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From YouTube: Dedication of the Rita M. DiGesse Community Room
Description
Mayor Walsh joins members of the Allston community to pay tribute to community leader Rita Digesse. Rita, a longtime member of the Friends of Honan Library, has been a key figure in funding a variety of programs and improvements for the library, including the community room that will now bear her name.
A
A
A
We're
so
happy
to
name
our
community
room
in
our
branch
library
here
in
honor
of
reading,
to
Jessie
to
recognize
her
for
her
hours
and
days
and
years
of
volunteer
work
in
the
library
and
other
areas
of
the
Austin
community.
I
just
wanted
to
point
out.
We
have
some
dignitaries
here
today
with
us,
including
the
speakers.
We
have
state
Rep,
Mike
Marion.
B
A
A
So
that's
our
close
connection
to
the
to
the
city
here,
but
there
is
no,
no
one
more
committed
to
the
success
of
the
library
here
than
reader.
With
the
dedicated
trends
board
of
volunteers,
Rita
has
led
successful.
Fundraising
efforts
for
the
branch
through
every
means
possible
working
in
partnership
with
bridge
staff
to
supplement
funds
in
order
to
provide
the
best
programs
and
learning
experiences
for
patrons
of
all
ages,
including
homework
assistance,
ESOL
sewing
classes
and
making
sure
that
the
staff
have
the
tools
they
need
to
continue
providing
excellent
services.
A
Particular
emphasis
has
been
on
placed
on
making
the
branch
as
welcoming
as
possible
through
our
beautiful
landscaping
enhancements
in
the
courtyards
Ray
Malone
Park,
the
public
I
work
on
the
street
front
and
improvements
into
the
community
community
and
the
art
gallery.
Among
her
many
activities
in
the
community.
Rita
is
a
member
of
the
Hobbit
Austin
task
force,
an
active
member
of
st.
Anthony's
Parish
at
school,
the
McNamara
senior
housing
and
a
board
member
of
the
Austin
Civic
Association
Rita
is
unbelievable
for
what
she
does.
She
inspiration
in
a
role
model
to
all
of
us.
A
C
I
know
that
this
there's
a
lot
of
people
that
here
I
want
to
thank
David
Leonard,
the
president
of
the
Boston
Public
Library,
he's
gonna
come
up
in
a
few
minutes
for
his
work.
Priscilla
Douglas
is
one
of
our
trustees.
The
library
we've
done
a
lot
of
work
at
the
library
system
to
bring
our
libraries
together
in
the
past,
you
had
the
downtown
library,
and
then
you
had
all
the
branch,
libraries
and
now
with
one
system
it's
about.
C
How
do
we
work
together
and
work
collaboratively
to
each
other,
because
that's
the
way
it
should
be
so
I
want
to
thank
them
for
their
work.
I
want
to
thank
I
want
to
thank
representative
Kevin
Honan
as
well.
Mike
Moran,
moxy
Ulmus.
It
comes
to
Marcel
Michael
Flaherty
I
was
thinking
about
a
few
minutes
ago,
when
I
sitting
in
front
here,
Michael
Moran
led
the
charge
they
think
in
2007.
C
And
all
our
ranches,
and
not
only
is
they
going
out,
we're
also
adding
libraries.
We
had
a
new
library
to
Chinatown
last
year,
so
we're
seeing
like
this
resurgence
of
libraries
in
the
community
and
in
when
we
redo
them
and
a
lot
of
them
would
do
what
we
doing
when
it's
every
single
one
we're
seeing
this
resurgence
and
the
ones
that
have
been
not
touched,
be
50,
20,
30,
40
years,
we're
starting
to
see
people
coming
back
to
those
as
well.
C
So
I
want
to
thank
you
for
that,
and
thank
you
for
not
giving
up
on
libraries,
because
libraries
are
still
strong
here
in
Boston
Massachusetts
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
be
strong
and
they're
strong
because
of
civic
associations.
They're
strong
because
of
affiliations.
They're
strong
because
of
parishes
like
st.
Anthony's,
they're
strong
because
of
schools
like
sisters
of
st.
Joseph
and
and
I
used
to
almost
called
it
Mount
Saint,
Joseph,
mom,
st.
C
Joseph's
know
my
cousin's
went
this
strong
because
the
people
at
Greenham
they're,
strong
because
of
people
like
Bryan
Honan
this
strong
because
of
all
that
and
Rita
grabbed
me
a
minute
ago,
and
she
said
to
me
the
secret
to
her
success.
