a film about a girls' high school step team in Baltimore, and
giveaways of free backpacks & school supplies
to 125 families
donated by
The Kids In Need Foundation
.
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On September 14th, the
City of Boston Age Strong Commission
held Part 1 of their
first-ever employment workshop series
.
Age Strong @ Work
is geared towards helping older workers (50+) find employment. The day kicked off with remarks from the
Secretary of Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs, Elizabeth Chen
, who encouraged the older workers to see the value in their experience, and to change the conversation on aging. She urged people to
see aging as an asset
instead of seeing it as a liability.
Parts 2 & 3
are scheduled to happen in October at The Dewitt Center!
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The Dewitt Center held an
Intern Appreciation Lunch
for their five Summer Interns, Jamari Howard, Trinity Foster, Kadel Cato, Phillmore Weekes, and Sofia Cabral from MPDC's Summer Youth Employment Program. Each intern received a certificate of appreciation for their hard work and dedication. The interns played many roles over the Summer, including
front desk staff
,
athletic managers
,
event organizers
, and
leaders of community outreach
.
We wish them a successful school year!
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Stay connected by following The
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Cookout with Candidates 2019
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On Friday, September 6th, MPDC RoxVote hosted a
Cookout with Candidates
in Roxbury to share the importance of the Boston City Council At-Large Primary Election which happened on September 24th. The candidates in attendance included incumbents At-Large
City Councilors
Michael Flaherty
&
Annissa Essaibi-George
along with At-Large candidates
Herb Lozano
,
Alejandra St. Guillen
,
David Halbert
,
Domingos Da Rosa
,
Julia Mejia
, and
Priscilla St. Banks
. The cookout included food from Boyce Slayman Catering, music by DJ KNSZWRTH, face painting, and children's activities.
RoxVote is excited to continue raising awareness
this Fall about the importance of civic engagement through canvassing and phone banking along with our
Speed-Dating Candidate Forum
on October 22nd at
The Dewitt Center
.
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A lot happening in Fall at Hibernian Hall!
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On September 14th, Hibernian Hall, in collaboration with
BAMS Fest,
hosted a
Roxbury Love Concert
featuring local music artists. We were honored to have two emerging Boston artists perform in the ballroom!
Mark Merren
set the stage with his massive love for Roxbury and
2019 Boston Music Awards
nominee,
Oompa
, headlined the show with her original charm and lyrical wiz.
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MPDC & Hibernian Hall are proud to be neighborhood partners with
Boston Children’s Chorus (BCC)
.
The BCC Neighborhood Choirs bring
diverse singers
from partner neighborhoods, and they also draw singers from the suburbs into these urban communities. Through these collaborations, BCC
increases access to their arts education program
by deepening their presence in these neighborhoods.
Boston Children's Chorus continued their residency at Hibernian Hall on September 16th,
rehearsing with their Roxbury choir.
Welcome back!
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How does a wealthy man host a reunion at his summer house on Martha's Vineyard, even though both his wife and housekeeper are too ill to attend?
He hires the housekeeper's young daughter as a substitute maid, and the gathering begins with the arrival of his two sons and their girlfriends. But
old family secrets have been suppressed too long
, and before the weekend is over, all the dirty linen has been laundered and hung out to dry.
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Stay connected by following Hibernian Hall!
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Ready to buy your first home? MPDC's First Time Homebuyers Class can help!
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This eight-hour class takes a comprehensive approach to home buying to
assist local residents in reaching their home-ownership goals
. These workshops are designed to help you to identify the team needed to purchase a home, such as a counseling agency, real estate broker, home inspector, insurance agent, mortgage lender, and real estate attorney. These workshops will help you
understand each step in the home buying process
, the pros and cons of ownership, the impact of your credit, and how specialized mortgage products can work for you.
Are you interested in starting your first time home buying journey?
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A successful September for MPDC Resource Development
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MPDC welcomes our new Resource Development-Communications Associate
,
Valerie Basnight,
who brings vast experience to her new position working with both departments. Val is a development and events professional who has 15 years experience supporting nonprofit organizations in the Boston area and owns her own business. Valerie is originally from Pasadena, CA, and she graduated from Simmons College, where she studied Psychology and Gender & Cultural Studies.
Welcome, Val!
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Interested in attending the House Party?
Contact
Kay Mathew
/ 617.849.6335 for more information.
