Author: Vekonda Luangaphay
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Photo Exhibit of Life After Incarceration
The crowd stayed silent while listening to William Morales, 47, share his story about life after prison. He talked about his struggles and achievements on stage that evening at the reception for the photography exhibit, “From the Inside Out: Reflections After Incarceration,” which took place on Friday, May 26, at the Black Market in Roxbury. His…
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City HeART puts at-risk artists on Display
Homeless artist Mel poses with his paintings at the City HeART exhibit. All photos: Alejandro Ramirez. The 7th Annual City HeART Art Show and Sale featured the work of artists dealing with poverty, ranging from those struggling with low incomes to the currently homeless. The event took place at the Prudential Center on Saturday, May…
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Charitable foundation offers backpacks to the homeless
On Tuesday evening, of Dec. 20, Elvita Isenia gave homeless people backpacks that are filled with useful supplies. “I feel like I need to be there at some point to be able to alleviate their situation,” Isenia said. Isenia and her two friends walked up and down the Back Bay area, scrounging for homeless…
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MassINC has “Serious Fun” Celebrating its 20th Birthday
On Dec. 1, MassINC gathered politicians, business leaders and philanthropists from Massachusetts at the Revere Hotel for its “Serious Fun”-themed 20th birthday party. More than 320 people were in attendance to celebrate MassINC’s big day. Proceeds will help the organization’s work creating opportunities for the middle class in Massachusetts through research such as its Gateway…
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People support sheltering women, starting with a spaghetti dinner
All photos: Matt Grazier Hundreds of people ate spaghetti this past Friday night at the 2016 Spaghetti Dinner at the Fairmount Copley Plaza. It was a fundraiser event hosted by the Women’s Lunch Place, a nonprofit that give women refuge from the streets by providing shelter and food, among many other things. “Guests of WLP…
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Running Through a Journey of Hope
David Noriega was first arrested when he was 21, and had been in and out of jail for the following 13 years. He had been battling with alcohol and drug addiction since he was 13 years old. He had three heroin overdoses, three cocaine over doses, and he’s had seizures. Then he started running, at…
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InnerCity Weightlifting: Raising the bar for at-risk youth
Photo: Chris Cardoza / Doza Visuals When Jon Feinman worked for AmeriCorps in 2005 he had an idea: use weightlifting as way to engage Boston’s inner city youth. The idea worked, and soon he was getting the attention of some of the city’s most at risk kids. One in particular, Elexson Hercules, who was initiated…
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Spotlighting women’s stories of hope
On June 21, four women read stories they’d written about their lives to a crowd at the Writer’s Spotlight Reception at Rosie’s Place, a Roxbury-based nonprofit with a mission to provide women with shelter and opportunities. One woman, Francesca, spoke about rebuilding her life in America after having left her home country of Honduras. “My…