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From YouTube: WE ARE BOSTON 2020: FROM RESILIENCE TO EQUITY
Description
Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement (MOIA) hosted We Are Boston 2020: From Resilience to Equity on November 19, 2020. The annual end-of-the year reception celebrates Boston immigrants and their contributions to the City. This year’s virtual program focused on honoring frontline workers and immigrant-serving nonprofits for their tireless work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It also highlighted how together we can move towards equity for all residents.
The Mayor awarded the 2020 “We Are Boston Community Champion Award” to Rita Lara, Executive Director of Maverick Landing Community Services, for her instrumental role in the coronavirus response. Lara organized a collaborative of East Boston organizations to provide relief and food to those in need, including those who do not qualify for any benefits. The 2020 “We Are Boston Corporate Leadership Award” went to Eastern Bank for their commitment to diverse communities by helping nonprofits and businesses apply for PPP and for their annual Social Justice celebration.
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It's
never
been
more
important
for
all
of
us
to
make
sure
that
everyone
has
the
support
they
need
from
the
moment
this
pandemic
hit.
Our
focus
has
been
on
supporting
residents
who
have
been
the
most
impacted
by
this
crisis,
and
that's
especially
includes
the
immigrant
communities
together
with
many
of
you
here
tonight.
Our
office
of
immigrant
advancement,
led
by
yusufi
valley,
has
made
sure
all
essential
immigrant
services
have
continued
without
interruption
and
citywide
we're
supporting
individuals
and
families
with
critical
resources
like
rental
relief,
medical
care
and
food
access.
B
B
They
also
helped
facilitate
and
launch
the
massachusetts
immigrant
covert,
19
collaborative
it's
a
coordinated
effort
between
15
immigrant
serving
organizations
to
provide
food,
financial
support
and
legal
services
to
the
immigrant
community.
The
collaborative
has
received
over
4
million
in
donations
and
is
still
counting.
B
Many
of
you
watching
tonight
played
an
important
role
in
these
efforts,
and
I
want
to
say
thank
you.
Another
big
focus
of
us
this
year
was
the
boston
resiliency
fund.
It
has
allowed
us
to
harness
the
generosity
of
our
city
and
direct
funding
where
it's
needed.
The
most
the
boston
resiliency
fund
has
distributed
more
than
28
million
dollars
to
community
organizations
all
across
the
city,
including
many
that
serve
our
immigrant
communities.
B
B
I
declared
racism,
a
public
health
crisis
in
the
city
of
boston
and
we're
backing
that
declaration
with
real
action.
I
created
an
equity
cabinet
led
by
dr
carolyn
crockett.
The
goal
is
to
prioritize
equity
in
every
way
that
local
government
touches
people's
lives.
We
also
created
the
racial
equity
fund
to
advance
our
racial
justice
work.
B
At
the
same
time,
we
took
a
stand
against
anti-immigrant
policies.
Coming
from
washington,
we
demanded
that
everyone
in
our
community
be
counted
in
the
census.
We
fought
to
defend
tps
and
we
supported
project
citizenship,
lawsuit
against
uscis
when
they
tried
to
turn
our
citizenship
into
a
wealth
test.
We
led
an
amicus
brief
and
got
33
cities
and
counties.
B
Thankfully,
if
federal
court
blocked
those
fee
increases,
you
should
all
be
proud
of
the
role
you
played
in
this
fight.
It's
a
reminder
how
powerful
we
can
be
when
we
stand
together,
but
I've
always
said
that
a
city
shows
a
true
colors
during
hard
times.
We've
got
a
long
road
ahead
of
us.
We're
going
to
keep
supporting
one
another
and
we're
going
to
keep
fighting
to
protect
the
well-being,
the
right
and
the
dignity
if
everyone
who
calls
our
city
home.
C
D
D
G
Ago,
an
alumni
reached
out
to
me-
and
this
alumni
is
a
only-
she
was
telling
me
that
she's
having
a
very
difficult
time
advocating
for
her
and
her
mother
before
the
call
ended.