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We are proud to announce the following recent grant awards
:
As always, we are grateful to all of our funders for their support and their consistent confidence in the important and broad-based work of MPDC and Hibernian Hall!
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The countdown to
Sparks for Arts 2019
has begun
!
We’re looking forward to our biggest gala yet with bites from
Roxbury restaurants
, entertainment from
Roxbury artists
, and beverages from
local breweries
. Be sure to dress to impress for this year's masquerade ball theme!
Tickets are on sale now
and be sure to watch for your official invitation in the mail.
Become a Gala Sponsor
!
Help us raise funds for the upcoming year by supporting this fabulous event! Your sponsorship is CITC eligible (50% state tax rebate on gifts of $1000 or more). Contact
Kay Mathew
/ 617.849.6335 to learn more.
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MPDC’s
Board of Directors
is excited to announce that final candidates for the CEO position have been identified.
Although Jeanne Pinado’s departure in December 2019 is bittersweet, the Board has accepted this is an opportunity to
welcome a new visionary leader
with creativity, energy, compassion, and drive that will lead MPDC towards a bright future. As always, we thank Jeanne for her tremendous leadership and ability to establish a solid foundation for the organization.
During the executive search process, the Board engaged
Ann L Silverman Consulting
to help guide, support, and ensure all stakeholders – including staff, residents, board, and external partners – provided necessary information that shaped the scope of the search.
Through these efforts and how we engaged folks, the Board is confident that the next MPDC CEO will emerge from the pool of innovative, final candidates. A decision regarding the identity of the next CEO will be
officially announced towards the end of October 2019.
We look forward to the future and hope you are as excited as we are!
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Kids grow at MPDC's
Community Gardens!
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This Summer, MPDC had the opportunity to work with a fantastic volunteer from
Lola
, one of our partners, Katie Paugh. Katie volunteered her time to educate the participants of the Kids Garden Club (KGC). She taught them
team-building skills
,
garden preparation
, and
how to harvest & weigh vegetables
grown in the garden. KGC members were given a homework assignment
to go to the supermarket and compare the prices of the vegetables they grew with the ones at the store. This exercise was one of their favorites of the summer! Toya, a parent involved with KGC, says, "
I love this garden and what MPDC teaches my daughter and grandson
. They are learning so much about team-building and how to grow the vegetables!"
MPDC wants to thank the children and families involved in Kids Garden Club, Katie for all of her hard work, and our Community Gardens funding partner,
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation
, for making this program possible!
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Youth Workforce gears up for the Fall
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An exciting October is in store for the Youth Workforce Programs at MPDC!
MPDC's
After School Youth Employment Program
is currently in the process of interviewing participants for the 2019-20 school year.
This year's AYEP theme is
Youth Social Justice
.
The theme's focus is intended to educate youth while raising awareness of the
root causes of injustices and social issues
in our society.
Also this Fall, MPDC is excited to partner with
Teen Empowerment
to coordinate
trauma-informed forums
for the community. The first forum will be held this November, followed by another in the Spring. Stay tuned for more details!
Along with a paid internship, AYEP meets weekly for
professional development and enrichment
. We are always seeking community partners to serve as work-sites for our interns.
If you are interested in hosting an intern for up to 10 hours a week, contact
Yhinny Matos
/ 617-849-6236.
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MPDC Staff Spotlight:
5 Questions with Lyndon Vincent
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As a way for our community to learn more about our staff members, we have started the '5 Questions' series. These monthly interviews in our newsletters feature five random questions with an MPDC staff member.
This month we are chatting with
Director of Youth Development and Community Support,
Lydon Vincent
.
1. What role does the Director of Youth Development & Community Support play at MPDC?
Community Support initiatives include coordinating & attending community public safety meetings, community outreach to promote community building as part of the
Violence Intervention Program (VIP)
.
Additional responsibilities include overseeing the implementation of a multi-year grant to expand programming in the area of community trauma response to MPDC residents, community members, and program participants.
2. What are some MPDC initiatives you are excited about?
3. Where is your favorite place to visit in Roxbury?
LV
:
I enjoy visiting local organizations and agencies that provide safe spaces to promote positive youth development and experiences.
4. What do you like to do in your spare time?
LV
: I spend my t
ime with family and loved ones. I also enjoy traveling and watching sports.
