Another MPDC homebuying
success story!
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Congratulations to Haynes House resident, Iris!
She is MPDC’s most recent first-time home-buyer. She purchased a new home on February 7, 2020. Iris is a single mom with two children ages 11 & 7 She has been
a resident of Haynes House for nearly five years
.
About a year and a half ago, Iris attended one of MPDC's information sessions for our
First Time Home-Buyers Down Payment Assistance Pilot Program
. She did her homework and worked very hard preparing for homeownership. As instructed, Iris participated in the
City of Boston’s Affordable Housing Lottery
for a newly constructed
two-family home in Dorchester
and was selected!
“Home-ownership can be a reality for families.
Sometimes, all it takes is a little assistance and some homework to make your home-buying dreams a reality
,” says Dwayne Watts, MPDC Resident Engagement Coordinator.
For more information about the Pilot Program, contact
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A fabulous February at
The Dewitt Center
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We have lots of engaging
programs
,
workshops
,
activities
, and
events
planned at The Dewitt Center during February, March, and April, and we hope you will join us to #DoItAtTheDewitt!
View the latest catalog
here
.
See the schedule of The Dewitt Center programs & events
here
.
Interested in hosting a community event or program at
The Dewitt Center?
Please fill out our inquiry form
here
or
contact
Erica Davis
/ 617.541.3900 for more information.
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Boston Celtics
player Enes Kanter
visited The Dewitt Center’s
College Access Program
. He spoke with students about their interests and
pathways to success
. Enes is an inspiration to the students and once said, "because I play in the NBA, I have a huge platform. I'm trying to use this platform to be the voice of all those innocent people who don't have one.” His talk was open to all members of The Dewitt Center.
Thank you for joining us, Enes!
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Over 50 members stopped by
The Dewitt Center's first
hot chocolate bar
to warm up from the cold weather and enjoy a snack. The yummy event was an excellent time for programs to interact over a beverage and freshly baked cookies made by The Dewitt Center staff, and youth Aliesha & Jamari.
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Empower Our Crown
partnered with Mark Feinberg, financial wealth expert & Vice President of
Merrill Lynch
, to hold a
financial wealth workshop for women
. Pilar Tucker led a clinical session to identify the
emotions that impact their finances
. Following the session, Mark challenged and empowered the women to identify their wealth success plans. The workshop provided participants with tools to help maximize the way they think, feel, and behave when it comes to generating wealth.
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The Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Delta Omicron Zeta Chapter
kicked off their
"What I Didn't Know About College Series"
on February 5th. The three-part series was designed to
prepare students to have a successful first year at college
. Topics focused on FAFSA & Financial Aid, the college application process, and concluded with a 'First Year of College Forum.'
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On February 13th,
Teen Empowerment
held
'For The Culture'
at The Dewitt Center an event to discuss
race, ethnicity, and cultural bias
. The event was
facilitated by youth
organizers and featured live performances, food, and plenty of entertainment. Youth organizers read a series of statements while attendees expressed their thoughts by moving to different corners of the gym, which were labeled strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree. The event was well attended and featured guests,
Ricky Grant
&
Danielle Drummond
from the
Suffolk County District Attorney's Office
.
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The Dewitt Center was thrilled to serve as
an early voting pop up site
for voters in Massachusetts on February 25th. Voters registered in Boston were able to cast their ballots in person before the Presidential Primary on Tuesday, March 3rd. The Center welcomed
238 early voters
, including MPDC Block Captain & Roxbury Resident Malik Seales.
The Dewitt Center is also a polling location for the March 3rd Primary.
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MPDC is very excited to announce our partnership with
IncluDe
for programming at
The Dewitt Center Tech Lab
! IncluDe is a digital design and development agency that helps social impact organizations tell their stories digitally through Web Design, Graphic Design, User Interface/User Experience design. They have partnered with the Dewitt Center to provide tech classes for all ages. Be sure to check out a class or two!
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Stay connected by following The
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Join a vibrant group of donors -
Become an MPDC Supporter!
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Make a gift to MPDC and help to advance its mission of
fostering a healthy, vibrant Roxbury
by building grassroots leaders, developing healthier neighborhoods, and fostering a dynamic community.
Visit MPDC's website
and make your donation today.
Your gift is always appreciated!