Her
birthday
is
Monday,
so
she's
going
to
be
a
couple
years
old
Monday.
C
C
I
used
to
come
in
and
tell
through
people
what
to
do
or
not
to
go.
But,
honestly,
you
know
this
room
being
named
after
Rita
and
I'm
not
going
to
go
too
much.
Does
Rita
read
it
keep
all
of
the
shutdown
sign,
but
it's
important
to
remember
the
people
who
gave
to
our
community
and
it's
important
to
honor
the
people
that
are
investing
in
our
community
and
that's
something
that
is
really
important.
I
think
that's
so
important
in
our
neighborhoods.
This
neighborhood
that
were
in
today
is
a
special
neighborhood.
C
It's
been
a
special
name
for
a
long
time,
because
a
lot
of
you
in
this
room
because
of
your
elected
officials,
that
you
have
the
people
that
represent
you
in
the
past.
It's
important
to
acknowledge
that
and
remember
that
I've
been
all
over
the
city
today,
I
started
my
day.
I
went
that
I
was
in
high
school
earlier
with
the
Latino
business
community
and
they
were
talking
about
preserving
the
neighborhood,
and
how
do
we
make
sure
that
we
bring
more
people
to
to
to
bright
square
area
of
the
city
of
Boston?
C
It's
it's
detox,
it's
a
halfway
house,
it
does
be,
it
recovers,
people
body
and
mind
and
soul,
and
there
was
hundreds
of
people
there
running
today
in
Roxbury
to
preserve
their
community
and
then
and
then
I
went
to
Chinatown
for
the
lantern
festival
and
there
were
hundreds
of
people
in
Chinatown
businesses
trying
to
make
sure
the
businesses
that
they
are
surviving
and
that
they
stay
and
now
I'm.
Here
today,
I
only
think
about
our
community
and
Michael
Flaherty
can
talk
about
this
or
any
elected
officials
that
are
here
Michael
or
Michael
or
Kevin.
C
What
they're,
where
they're
from
and
I
looked
at
this
map
right
here,
it's
a
map,
presence
of
Boston's,
Bostonians
idea
of
the
United
States
of
America
and
I.
Think
about
this
map
was
long
before
this
map
was
a
couple
hundred
years
old,
but
I
think
about
our
ideas
today,
and
our
ideas
today
are
very
different.
Our
ideas
today
and
every
neighborhood,
depending
on
where
you
go,
the
challenges
or
the
benefits
of
those
neighborhoods,
are
different.
Today
and
being
here
today,
naming
this
name
after
raining,
the
true
Matthew
Rita.
C
C
You
should
be
proud
of
it,
and
so
all
the
other
folks
in
the
room
and
some
of
us,
you
know
we
might
not
have
a
room
named
after
us
or
library
named
after
us,
and
that's
okay
too,
because
what
makes
up
a
community
is
the
people
within
that
community
and,
as
I
said
today,
starting
my
day
in
Roxbury,
going
to
hide
square
going
over
to
Chinatown
being
an
awesome
bright
today
being
in
different
neighborhoods.
That's
what
makes
us
that's
what
makes
our
city
so
special.
C
We
don't
have
to
agree
on
everything
you
don't
have
to
like
each
other,
but
we
have
to
do
is
really
understand.
The
importance
of
our
community
and
today
is
a
celebration.
Today
is
a
celebration
of
this
incredible
space.
Today's
celebration
of
this
library
today
is
a
recognition
to
an
individual
who
put
so
much
time
in
this
community,
but
it's
also
indirectly
recognition
to
every
single
person
in
this
building
that
has
done
one
thing
for
somebody
else
will
feel
community.
So
thank
you
very
much.
A
D
You
for
all
you
and
the
friends
do
for
the
library
and
I
also
want
to
thank
the
staff
of
the
library,
and
this
is,
of
course,
my
colleague
Mike
Moran,
and
we
have
the
City
Council
here,
mark
co-moh
and
Mike
Flaherty,
citywide,
city,
councilor
and
all
of
the
candidates
that
are
running
for
Mark's.
He
almost
seemed
want
to
welcome
you
and
thank
you
all
for
coming
and
to
the
lodge
crowd.
That's
here
they
were
all
lined
up
back
there,
so
please
say
hello
to
them
and
yeah.
Thank
you.
