MPDC's June Newsletter!

June 2021 @ MPDC

A beautiful Buy the

Block Unity Day Edition

On June 12th, 2021, Madison Park Development Corporation and Black Market co-sponsored a community event in Nubian Square called

"Buy the Block: Unity Day Edition."

This joint event provided a vibrant space to showcase and uplift local Black businesses, promote financial empowerment among black entrepreneurs, and also celebrate MPDC’s 55th Anniversary. Hosted by Roxbury native and trailblazing television host/producer "Free" Marie Wright, in the heart of Nubian square on Washington Street, participants enjoyed a full day of live entertainment, dancing, and food from local food vendors.

Local businessman Jake Abdal Khallaq, who operated A Nubian Notion for nearly fifty years, was presented an award and a City of Boston citation by the founder of Black Market Kai Grant, in recognition of his contribution to the Nubian Square business community. It was an honor to welcome Mayor Kim Janey, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, and former Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson as guests at the event.

MPDC CEO Leslie Reid reflects "We were honored to co-host this event with Black Market. Reuniting with our friends, family, and neighbors in Roxbury, after this difficult year, was a joyful experience. MPDC is grateful to partner with powerful neighborhood advocates like Kai Grant and the rest of the Black Market team!"

Photo credit: Nikolai Alexander

MPDC Resource Development Updates

Our key partnership with NeighborWorks America (NW) was celebrated this year with a daily social media campaign and two marvelous community events on the final day of NWs Week. NeighborWorks America is a longstanding partner and supporter of MPDC and community-building organizations throughout the country, providing technical assistance, professional development, and critical financial support to create affordable housing and community building and engagement. We are inspired by this partnership and always look forward to this annual opportunity to celebrate. On Saturday, June 12th, MPDC hosted an online Health Equity and Community Wellness cooking class as part of NWs Week in addition to the Buy The Block: Unity Day Edition.

We are happy to announce MPDC has been awarded 2021 tax credits through the state’s Community Investment Tax Credit Program, which provides a 50% state tax rebate on major gifts to MPDC of $1,000 or more. Keep this benefit in mind when you consider making a gift to MPDC and its multifaceted programs. Your gift will go a long way in support of our important community-building work. Thank you to all our supporters!

Donate now or contact Kay Mathew, Resource Development Manager for more information.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CITC

June has been an exciting time for Resource Development at MPDC! We want to offer a sincere thank you to the following funders who've stepped forward to support MPDC:

Gardiner Howland Shaw- We are grateful that Gardiner Howland Shaw has again invested in MPDC's Community Support efforts to realize important violence prevention and community-building work.
Boston State Community Trust- An intrepid annual funder, BSCT's grant will support the Soheil Turner Youth Leadership Development Institute, including our 2021 Summer and School Year Youth Employment Programs.
2021 Democracy HUBS- We are honored to be selected as a community partner for this important voter engagement initiative. Funds will support Get Out the Vote and other civic engagement activities during this consequential 2021 Boston election year. Funding was made possible by a partnership among MassVOTE, Massachusetts Voter Table, Massachusetts Immigrant , and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, and the Chinese Progressive Association.

Thank you to all our funders, without whom we could not do this work!

Madison Park Village welcomes summer with a Block Party!

The Madison Park Village Block Party on Friday, June 25th celebrated the start of summer and the lives of the residents who are striving and fighting for a better tomorrow. The event featured vendors and performers including Noetic Cosmetics, It's a Vibe 360, Treat Yourself, DJ Lava, BosNoma, CCHERS, Inc., and The Boston Police Department. Community Officer Keys & Boston City Councilor At-Large Annissa Essaibi-George danced and encouraged everyone to have fun.

Community Awards were given to Alverga Buchannan, Etai Belinky, and Stephanie Thomas- Ward for their continuous support and advocacy in the community. MPDC's Director of Youth Development & Community Support Lyndon Vincent was honored for his incredible leadership, guidance, and support at MPDC & in Madison Park Village.

Thank you to everyone who made the day a success!

See more photos from the event here

Housing Navigator is live

Housing Navigator MA is thrilled to announce that 21,530 affordable units have been verified on their site! They've partnered with Beacon Communities, the Cambridge Housing Authority, the Chelmsford Housing Authority, The Community Builders, Homeowner's Rehab, Inc., Just-A-Start Corporation, Madison Park Development Corporation, Preservation of Affordable Housing, and Urban Edge. Another 20 owners, 1000s more units, and their launch coming soon!

