February 2024 Newsletter

In the News

Freedom House to host Opening the Archives: Freedom House at 75 - Youth Activism Then and Now

On February 13, Freedom House will host a special evening of conversation and exhibition as we journey through Boston's history of youth activism from 1949 to today. Community champion Joel Mackall will guide us through key moments and milestones shaping our community's dynamic youth-driven movements, and a student-curated exhibition showcasing Boston's youth activism will invite us to connect, reflect, and be inspired by the resilience and passion of our youth. Together, let’s celebrate the legacy of Freedom House and the enduring impact of youth activism. Register Here.

Freedom House Welcomes Two New Board Members

Freedom House welcomed two amazing individuals to its board of directors: Abdirahman Abdulle and Kysso Gomes. These leaders are Freedom House alumni and bring powerful experiences, energy, and dedication to our mission of advancing economic, racial, and social equity in our communities through education and leadership development. Their commitment and passion will add immense value to the organization and further its impact.

Scholar Soundbite

"At Freedom House I learned a lot about myself and interacting with others. I made life long friends and memories that I reflect on often. Freedom House also prepared?me for college and my future work endeavors. It shaped a lot of my mindset and I began to step into the person I've always wanted to be."

What's Happening at the House?

Freedom House welcomes back Scholars for Spring programming!

• PUSH Leadership Institute scholars will engage in research projects to kick off Freedom House’s 75th Anniversary, wellness workshops, and maternal health discussions.
• PUSH College students received over $16,000 in scholarships. 2 of our Junior Coaches began their first semester of college at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
• 15 Junior Coaches began in-person programming with PUSH Leadership Institute as part of our work-study and PUSH-2-START programming. Junior coaches began the year by leading workshops, generating new ideas around boosting student engagement, and mentoring our high school scholars both socially and academically.

Scholars participate in MLK Celebrations

Our partner schools, Jeremiah Burke and Boston Arts Academy, engaged students in Martin Luther King, Jr celebrations. Both included performances and speeches conducted by current students.

Scholars lead community interviews for the 75th Anniversary Artifact Project

As we continue to make progress with our Freedom House 75th Anniversary project, we have 3 Junior Coaches working closely with the coordination team. The coordination team collaborates with Freedom House and Northeastern University’s Reckonings Project. Our Junior coaches have been focusing on in-person interviews with our Freedom House Alumni. For January, they?organized and completed their first interview of the year.?

Congratulations to Walter DePina on his acceptance into the State Police Cadet Program!?Walter will be graduating this Spring from UMass Boston!

CEO Corner

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

February 2024 is the shortest month in our 12-month calendar.?This year, it comes with an extra day! Unlike 2023, which has 365 days, 2024 is a leap year, which means it has 366 days. Leap years only happen every four years, so let’s mark our calendar for February 29th, 2028.

As you can see, February was created to draw attention and stand out from the rest!?This month, we will also observe Presidents’ Day and Valentine’s Day and celebrate Black History Month!?Black History Month is a celebration of our past, present, and future. A time for acknowledgment, reflection, and inspiration.?Founded in February 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, also known as the “Father of Black History,” it aimed to recognize and honor the neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of expertise and creativity throughout our history.?Black History Month today honors all Black people from all periods of the history of the United States of America.?

Celebrating Black History Month continues to be an important foundation for our scholars as we continue the work of social justice at Freedom House.?Our scholars must understand the impact of history, the stories, and the voices of Black people.?We are responsible for honoring our history and uplifting every scholar by reinforcing that their lives matter daily as black people.?Our scholars must understand that Black history is also American history, and we must intentionally continue to write and rewrite the narrative of a diverse nation.

This month, Freedom House celebrates our Black history as we open our archives.?We will journey through the history of Youth activism from 1949 to now, commemorating our contributions to the culture and history of Boston.?Community champion Joel Mackall will guide us through key moments and milestones shaping our community's dynamic youth-driven movements, and a student-curated exhibition showcases Boston's youth activism that will invite us to connect, reflect, and be inspired by the resilience and passion of our youth. Together, let us celebrate the legacy of Freedom House and the enduring impact of youth activism.