D
D
D
Obviously,
she's
a
pillar
of
our
neighborhood.
She
every
time
I've
been
in
this
room,
be
it
for
a
ACA
meeting,
a
Harvard
taskforce
meeting.
She
is
always
here
and
it
is
so
fitting
and
appropriate
that
the
room
be
named
after
her
I
Mike
and
mark
years
have
been
getting
calls
to
take
out
ads
in
the
Saint
Anthony's
minstrel
show
reader
is
a
very
convincing
advocate
on
behalf
of
Saint.
In
we
always
take
off
full-page
ads.
D
D
She's
always
considered
very
tough
but
very
fair,
and
she
would
be
there
for
you
if
you
ever
had
a
problem
in
your
life
she's
the
first
person
you'd
call
and
at
ninety,
she
would
be
there
before.
You
hung
up
the
phone
she's.
We
don't
hang
up.
Phones
anymore,
though,
do
we,
you
push
click
and
end
before
you
hit
and
Rita.
D
We
love
you
with
so
happy
that
this
room
is
gonna,
be
named
after
you
will
always
think
of
you
when
we
come
in
here
and
will
always
see
you,
because
you
you
you're,
always
gonna,
be
here
and
again
she's
an
ambassador
to
this
library
to
the
Honan
Austin
Library.
She
welcomes
everybody,
so
I'm
so
privileged
to
be
here
and
to
see
all
of
you
here
to
come
out
for
your
neighbor.
Now,
please
welcome
my
colleague
in
the
legislature,
state
Rep,
Mike
Moran,.
E
Thank
you,
ken
and
I,
like
the
last
speakers
and
speakers
that
we
have
to
be
out
here
for
the
same
reason,
to
really
just
show
our
gratitude
to
read
it
for
all
the
years
that
she's
given
in
time
that
she's
given
to
this
community.
It
wasn't
so
long
ago
that
we
were
out
back
here,
maybe
six
years
ago,
when
we
were
honoring,
another
pillar
of
our
community
ray
Malone
and
just
recently
moving
down
in
Smith's
Park
honoring,
another
pillar
of
our
community
general
Casey.
And
you
look
around.
E
You
see
the
Joe
Smith
health
center
Joe
Smith,
another
pillar
of
our
community
and
his
wife
Veronica's
names
on
the
building
as
well
and
now.
You've
joined
that
group
of
people
and,
as
the
mayor
said,
those
people
in
including
a
lot
of
people
in
this
room.
I'm
looking
around
this
room,
could
be
named
after
a
lot
of
people,
but
collectively
that
group
collectively.
That
group
has
given
us
the
community
that
we're
living
in
whether
it's
fighting
zoning
issues
or
fighting
for
better
parks.
E
You
have
built
this
community
into
the
new
people
that
are
moving
in
they're
moving
in
because
they
see
what
a
beautiful
place
it
is
and
the
work
that
you
have
done
so
we're
just
here
to
say
thank
you
for
that.
Those
people
don't
get
paid.
I
can
remind
you,
they
do
it
because
I
don't
one
reason,
because
they
love
this
community
and
they've
made
quite
a
place
here
for
all
of
us
to
call
home.
I
will
share
one
funny
story
about
Rita
and
it
involves
the
finger
I'm,
newly
elected
and
and
I
get
a
call.
E
It
wasn't
an
actual
finger.
It
was
a
finger
through
the
phone.
So
so
she
calls
me-
and
she
says,
Mike
I
left
a
TV
for
the
trash
in
the
trash.
Didn't
pick
it
up.
This
is
13
years
ago
and
I
said
they
didn't
and
she
says
no,
you
know
I've
left
it
out
there
now
for
a
couple
of
weeks
and
they
haven't
taken
the
TV,
so
I
said
Rita
we're
gonna
get
that
TV
that
that's
going
to
be
gone
by
tomorrow
and
I
prom.
F
That's
Paula:
this
is
a
great
day.
They
really
like
you
and
well-deserved,
and
you
know
we
all
got
the
finger.
As
the
mayor
said.
Don't
this
finger
mostly
and
as
I
came
in
today,
Rita
handed
me.
Another
punch
list
Dave
so
before
we
when,
when
the
Friends
group
approached
me
about
naming
this
room
after
Rita
I
thought
it
was
just
so
appropriate
and
happy
to
say
that
my
all
of
my
colleagues,
including
Michael
Flaherty,
unanimously,
voted
to
bestow
this
honor
to
you.
