March Newsletter

We are approaching a quarter of the way into 2023, but Roxbury Main Streets has accomplished a great deal, with much more to come.

In February, we partnered with the City of Boston’s Small Business Development Office to host four free small business workshops in Nubian Square for local business owners and entrepreneurs. The workshops were a success, and Roxbury Main Streets connected with many current and aspiring business owners. Many thanks to Roxbury’s neighborhood small business manager, Mr. Duamarius Stukes, and the City’s Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Office. You can read more about the workshops in this newsletter.

Roxbury Main Streets also continues to work with the Boston Public Works Department to keep Roxbury clean and vibrant, giving special focus to Nubian Square. Thank you to Public Works Administrator Robert Lewis, who collaborates with us and other partners to develop tactics for maintaining a beautiful Roxbury. Much appreciation to the Department of Public Health and Boston Police Department’s District B-2 for supporting the homeless and providing services to those battling addiction and illness.

In January, Roxbury Main Streets welcomed our co-op student from Northeastern University, Delaney Murray. Ms. Murray is in her final year at Northeastern and joins us as a communications, fundraising and development associate with prior experience working for a nonprofit, a newspaper and a local government. You can read more about Ms. Murray below and what she has contributed to Roxbury Main Streets thus far.

We also encourage you to check out Roxbury Main Streets’ upcoming events. Much appreciation to our partners who have committed to sponsoring the third annual ‘Bury Funny Stand-Up Comedy Fundraiser on May 13. However, we still need help. If you would like to sponsor the comedy show, more information is below. We are excited to announce the event’s sponsors in the coming weeks.

On April 8, Roxbury Main Streets is also hosting our second annual free children’s Easter Egg Extravaganza in Nubian Square. We are doubling event attendance this year, and we are very excited to offer our Roxbury kids and families even more activities and resources. Thank you to Carrie Guscott of Rio Grande River Associates for planning and contributing to the event for another year. If you would like to sponsor or volunteer for the Easter event, please reach out. More details below.

Stay tuned for more information on our Women’s Entrepreneurial Breakfast, which will be scheduled for later this spring. The event will include special guest speakers, networking opportunities, great food and much more. And later this month, Main Street America — with help from the City — is hosting its national conference in Boston! For more details and to register, click here.

Thanks to our aforementioned city partners in public health, public works, Boston Police, as well as inspection services, the MBTA Police and community organizations, we are seeing immense environmental improvements in Nubian Square. If you would like to help revitalize Roxbury’s commercial district, community partners are welcome to join our weekly Nubian Square business walkthroughs on Thursdays, starting at 11:30 a.m., in front of the Nubian Square bus terminal Dunkin.

The Nubian Square Task Force — made up of even more community partners — works to solve problems in Roxbury that require large-scale collaboration, such as housing the homeless, improving public safety, treating substance use and more. The task force meets on the first and third Wednesdays of every month at the Bruce C. Bolling Building starting at 1 p.m., and community members are welcome to join.

And many more environmental improvements and developments are on the way. Roxbury Main Streets is dedicated to cultivating a mixed-income economy for Roxbury, which will provide more jobs for the community, generate growth for small businesses, create opportunities for residents to build generational wealth and more.

As always, thank you to the community, our partners and the Roxbury Main Streets board of directors for your dedication and commitment to our organization and Roxbury as a whole. Revitalizing Nubian Square takes a village, but our collective efforts have proven invaluable. I am very excited for what’s to come.

Sincerely,

Comedy Fundraiser

Executive Sponsorship $20,000

Diamond Sponsor $10,000

Gold Sponsor $5,000

Silver Sponsor $2,500

Team Sponsor $1,000

Supporter $500

JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Northeastern University Host Free Small Business Workshops — Attend 3 to submit a proposal for up to $5,000 in funding! Click here for more information.

If you would like to connect with Delaney, you can contact her at murray.de@northeastern.edu. Click here for her LinkedIn profile.

On Thursday, February 16, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the City of Boston’s Permanent Outdoor Dining Program, in coordination with the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, the Streets Cabinet and the Disabilities Commission. The permanent program creates a predictable, streamlined process for business owners that will expedite application review and allow for annual renewals. It incorporates the activation of public space enjoyed during the temporary program, but addresses issues such as barriers to accessibility and concerns from public safety officials.

The application to participate in the permanent program will be made available in March, with the goal of restaurant patios opening as early as May 1. The new program will include a monthly fee for all participants to help fund efforts to further expand outdoor dining more equitably across the City.

Click here for more information.

Thank you to the Eastern Bank Foundation for continued support of Roxbury Main Streets' Nubian Square Summer Beautification program.

Not able to sponsor the comedy fundraiser, but still want to support Roxbury Main Streets? Click below to make any level of donation.