I
pointed
out
so
many
resources
that
we
at
social
latina
kind
of
gathered
by
the
end
of
the
call
she
broke
down
crying.
She
felt
very
grateful
being
able
just
to
give
them
an
ear
that
they
can
talk
into.
I
K
H
B
All
of
our
non-profit
partners
have
done
amazing
work
this
year,
but
we
would
like
to
highlight
one
person
in
particular
for
this
year's.
We
are
boston
community,
champion
award.
This
year's
award
goes
cerita
lara.
The
executive
director
of
the
maverick
landing
community
services
rita,
has
been
working
in
the
nonprofit
sector
for
over
20
years.
She
has
been
instrumental
on
our
coronavirus
response.
B
She
has
quickly
and
innovatively
adapted
her
team
to
provide
relief
and
food
for
those
in
need,
including
those
who
do
not
qualify
for
any
benefits
and
rita
has
been
instrumental
in
setting
up
the
city's
current
sustainable
food
distribution
system
with
fair
foods.
Rita.
Thank
you
for
your
service
to
our
city
and
I'm
proud
to
present
you
with
this
year's
award.
B
B
They've
also
been
a
champion
for
esl
education
and
immigrant
empowerment.
The
annual
social
justice
celebration
is
an
inspiration
to
all
corporations
to
prioritize
equity
in
everything
they
do.
Thank
you,
eastern
bank
and
now
you'll
hear
from
the
award
recipients,
rita
lara
of
maverick
landing
and
quincy
miller.
The
president
and
vice
chairman
of
eastern
bank.
M
I'm
really
deeply
honored
to
receive
this
community
champion
award
from
the
city
of
boston,
especially
during
this
moment
in
time.
I
want
to
thank
the
office
for
immigrant
advancement
for
its
tireless
work,
amplifying
voice
and
representation
for
the
immigrant
community,
which
is
one
of
our
most
vulnerable
communities.
Right
now,
there's
been
so
much
work
to
do
in
the
office
for
immigrant
advancement
has
done
it
with
steadfast
commitment
and
deep
integrity.
M
M
N
O
Thank
you
rita
and
quincy,
and
congratulations
on
your
very
well-deserved
awards.
It's
been
a
busy
year
for
all
of
us
and
I'd
like
to
begin
by
thanking
our
sponsors,
who
make
this
event
possible
sponsorships
where
we
are
boston
fund,
our
mini
grants.
So
last
year's
sponsors
funded
this
year's
hundred
thousand
dollars
worth
of
mini
grants.
We
gave
out
in
october,
and
this
year's
sponsors
will
fund
the
mini
grants
for
next
year.
O
Many
of
our
sponsors
have
joined
us
here
tonight
and
I'd
like
to
take
a
moment
to
recognize
you
for
your
generous
donation,
especially
our
champion
sponsors,
our
bella
insurance
foundation
and
state
street
corporation
and
our
visionary
sponsors
eastern
bank,
and
harvard
pilgrim
healthcare
and
a
big
thank
you
to
all
our
sponsors
for
supporting
moya
and
the
hard
work
of
our
immigrant
serving
non-profits.
You
know
the
needs
of
our
immigrant
communities
have
been
extraordinary.
This
year,
our
hun
over
100
non-profits
have
applied
applied
for
our
mini
grants
this
past
october.
O
It
was
a
very
difficult
process
and
we
wish
we
could
have
given
everyone
a
grant.
Our
select
selection
committee
ultimately
picked
these
20
diverse
non-profits,
who
will
be
using
the
grants
to
provide
critical
programs
and
services
to
our
immigrant
residents
to
persevere
through
the
covet-19
crisis.
O
Our
primary
strategy
with
these
grants
is
to
fund
up-and-coming
non-profits
and
programs
that
are
not
necessarily
on
the
radar
screen
of
our
foundations
and
corporate
sponsors.