F
F
The
board
of
this
awesome
Civic
Association
and
has
acted
with
the
same
happenes
parish
and
McNamara
hosts
senior
housing,
whereas
Rita
ran
a
dais
and
from
her
home
for
many
years
it
has
had
a
positive
influence
on
the
lives
of
so
many
children.
From
this
neighborhood
we
are,
as
leader,
was
a
founding
member
of
the
Friends
of
the
Honan
library,
serving
as
its
vice
president
citizens
inception
in
2001.
F
Rita
has
volunteered
her
time
and
talents
to
raise
funds
for
the
branch
to
provide
programming
and
hits
collections.
Physical
improvements,
including
landscaping
of
the
courtyard
improvements
to
the
community
art
gallery
and
for
the
installation
of
acoustical
paneling
in
the
community
room
and
whereas
Rita
has
recruited
many
volunteers
with
the
finger
to
provide
programming,
conduct,
conduct.
Outreach
and
education
of
the
branch
be
resolved
that
the
members
of
the
Boston
City
Council's
support,
naming
the
community
room
of
the
Honan
Austin
branch
library,
the
Rita
Jesse
community
room.
A
Yes,
what
an
honor
Rita,
that's
fantastic!
It's
your
day
today,
absolutely
great
until
crispy
is
here.
She
is
the
administrator
of
Dean
at
the
Harvard
Business,
School
and
she's
a
great
friend
of
reader
and
me
we're
we're
we're
just
good
pals.
So
you
always
have
a
girls
night
out
together,
and
so
here
is
Angela.
B
This
is
a
lot
of
fun.
It's
just
so
fantastic
to
see
all
these
people
that
have
come
together
for
you
and
you
know
one
of
the
things
I
bet
I'm,
not
alone.
We
have
many
people
who
influenced
us
and
Rita
for
sure
is
one
but
I'm
thinking
of
the
early
years
of
influence,
the
people
who
shape
the
lives
that
we
have,
but
there's
one
person
that
when
Iced
mention
this
I,
think
many
of
you
are
going
to
actually
smile
and
say
yeah
that
person
too,
and
it
is
mr.
Rogers.
B
Five
days
a
week
coming
home
from
school,
sometimes
in
the
morning
off
and
on
a
Saturday
I
would
listen
to
him
and
always
it
began
and
it
ended
and
I
wish.
I
was
a
really
good
singer,
but
I'm
not,
but
won't
you
please
won't
you
please.
Please
won't
you
be
my
neighbor
and
then
you
just
kind
of
think
like
that,
has
an
influence
on
you
as
a
neighbor.
B
It's
about
the
importance
of
neighborhoods
and
we
all
have
neighbors,
no
matter
where
we
live
right
and
you
realize
that
what
happens
in
a
neighborhood
is
that
you
grow
to
rely
on
each
other
right.
You
watch
each
other's
backs.
You
might
check
to
see
if
the
light
has
gone
on.
You
might
just
move
in
the
trash
barrels.
You
might
move
at
TV
right,
but
you
have
a
whole
series
of
sets
of
things.
You
might
borrow
things
from
each
other
right.
B
You
extend
hands
borrow,
you
know,
I
need
a
cup
of
sugar
sort
of
thing,
so
we're
neighbors
we're
neighbors
in
terms
of
Harvard,
being
here
in
Austin
and
being
here
for
a
very
long
time
and
we're
worlds
begin
to
collide.
As
a
young
girl,
we
would
go
to
the
turnstile
on
a
Friday
night
love
the
turnstile,
absolutely
loved.
If
turnstile,
you
know
where
my
great
high
school
graduation
gift
was
leather
jacket
from
Schneider
leather,
but
these
kinds
of
things
were
worlds
collide
and
so
the
first
time
that
I
met
Rita.
B
We
were
in
task
force
meetings
together,
and
this
goes
back
to
about
1994
1995
and
the
thing
that
I
actually
observed,
and
so
we
studied
leadership
and
we
teach
it
and
we
do
research
on
it,
but
something
that
I
really
started
to
notice
is
this
lady,
and
what
was
happening
is
that
when
you
watch
the
meetings
that
were
taking
platt
taking
place,
she
was
sitting
back
and
she
was
listening
and
she
was
taking
it
in
and
then
she
would
advance
the
conversation.
She
would
have
something
that
she
would
say
she
saw
the
broad
picture.
