As we enter 2025, the Lawrence Partnership is taking a deeper and more nuanced approach to achieving our mission, building on our strong foundation of creating lasting employment opportunities and upward mobility for our residents. Our focus remains on investing in leaders, developing leadership pipelines, and fostering meaningful connections among them.

Over the last decade, we’ve grown well beyond the outdated and dismissive labels once applied to Lawrence, such as “City of the Damned” by Boston Magazine. Instead, we have proven that Lawrence is a strong, vibrant, and diverse city with an entrepreneurial spirit that continues to grow and transform our community for the better.

We have faced challenges, both large and small. The Columbia Gas Explosions left lasting scars, and the pandemic shutdowns added significant hurdles. Yet through it all, we’ve seen remarkable growth.

For example, businesses like Cremosos Gourmet Ices, which emerged from the Revolving Test Kitchen, have thrived and expanded, showcasing local entrepreneurship at its best. This success has contributed to a nearly 40% increase in median household income in Lawrence between 2018 and 2023, outpacing the national trend.

However, our work is far from complete. Lawrence’s median household income remains significantly below the statewide average of $101,000, standing at just under $58,000 annually.

To address this, the Lawrence Partnership will focus our 2025 efforts on three strategic areas:

• workforce development,
• educational attainment, and
• community engagement

By strengthening these pillars, we aim to create more opportunities for upward mobility and empower Lawrence residents to achieve a higher quality of life.

Workforce Development

The success of initiatives like Leaders Engaged and Activated to Drive System-wide Change (LEADS) — a collaboration with the Alliance for Business Leadership and Harvard Business School — has inspired us to adopt more tactical approaches to workforce development.

We plan to:

• Collaborate with groups such as the MassHire Merrimack Valley Workforce Board and Career Center.
• Conduct a gap analysis to identify specific workforce needs.
• Strategically connect residents to job training programs aligned with market demands.

These efforts will ensure that Lawrence residents gain the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.

Educational Attainment

Education is key to economic mobility, and addressing Lawrence’s educational challenges is critical to our mission.

Our priorities include:

• Promoting financial literacy and English language proficiency to equip residents with essential skills for success in Massachusetts.
• Supporting pathways to higher education. With only 15% of Lawrence residents over 25 holding a bachelor’s degree — well below the state average — we aim to:
• Collaborate with Lawrence High School to expand access to early college classes.
• Increase awareness of Massachusetts’ free community college programs.
• Partner with Merrimack Valley higher education institutions to support student success.

Our ultimate goal is to foster a college-going culture in Lawrence that empowers students to achieve long-term success.

Community Engagement

Building connections within the community has always been at the heart of the Lawrence Partnership’s work.

In 2025, we plan to:

• Enhance programs like Know Your City to deepen civic engagement.
• Strengthen the Lawrence Partnership Network to cultivate the next generation of business leaders.

By fostering collaboration between residents, businesses, and government, we aim to build a more unified and resilient community.

Our strong partnerships — with Congressional Representative Lori Trahan, Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña, and our Statehouse delegation — have been instrumental in our progress. However, reaching the next level will require even greater collaboration and effort.

We look forward to collaborating on this journey as we work to make Lawrence a shining star of the Commonwealth. 

Sincerely,

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