Black History Month still matters.?The recognition of our history should not be limited to one month but celebrated throughout the year.?Freedom House will continue working to uplift and educate every student, reinforcing the impact of black history, the stories, and the voices. Muriel and Otto Snowden have laid the groundwork – now we must continue to walk that path.

"Never be limited by other people's limited imaginations." Dr. Mae Jemison

Community Corner

Community Corner features stories and important updates from leaders across the Freedom House community.

MEET OUR BOARD MEMBERS

Tom O'Reilly

Chief Administrative and Financial Officer, Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston

Born at what today is known as the Dimock Center, Tom O’Reilly grew up in Boston.?The child of an English language learner mother and a 9th-grade-educated father, Tom attended Boston’s public schools and earned a diploma from Boston Latin School and degrees from Harvard University and Boston College.?He was subsequently awarded an honorary Doctor of Education degree from Pine Manor College and is a Fulbright awardee.?A broadly skilled executive with deep experience leading and operating complex not-for-profit and corporate organizations, Tom is consistently recognized for creating and maintaining high levels of credibility and trust with stakeholders and success in leading diverse constituencies.?Tom has an entrepreneurial leadership style that has consistently led to transformative results.?He is currently the Chief Administrative and Financial Officer of Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston.??

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From launching a volunteer tutoring program as a fatherless teen to mitigate the traumas ignited during Boston’s court ordered desegregation, to being elected the youngest member of the Boston School Committee at age 26 and shepherding the selection of Boston’s first Black Superintendent and the adoption of the Boston Education Plan, the Lau Bilingual Reform Plan, Boston’s first voluntary desegregation plan and more, to being President of Pine Manor College, ranked among the most diverse in the U.S. with 85% students of color, 84% first in their families to attend college, 80% low income, 50% multi-lingual, a graduation rate nearly four times the national average for this demographic, and more than 90% of its graduates either fully employed or onto advanced studies within six months, to the groundbreaking Student Success Coach partnership with Freedom House, to the visionary launching of the Pine Manor Institute for Student Success at Boston College that will advance higher educational opportunity for underrepresented and underserved youth, Tom is a friend of the Black and Brown youth of Boston.?In recognition of his achievements, he was a 2022 Freedom House Champion of Freedom awardee.

What are you most passionate about?

Helping others and myself to be the best that we can be by supporting a thriving community for all, first through education and then through whatever else we can lever.?I like helping to solve problems by reframing them and their solutions.

How did you get connected to Freedom House?

I first learned of Freedom House in the 1980s when I had the privilege of serving as an elected member of the Boston School Committee. Then, in 1988, I voted in favor of naming the Snowden International School at Copley Square after Muriel S. Snowden.?Then in the year 2016, as President of Pine Manor College, I was re-introduced to Freedom House and its Student Success model by Katrina Shaw, then President & CEO of Freedom.?This became the foundation of the groundbreaking Pine Manor Student Success program, which is now the foundation of the Pine Manor Institute for Student Success at Boston College.??

Why were you interested in being a board member?

I want to help continue the groundbreaking progress of Freedom House and the critically important work it does.

What do you envision for the future of Freedom House?

I want to work toward ensuring the continued vibrancy and relevancy of Freedom House.?It is an incredibly important organization, steeped both in a powerful history and commitment to the future.

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What would you tell someone interested in supporting Freedom House?

Freedom House is like no other organization!?Meet the scholars.?Meet the staff.?You will beg to be a part of all that they do.?They inspire!

My Favorite Quote: My mother, who basically raised seven children on her own without much more than love to offer, used to say to us, “There are all kinds of smarts in this world.?Your job is to figure out yours and to run with it.”

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Mark Your Calendar

February 13, 2024: Opening the Archive - Freedom House at 75 (Register Here)

October 10m 2024: 22nd Annual Champions of Freedom

Join our Giving Societies

Your support is critical to our work providing holistic and youth development-centered programming and services that enable underrepresented students to overcome barriers to post-secondary success. Give Today.

75th Anniversary Artifact Project

In anticipation of Freedom House's 75th Anniversary in 2024, Freedom House has launched an ambitious initiative, The Artifact Project, aimed at gathering stories and reflections from individuals within our community whose lives have been shaped by Freedom House or who have substantially impacted our organization. All are welcome to participate! Watch the information session about the initiative. If you would like to participate in the Artifact Project, sign up here.