Board Member Spotlight

When did you first get involved with DSNI? How were you involved? And why? 

“I got involved with DSNI by doing 10 hours of community service there for school last year and then my Uncle told me I would be a great fit for the board and I was like okay maybe I’ll run. So then I ended up running for the board around June, it was scary running for the board at first, but it was really fun.”

Why do you continue to stay involved today? 

“I feel like DSNI is a way I can escape reality if stuff goes hard, because when you’re a youth growing up in Boston, it’s really hard, because stuff happens and you have to deal with things like loss and you just have stressful days and then DSNI is just there. I can go to them and just breathe and get involved and understand what’s going on. I like that because they don’t judge you, they’re just like ask us if you need anything.”

How long has your family lived on the CLT? What has living on the CLT meant to you and your family?

“My mom has been living here way before I was born, I don’t know how many years but more than 16 years for sure. Me & my family can stay here without putting up a fight. It’s like when families are getting kicked out of their houses because of rent control and things like that and my family gets to stay, it’s like we don’t have to worry.”

What do you love most about this neighborhood?

“Probably the people and the culture. A lot of different people live here in this neighborhood and they all express their culture, which I love so much because it’s all different types of cultures that I can learn about from others. This is my favorite thing because growing up, I went to a school where they didn’t show off much culture, but now that I’m growing up and I’m going to a different school and I’m more around my community, I see so much more than I saw when I was younger. I see all these people doing things that make them happy and it’s very nice.”

What are your hopes for the neighborhood?

“I would like to see more youth centers and more things for the kids because usually we have to take a bus or a train to go somewhere, so for the neighborhood to have more things for us, that would mean a lot, because it would mean they were still thinking about us, while everything else is going on."