B
She
had
this
like
unique
ability
to
both
see
the
high
but
knew
the
details
and
I
in
those
very
early
time
periods
thought
this
person
is
pretty
remarkable
and
that
kind
of
repeated
itself
just
in
our
journey
together
over
the
years,
and
there
would
be
things
where
maybe
not
quite
the
finger.
But
what
would
be
is
a
call
when
she
would
call
me
and
there
would
be
things
that
might
be
related
to
st.
Anthony's.
B
Definitely
the
show
you
know
could
we
think
about
helping
with
the
show
there
would
be
things
related
to
the
elementary
schools,
whether
that
was
guarded.
The
Joseph
and
Veronica
Smith
centrist
both
of
those
and
then
became
the
journey
to
the
library
and
Brian
and
I
were
BC
classmates,
so
I
haven't
I
knew
Brian.
Well,
we
were
young
and
Brian
was
an
extraordinary
guy,
just
a
great
great
human
being,
and
so
this
library
starts
and
being
again
in
the
university
libraries
are
really
special
places
right.
This
is
where
communities
come
together.
B
You
read,
you
seek
out
an
idea.
You
might
want
to
check
something
out
online,
you
whatever
it
is
they're
kind
of
a
hub,
and
so
it
was
so
fitting
that
this
library
in
Austin,
in
a
place,
it's
our
neighborhood,
that
we
love
was
named
for
Brian
Honan
and
then
to
realize
that
this
room
is
named
for
Rita,
well,
I,
just
I.
Just
think.
B
That's
just
the
best
thing
ever
so
is
with
a
heartfelt
Thank,
You
Rita
through
the
years
just
the
it
is
a
testament
we're
looking
at
the
mosaic
of
people
out
here
of
how
loved
you
are,
but
I
love
you
a
lot
you're,
just
an
amazing,
lady
and
you're,
a
role
model
to
so
many
of
us.
So
you
know
made
generations
know
how
to
bring
communities
together
like
you
have,
because
you
really
know
how
to
get
the
job
done.
So.
Thank
you.
My
dear.
A
G
It's
truly
great
to
be
here
to
preside
over
this
part
of
our
ceremony
today
and
the
one
thing
I
have
learned
among
many
things.
Perhaps,
but
one
thing
that
stands
out
that
I
have
learned
in
my
time
as
head
of
this
library
is
that
libraries
work
when
the
people
are
collaborating
together,
and
so
thank
you
all
for
advocating
for
this
day,
for
your
participation
in
the
library
and
to
Rita.
G
Thank
you
for
symbolizing,
the
best
of
community
collaboration
in
our
city
and
so
as
president
of
the
library
on
behalf
of
the
mayor
of
the
city
of
Boston
and
the
board
of
trustees
of
the
library
represented
here
by
trustee
Priscilla,
Douglas
I
will
read
the
inscription
on
the
plaque
and
then
I'll
present
it
to
you
and
I
know
better
than
to
deviate
because
you're,
the
next
speaker
and
I've,
heard
about
this
finger.
So
I'm
just
going
to
go
ahead
and
read
the
plaque.
G
The
Rita
m.d
Jesse
community
room,
Holman,
Alston
branch
of
the
Boston
Public
Library
to
recognize
Rita
to
Jessie
for
her
many
tireless
years
of
volunteer
service
to
the
Honan
Austin
Branch
Library.
The
community
room
is
hereby
named
in
her
honor.
This
honor
is
in
grateful
appreciation
of
the
enduring
commitment
and
extraordinary
accomplishments
of
her
leadership
role
to
the
Austin
community
and
the
home
in
Austin
Branch
Library.
Please
rise
and
greet
Rita.
H
Something
but
I
didn't
do
this
alone.
I
had
friends,
I
get
neighbors
I
had
my
community
with
me,
the
Friends
of
the
library,
but
back
to
the
story
of
how
it
was
built.
I
was
doing
day
here
and
I.
Take
total
voids
that
I
would
have
over
and
watched
this
library
be
built,
and
we
were
sitting
on
the
curb.
H
So
when
it
was
complete,
I
made
sure
that
everything
was
fine
and
when
it
wasn't,
they
would
get
a
call
of
the
library.
I
would
burn
all
I'll
have
to
get
an
order
in
well.
I
just
want
to
tell
you
with
just
a
little
story
about
that.
We
have
this
rumor
open
someone
who
donated
this
library
so
flat
feet
and
I.