You can also become a
Friend of Hibernian Hall
or renew your membership
on our website
. By becoming a Friend, you help strengthen the cultural work of Hibernian Hall and receive membership benefits. We will continue our critical cultural work with friends and supporters like you at our side. For information, contact
Kay Mathew
/ 617.849.6335
, MPDC's Resource Development Manager.
One of the first "perks" of the year for Friends of Hibernian Hall includes a
Friends of Hibernian Hall Reception on Friday, March 20
, on the opening night of "
Long Day's Journey into Night
." You won't want to miss this fun event to
network
,
meet the artists
, and
support Hibernian Hall
! Please, Save the Date and watch for more information online.
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February Highlights for Hibernian Hall
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Hibernian Hall was honored to welcome the
Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts
(ULEM) for its
100th-anniversary event
. Throughout the evening, ULEM highlighted many of their success stories and impacts made in 2019. ULEM had over
200 prominent leaders
from the community attend to talk about & celebrate their next 100 years.
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Join Hibernian Hall for a
FREE six-week play-writing LAB
focused on telling intergenerational stories
with Instructor, Award-winning Actor, Playwright, and Director
Jacqui Parker
.
Jacqui Parker was a visioning playwright at Hibernian Hall from 2016-17. Her play “A Crack in the Blue Wall” was nominated for Best New Play. She has won many awards including the Eliot Norton Award. Beginners and seasoned playwrights are welcome. LAB is for people ages 18 to older adults.
Space is limited to 8 participants so register today!
The deadline to register is Tuesday, April 28th.
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Stay connected by following Hibernian Hall!
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MPDC's Census Committee kick-off
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MPDC’s
Census Committee
had its first meeting on February 22nd, and our Resident Leaders have been in
full Census outreach mode
since then! They went to Nubian Square businesses and
passed out Census fliers
and posters for them to hand out to their customers, and have
organized several community information sessions
on the Census.
Roxbury community members are invited to join the MPDC Census Committee
and work to ensure that historically undercounted populations are counted in the 2020 Census. We have already organized numerous Census 101 activities, including Census 2020 outreach at community events. From March to June, we will continue to brainstorm and organize events for Roxbury, including an
April 1st Census Day
event and a
Census 2020 Question Assistance Center
.
Want to get involved?
Contact
Eva Ackerman
, MPDC’s Civic Engagement Fellow, for more information.
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Applications for MPDC's Scholarship Program are now open!
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Several college-bound applicants from Roxbury are selected annually by MPDC to receive scholarships ranging from
$250 to $3,500
toward each recipient’s
college tuition and expenses
. MPDC’s college scholarship program was established by a bequest from the estate of Ralph Smith, our co-founder and first Executive Director, and a gift made in honor of Danette Jones, our second Executive Director. These scholarships make
a meaningful difference in the lives of our young residents
.
Are you interested in learning more about
Contact MPDC Youth Workforce Manager,
Yhinny Matos
/ 617.849.6236
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Introducing MPDC's 2020
OIC Reunion Honorees
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Introducing the Honorees...
Greg Mumford
, Deputy Director of
YouthBuild Boston
, has been a permanent fixture in the Roxbury community for over twenty years. We wish to honor Mr. Mumford for his steadfast commitment to serving Greater Boston’s opportunity youth. As a mentor, he played a
vital role in the revitalization of an abandoned Roxbury fire station
, converting it to the Youth Build Boston headquarters constructed by its youth student crews.
Kenell Broomstein
, the
first female of color business agent
for
IBEW Local 103
. Having earned her Journeyman Electrician designation in 2006, Ms. Broomstein has been tirelessly recruiting and educating women across the Commonwealth about opportunities in the building trades ever since. In her role as Business Agent, she can model the success for other young women to follow.
Our honorees’ efforts continue to
empower people of color
throughout the Commonwealth and provide opportunities for personal and professional advancement.
For more information about The OIC Rerunion, please contact
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MPDC's Health Equity & Community Wellness Program starts their
smoothie tours!
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MPDC's
Health Equity & Community Wellness Program
teamed up with
WinnResidential
at The Dewitt Center to kick-off the MPDC Smoothie Tour. On this tour, MPDC Health & Wellness staff
teach participants how to create healthy smoothies
and provide
education
about how vegetable-based
smoothies can reduce cholesterol
,
lower blood pressure
, and
increase energy naturally
. During the first stop of the tour, over 75 smoothies were served!
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Applications for MPDC's
Summer Youth Employment Program
are now open!