Now
last
year
during
we
are
boston.
I
told
you
about
moya's
strategic
plan
and
I'm
proud
proud
to
say
that
on
top
of
covid
related
crisis
response,
we
we
have
made
significant
progress
on
a
number
of
our
strategic
initiatives.
O
O
We've
been
doing
that
exact
work
of
framing
very
busy,
countering
divisive
national
rhetoric
and
policies
through
proactive
communications,
advocacy
and
legal
tools.
I
also
noted
that
we
would
revamp
our
advisory
board
to
help
drive
strategic
initiatives.
While
covett
has
delayed
this
launch,
we
are
starting
to
recruit
candidates
and
hope
to
announce
the
board
this
spring.
I'm
also
very
excited
to
share
that
we
are
in
week,
six
of
immigrants
lead
boston,
a
brand
new
civic
engagement
course.
O
It's
an
important
program
that
will
make
hundreds
of
emerging
immigrant
leaders
become
civically,
active
understand
how
the
city
works,
how
the
budget
works
and
meet
different
directors
and
chiefs
and,
most
importantly,
it
will
move
us
from
resilience
to
equity.
In
the
long
term.
We
currently
have
a
great
group
of
18,
diverse
participants,
some
of
them
here
tonight
and
I'm
confident
that
you'll
be
seeing
them
in
the
very
near
future.
O
Another
important
initiative
that
moves
us
from
resilience
to
equity,
which
the
mayor
and
my
team
launched
this
summer
was
our
dreamers
fellowship
our
undocumented
youth,
need
to
have
the
same
kind
of
summer
job
opportunities
as
those
with
status.
So
we
started
this
unprecedented
pilot
program
that
paired
50
dreamers
with
non-forfeits
to
gain
hands-on
work,
experience
and
education
while
receiving
a
stipend.
O
We
will
put
out
more
information
the
coming
weeks
about
this,
so
be
on
the
lookout
for
that
now
in
the
next
year.
The
mayor
and
my
goal
is
to
keep
moving
forward
on
equity,
already
the
first
new
england
city.
To
take
a
such
a
step.
We
will
be
doubling
our
investment
in
the
greater
boston
immigrant
defense
fund
from
fifty
thousand
dollars
to
a
hundred
thousand
dollars,
because,
regardless
of
who,
the
president
is
legal
needs
for
our
immigrant
residents
are
at
an
all-time
high,
we're
also
identifying
initiatives
to
increase
wealth
and
entrepreneurship.
O
If
you're
interested
in
this
or
have
other
ideas,
please
reach
out
to
my
office,
okay
enough
from
me
at
this
point
now
we're
going
to
hear
from
an
extraordinary
person
and
poet
from
the
immigrant
community
about
why
this
year
was
particularly
meaningful.
Tonight's
storyteller
is
umaleni
malaba
adebo
umaleni
is
an
immigrant
originally
from
zimbabwe
and
is
now
an
artist
living
in
dorchester.
O
P
P
It's
june
2020,
it's
been
a
really
tough
month,
heck,
it's
been
a
tough
year
jed
and
I
are
bothering
mom
stories:
the
endless
zoom
meetings,
the
online
school
for
kids,
remote
learning,
the
covid,
the
rates
climbing
global
pandemic,
the
protests
all
across
america
and
the
world
is
just
too
much.
My
husband
is
an
essential
worker,
making
sure
that
other
people
can
stay
home
stay
safe.
He
works
in
technology
and
we
can't
even
see
our
family
near
or
far
my
husband's
in
nigeria,
mine
in
zimbabwe
and
south
africa,
uk
germany,
australia,
new
zealand.
P
The
only
way
of
communicating
is
through
whatsapp
or
facebook.
It's
really
tough.
We've
got
to
do
something
I
say
to
my
friend
jen,
but
we
don't
know
what
to
do.