Become our Friend!

The pandemic showed us the resilience of our programs, including Hibernian Hall, which a year ago created a fantastic schedule of online classes, workshops, and theater productions made available online at no cost to our audiences. The Friends of Hibernian Hall Advisory Committee worked hard to support Hibernian Hall and its program staff and, the Friends of Hibernian Hall grew! Membership is still growing, and we hope that you will join or renew. Membership begins at $50 with special rates for older adults and students. Don’t miss upcoming members-only events!

Join now by contacting Kay Mathew, Resource Development Manager for more information.

Join us!

Playwriting LAB Showcases

local playwrights

Hibernian Hall at Madison Park Development Corporation received a grant of $2,500 from the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, through its Cultural Investment Portfolio Projects Program. The grant recognizes that Madison Park Development Corporation provides significant public value through its programs and services. This particular grant was awarded in support of Hibernian Hall's 2nd Annual Play Writing LAB (or HHTC2) for aspiring playwrights, led by playwright Jecenia Figueroa, a Puerto Rican playwright, poet, and author born in Boston.

Out of 32 applicants, we selected eight multi-dimensional and talented playwrights from various backgrounds. With the help of TC Squared Theatre Company (TC2), each playwright had the chance to work with a director and actors to bring their play to life. Every Thursday from 6 pm to 9 pm for six weeks, the playwrights would log in online, share their work, and receive feedback from the instructor and the class. The exercises, conversations, and curriculum allowed them to polish their writing and complete their projects.

"To be a part of the HHTC2 Play Writing LAB was truly gratifying. I was able to work with a multi-talented group of artists, some of whom were completely new to playwriting. What a humbling experience to be able to welcome them into the magical world of theatre," Jecenia reflects.

The final Showcase was live-streamed on June 24th.

Martha Kingsbury, an author and playwriting instructor at TC2, notes, "The Spring PlayLab at Hibernian Hall flew by, and as always, when writers gather, the conversation was amazing and generous. The plays grew, the playwrights grew stronger with their craft, and once again, my dreams were full of scenes and characters I had never before imagined. La Chaim!"

Mass Cultural Council has a budget of $15.7 million, including an appropriation of nearly $14 million from Massachusetts and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and other sources. The agency also runs the Mass Cultural Facilities Fund in partnership with MassDevelopment.

Mass Cultural Council funds reach every community in the Commonwealth. Its mission is to promote excellence, education, access, and diversity in the arts, humanities, and sciences, to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents, and contribute to the vitality of our communities and economy.

We are proud to have the support of Representative Jon Santiago, who mentioned, "I am proud to support the Massachusetts Cultural Council and was thrilled to see the legislature fund the MCC at its highest level in decades during this last budget cycle. It's especially heartening to see these funds being used in our community to support a storied institution like Hibernian Hall to fund the playwriting lab. Now is the time to be investing in our arts and culture, and I am grateful to the folks at Hibernian Hall for making that a reality."

The Dewitt Center honors MPDC's 55th Anniversary in June

In June, The Dewitt Center celebrated, honored, and embraced program partners, members, and funders. Programs and organizations were recognized throughout the month on social media. The programs and organizations recognized were EVkids, Empower Our Crown, Fitness with Alison, Temple of Martial Arts, G.W.A (Girls With Altitude), P-TAP, and The Male Engagement Network.

The Dewitt Center is grateful for major funders Boston Medical Center, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay. To end the month in-person programs Collaborative Parent Leadership Action Network, The Dream Program, 3Point Foundation were welcomed back to the Center!

Help your community and get paid!

Attention, MPDC residents!

Are you interested in getting to know your neighbors, helping your community, and getting paid to do both?

Then, consider becoming a volunteer on the 2021 Community Impact Measurement (CIM) survey campaign! Volunteers will assist with survey collection this summer, during July and August. Hours are flexible, and all volunteers will be compensated for their time. For more information or to sign up to volunteer, please contact Resident and Community Engagement Manager Dwayne Watts at dwatts@madison-park.org or 617.849.6326.

Are you a resident of an MPDC property located in Roxbury?

You may be receiving the Community Impact Measurement (CIM) survey soon! Notification will be sent by mail if you have been selected as a survey respondent, with follow-up phone calls to follow. Selected participants who complete the survey will receive a gift card. Help MPDC better understand your experience as a resident of Roxbury and how we can continue to strengthen our community by completing the 2021 CIM survey!

Thanks to NeighborWorks America for their leadership on this important effort!