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This program provides underserved in-school youth,
ages 14-19
, with
career internships
,
job readiness skills
, and
educational enrichment
. Our training program offers early workforce experience for young people who might not otherwise have this opportunity while supporting them with completing academics and college readiness. We also provide organized workshops and learning experiences to develop young people’s leadership skills.
Our unique summer youth employment program trains all our youth in
work readiness
,
life skills
,
personal development
,
financial literacy
, and more to ensure a strong commitment from our youth on their journey to viable employment. Youth are required to attend weekly workshops at our center to ensure they are kept engaged in professional training and development. In addition, our dedicated staff performs scheduled check-ins at employment sites as well. With
over 50 employment sites
, youth have a variety of choices that align with their desired career, creative, educational, or recreational goals. Whether its health, sports, early childhood, or arts, we have a job suitable for all youth!
Questions regarding the summer youth employment program? Contact
Yhinny Matos
/ 617.849.6236
Applications must be completed by Tuesday, March 31, 2020.
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Exciting partnership updates from
MPDC's Community Action Team
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MPDC is thrilled to announce its selection for the
9th year in a row as a
John Hancock MLK Summer Scholars community partner
. In 2020 a record 19 young people will be employed as Summer Scholars. In addition to paid employment, the MLK Summer Scholars program provides youth with demonstrated leadership capacity the opportunity to participate in a
summer-long leadership forum
with other young people from neighborhoods throughout Boston, as well as a
financial literacy curriculum
designed by John Hancock. MLK Scholars is believed to be the largest, most comprehensive, corporate-based summer jobs program of its kind in the nation.
Thank you, John Hancock MLK Summer Scholars!
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MPDC Staff Spotlight:
5 Questions with Megan Reagon
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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 Project Manager,
Megan Reagon
.
1. What is a Project Manger's role at MPDC?
M:
Project Managers do a variety of things, including working with the community, assembling project team members, and ensuring the project is on-time and on-budget. I'm currently working on two homeownership projects –
2451 Washington Street
, which is under construction, and 75 Dudley Street, which is in the planning stage.
2. What are some future MPDC developments or projects you are excited about?
M:
I'm excited about our 75 Dudley Street project, which compliments the 2451 Washington Street project next door and will create more homeownership opportunities in Nubian Square.
3. Where is your favorite place to visit in Roxbury?
M:
I love visiting MPDC's Hope Garden and
Dudley Café
for mint matcha lattes.
4. What do you like to do in your spare time?
M:
I love to spend time with my nieces and nephew and to travel when I can.
5. What do you hope for the future of Roxbury?
M:
Many residents in Boston are being pushed out of their neighborhoods, so my biggest hope is that Roxbury residents are able to stay.
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Business 101: Commercial Space
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WHEN:
Tuesdays, March 2, 9, 16, & 24
5:30 pm - 8:00 p
m
(122 Dewitt Drive, Roxbury)
Are you thinking it’s time to look for a commercial space? Congratulations! The City of Boston understands this is a big responsibility and a large step forward for you and your business. Whether you’re ready to expand your home-based business or looking for a space for a brand new concept, this series aims to arm you with the information you need to begin this exciting process.
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The Dewitt Center is a Polling Location!
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Get out the vote at The Dewitt Center!
WHEN:
Tuesday, March 3
7:00 a
m - 8:00pm
(122 Dewitt Drive, Roxbury)
The Dewitt Center is a polling place for the Presidential Primary Election.
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Hibernian Hall's 2020 Performance Season Preview
WHEN:
Thursday,
March 5
6:00 pm - 9:00 p
m
(184 Dudley Street, Roxbury)
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Food Distribution @ The Smith House
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This food distribution takes place every 1st, 3rd, and 5th Friday at The Smith House.
WHEN:
Friday,
March 6 & 20
1:00 pm - 3:00 p
m
WHERE:
The Smith House
(757 Shawmut Avenue, 12th floor, Roxbury)
Join MPDC &
Lovin' Spoonfuls
for a healthy food distribution at The Smith House.
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Donuts with Your Delegation
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Join MPDC &
Nuestra
for our annual round-table with local elected officials!
WHEN:
Thursday, March 12
8:30 am - 11:00 am
WHERE:
The Smith House
(757 Shawmut Ave, 12th Floor, Roxbury)
Join us to advocate with Roxbury local and state elected officials while enjoying breakfast from
Soleil
. Doors will open at 8 am.