5. What do you hope for the future of Roxbury?
LV
:
I hope Roxbury continues to become a safer community for all residents!
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Narratives of Home: Roxbury Community Meeting on Gentrification
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WHEN:
Wednesday, October 2
6:30pm - 9:00p
m
(184 Dudley Street, Roxbury)
TTO Resident Artists Tatiana Gil and Eddie Maisonet want to bear witness to the stories of community members experiencing the effects of Boston’s rapid gentrification process through interviews. In Summer 2020, they will be presenting a brand-new play based off of these interviews.
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Age Strong
presents an Employment Workshop Series for people 50+
WHEN:
Day 2:
Saturday, October 5
10:00am - 2:00p
m
Day 3:
Saturday, October 19
9:00am - 1:00pm
(122 Dewitt Drive, Roxbury)
Join the City of Boston's Age Strong Commission for an overview of employment opportunities for older workers.
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WHEN:
Saturday, October 5
3:00 pm - 5:00pm
(184 Dudley Street, Roxbury)
Hub New Music showcases 21st-century composers, including Robert Honstein’s “Soul House” with Urbanity Dance & choreography by Haley Day performed by Urbanity dancers Meg Anderson, Haley Day, and Jacob Regan.
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Looking to buy your first home? MPDC can help!
WHEN:
Wednesdays,
October 9, 16, 23, 30
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
(184 Dudley Street, Roxbury)
REGISTRATION FEE:
$25
Are you Interested in starting your first time home buying journey?
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Teen Paint Day @ The Dewitt Center
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Teens are invited to join us for a creative day of painting!
WHEN:
Thursday, October 17
4:30 pm - 7:30 pm
(122 Dewitt Drive, Roxbury)
Everyone will leave with their own one of a kind masterpiece – no experience needed!
Space is limited, first come first serve.
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How does a wealthy man host a reunion at his summer house on Martha's Vineyard, even though both his wife and housekeeper are too ill to attend?
He hires the housekeeper's young daughter as a substitute maid, and the gathering begins with the arrival of his two sons and their girlfriends. But
old family secrets have been suppressed too long
, and before the weekend is over, all the dirty linen has been laundered and hung out to dry.
See it all unfold in 'Stick Fly' written by Lydia Diamond and directed by Ciera-Sadé Wade at Hibernian Hall.
WHEN:
October 17 - 27
Various times
(184 Dudley Street, Roxbury)
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The Blue Rose: Healing Through Art
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WHEN:
Saturday, October 19
2:00 pm - 6:00 am
(122 Dewitt Drive, Roxbury)
The Blue Rose focuses on the traumas and taboos around domestic and street violence, sexual abuse, bullying and
mental health while empowering others to find their voice, break their silence and heal through art.
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2019 Boston Book Festival
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The
Boston Book Festival
presents a full day of free activities and discussions celebrating books and book lovers!
WHEN:
Sunday, October 20
12:00 pm - 5:30 pm
(122 Dewitt Drive, Roxbury)
There’s something for everyone including writing workshops for children and teens, a comic book tutorial, spoken word performances, and immigrant fiction panel discussions; as well as featured presentations by romance writer Jasmine Guillory, poet Dwayne Betts, Newbury Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly and more!
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2020 Census Information Events
@ The Dewitt
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Apply for a job with the 2020 Census!
WHEN:
Every Tuesday October 1 - October 29
10:00 am - 1:00 pm & 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
(122 Dewitt Drive, Roxbury)
Learn more about jobs with the
U.S. Census Bureau
every Tuesday in October at The Dewitt Center.
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MPDC Speed-Dating Candidate Forum
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Meet the 2019 At-Large Candidates before the election! Join us for some speed "candi-dating!"
WHEN:
Tuesday, October 22
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
(122 Dewitt Drive, Roxbury)
Join the At-Large candidates participating in the General Election for a speed-dating style forum to ask questions about their plans for the future of our city!
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Halloween Party @ The Dewitt Center
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Celebrate Halloween at The Dewitt Center!
WHEN:
Wednesday, October 30
5:00pm - 8:00pm
(122 Dewitt Drive, Roxbury)
Come celebrate Halloween at The Dewitt Center with Julia Mejia. Enjoy music, candy, free giveaways, and a costume contest!
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Madison Park Development Corporation offices, The Dewitt Center & Hibernian Hall will be
closed on Monday, October 14, 2019
.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
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