We
know
they're
protests
happening
all
over
the
city
in
the
neighborhoods,
but
we're
afraid
we
don't
want
our
kids
to
be
places
where
there's
so
many
people
safe.
So
what
can
we
do?
P
We
need
to
do
something
the
kids
need
to
process
what's
going
on
too,
so
we
sit
in
silence
for
a
moment
and
an
idea
bubbles
in
my
mind,
and
I
think
maybe
we
should
do
a
sidewall
kids
protest.
You
know
give
the
kids
an
opportunity
to
connect
safely
social
distance,
so
we
get
behind
that
idea,
as
mom
does
tuesday
and
wednesday
we
decide.
You
know
what
we're
going
to
plan
this,
I'm
the
one
who's
responsible
for
putting
up
getting
all
the
materials.
P
The
paper,
the
crayons,
the
poster
board
jen's,
going
to
call
some
local
parents
see
if
they'll
be
interested
in
coming
with
their
kids,
keeping
the
numbers
small
because
of
covert
rates.
I'm
really
excited
about
this
plan.
It's
something
that
I
can
do
thursday
morning.
My
son
is
doing
remote
learning,
he's
taking
a
little
break
playing
roblox,
I'm
in
between
zoom
calls.
My
husband
is
at
work
and
I
see
a
what's
up
missed
call.
P
I
was
fumbling
to
get
the
cell
phone
and
and
then
I
call-
and
I
tell
him
and
he's
shocked-
and
he
says
I'm
sorry,
but
I
can't
come
because
I'm
working-
and
I
don't
want
you
to
be
alone,
so
I'm
going
to
call
my
sister
to
come
and
be
with
you,
but
I
don't
want
anybody
to
be
with
me.
I
I
don't
want.
I
don't
want
anyone.
I
just
I
just
want
to
be
alone
and
right
next
door.
P
P
I
can't
tell
him
that
his
gogoku
would
show
him
how
to
use
a
slingshot,
his
goku,
who
he
would
chase
monkeys
with
in
zimbabwe
when
she
was
trying
to
chase
him
away
from
her
banana
trees.
I
can't
tell
him
that
his
gogo,
who
used
to
read
him
stories
at
night
when
he
slept,
has
died,
he's
right
next
door
taking
his
glasses
online,
and
I
can't
tell
him.
P
P
P
My
son
carries
out
her
posters
that
he
made
we
love
george
written
and
purple.
He
takes
out
some
other
things
that
we
need
for
the
sidewalk
protest,
he's
getting
excited.
His
friends
are
coming
soon
mona
and
jay,
who
almost
hug
and
embrace,
but
we
remember
because
it's
cool,
but
they
have
to
keep
socially
distance,
it's
3,
30
p.m,
and
there's
a
sea
of
kids
that
come
with
their
moms
and
dads
and
uncles
and
aunties
toting
water
bottles
and
t-shirts.
P
The
energy
is
exciting.
We
give
the
kids
some
time
to
write
on
their
posters
and
then
we
march
to
the
monument
it's
a
monument
of
a
moon
right
across
the
street.
The
cars
are
honking
by,
as
they
see
the
kids
walking
in
unison
chanting.
We
love
george
black
lives
matter
justice
for
all,
led
by
my
son.
P
It's
a
beautiful
sight
to
behold,
but
it's
also
painful
to
see
that
our
kids
have
to
be
doing
this
standing
up
for
justice,
but
jen
has
walked
them
through
and
we've
talked
to
them
about
the
importance
of
what
they're
doing
that
we're
there
to
speak
up
of
what's
happening
to
george
floyd.
What's
happened
to
brianna
taylor
that
we
hear
because
our
voices
matter,
because
everybody
needs
to
be
safe
because
everybody
needs
to
be
heard.
P
P
We
sing
the
song,
the
kids
start
playing
a
few
minutes
later.
Police
car
comes
and
parks
right
in
front
of
us.