We want to hear from YOU!
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Long Day's Journey Into Night:
Open Rehearsal & Talkback
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Bringing an African-American Perspective to Long Day’s Journey Into Night in 2020: Challenging the Perception of “Traditional” Casting.
WHEN:
Thursday, March 12
7:30 pm
(184 Dudley Street, Roxbury)
Why is it important to resurrect a 1957 “classic” American play written by Eugene O’Neill, a white playwright with a complicated relationship to actors of color, and re-envision it with a cast of African-American actors? Actors, directors, producers, and audiences of color throughout the mid—20th and early 21st centuries have felt the drive to re-envision classic plays, and even today, when playwrights of color are writing new plays specifically for actors and audience of color, there is a sense of unfinished business, and a need to revisit and explore the characters and plays of the past.
In this free community event, the cast of the WaltersWest/
Fort Point Theatre Channel
’s new production of ‘
Long Day’s Journey Into Night’
will share excerpts from the play accompanied by discussion with the artistic team about the history and inspiration behind the production, the importance of making stories and roles available to everyone, and the challenges of self-producing and creating the art you want to see in the world.
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Sign up for Kids' Gardening Club
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Join the Kids' Gardening Club for garden training, field trips, and more!
DEADLINE:
Sunday, March 15
Kids’ Garden Club features garden training, team building, field trips, supermarket tours, data training, and more!
Kids’ Garden Club will take place every Saturday from May to September 2020.
Apply by March 15, 2020
Limited space
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Long Day's Journey Into Night
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Over the course of one sultry day in 1912, the Tyrone family find themselves drifting into a world where the past is the present and the present is haunted with guilty secrets.
WHEN:
Tuesday, March 17- Saturday, April 4
(184 Dudley Street, Roxbury)
Written by Eugene O'Neill in 1942 as a semi-autobiographical memoir about his self-destructive, Irish-American family, this Tony-award and Pulitzer Prize-winning play has become a classic of the American theater. Walters West Project and Fort Point Theatre Channel present a unique and relevant production at Hibernian Hall by casting actors of color as the Tyrone family, and by using music and movement to season O'Neill's play with African-American flavor -- holding this American classic under the pressure of contemporary scrutiny, and exploring the play's continued relevance to larger questions of what it means to be alive, to be human, to be a family, and to thrive, not just survive.
For Mature Audiences.
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23rd Annual DIYDS!! National Youth Film Festival Screening
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WHEN:
Thursday, March 19
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
(184 Dudley Street, Roxbury)
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This food pantry takes place every 3rd Saturday at The Dewitt Center.
WHEN:
Saturday, March 21
10:00 am - 1:00 p
m
(122 Dewitt Drive, Roxbury)
Rice, beans, canned goods, fruit, and more available every month at the food pantry. All are welcome!
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WHEN:
Sunday March 22
3:00 pm - 5:00 p
m
(184 Dudley Street, Roxbury)
Mike Block — a pioneering cellist, composer, innovator, and educator — was called “the ideal musician for the 21st century” by Yo-Yo Ma. Grammy-nominated virtuoso Sandeep Das, one of today’s leading tabla players, is a 2019 Guggenheim Fellow in the field of music composition. Composer and performer Shaw Pong Liu, the 2016 City of Boston Artist-in-Residence embedded with the Boston Police Department, engages diverse communities with music and social dialogue.
Tickets are $5, with proceeds to benefit
Legacy Lives On
, a non-profit organization that provides ongoing support, comfort, and healing for families that have lost a loved one to homicide.
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Madison Park Village - Village In Progress Monthly Meeting
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This monthly community meeting for MPV takes place every 4th Tuesday at The Smith House.
WHEN:
Tuesday, March 24
6:00 pm - 7:30 p
m
WHERE:
The Smith House
(757 Shawmut Avenue, 12th floor, Roxbury)
Join MPDC & Village in Progress (VIP) for a monthly community meeting to discuss events, activities, resources, public safety updates, and more.
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Orchard Gardens - Village In Progress Monthly Meeting
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This monthly community meeting for Orchard Gardens takes place every 4th Thursday.
WHEN:
Thursday, March 26
6:00 pm - 7:30 p
m
WHERE:
25 Ambrose Street, 2nd Floor, Roxbury
Join MPDC & Village in Progress (VIP) for a monthly community meeting to discuss events, activities, resources, public safety updates, and more.
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