There's
sudden
tension
in
the
air.
My
friends,
jen
and
karma
stand
in
between
the
police
officers
and
myself,
the
kids
scatter
around
to
the
back
of
the
building,
and
once
they
do
that,
I
overhear
one
of
them
say
I
don't
want
to
die
today.
P
P
Q
Thank
you,
uber
lenny,
for
sharing
that
powerful
story
with
us.
Your
creativity,
light
and
truth
telling
are
an
inspiration
to
us
all
when
mayor
walsh
declared
racism,
a
public
health
crisis.
In
june
of
this
year,
he
sent
a
loud
message
that
anti-black
racism
cannot
be
tolerated
and
must
be
rooted
out
of
our
institutions,
our
policy
and
our
own
hearts.
Q
Q
J
Q
L
They
tell
me:
love
cannot
come
in
twos.
Whoever
said
that
has
never
been
in
my
shoes,
because
the
way
my
tongue
rolls
ours
represents
my
country,
but
my
open
mind
is
westernized.
Yet
I
carry
my
culture
on
my
sleeve,
but
america
taught
me
if
I
believe
then
I
can
achieve
they
tell
me.
Love
cannot
come
in
twos,
but
they
have
not
seen
the
way.
My
mind
thinks
in
arabic,
but
my
mouth
speaks
english.
L
They
tell
me
I've
overstayed
my
welcome
that
america
is
not
my
home
as
a
us
citizen
born
to
immigrants-
I'm
not
here
to
prove
where
I
stand,
because
someone's
home
has
absolutely
nothing
to
do
with
whose
land
home
is
not
a
place
that
it
cannot
be
confined
by
space.
But
home
is
a
feeling
home
is
the
starting
line
of
hopes,
dreams
and
aspirations.
L
You
see
home
is
not
a
piece
of
paper
that
proves
your
birth
location,
but
home
is
to
excel
always
building
a
foundation.
So
strong
words
of
ignorance
can't
make
it
through
home
is
only
defined
by
your
story,
it's
about
where
you
were
and
how
much
you
grew
where
you're
going
and
what
you
plan
to
pursue.
So
the
next
time
someone
says,
go
back
home.
Tell
them
I've
already
built
it
right
here
with
you.
Thank
you.
O
As
we
bring
this
year's,
we
are
boston,
2020
from
resilience
to
equity.
To
a
close,
I
want
to
thank
you
all
for
joining
us
here
tonight.
Thank
you
to
the
mayor
and
all
of
my
colleagues
at
city
hall
for
prioritizing
our
immigrant
communities.
Thank
you
to
our
non-profits
for
helping
families
survive
this
pandemic
and
thank
you
to
our
sponsors
and
those
who
bought
tickets
for
your
heart
and
generosity
and,
of
course,
to
our
immigrant
residents
for
keeping
boston,
diverse
and
making
it
this
wonderful
city
that
we
all
love.
O
And
lastly,
I
want
to
thank
my
team,
our
chief
of
staff,
agnes
chang
and
our
event,
planner
nimra
baksh,
for
making
this
year's.
We
are
boston
virtually
possible.
Last
year.
Moya
was
five
people
there's
now
eight
of
us
full-time
and
I'm
excited
to
and
we're
going
to
soon
be
10.
and,
as
my
team
grows,
I'm
excited
to
see
our
network
grow
as
well.
So
please
continue
to
connect
us
with
community
leaders,
non-profit
corporate
sponsors,
corporations,
companies
and
foundations.
O
If
you're
just
getting
to
know
us,
then
email
us
at
immigrant
advancement,
boston.gov
or
call
us
at
617-635-2980,
so
we
can
connect
more
to
close
we'd
like
to
leave
you
with
the
boston
children's
chorus.
Singing
you've
got
a
friend
in
me
enjoy
the
performance
and
the
zoom
link
will
shortly
close
after
that.
Thank
you
and
very
good
night.