Roxbury Community College’s (RCC’s) Center for Economic and Social Justice (CESJ) fundraising campaign is off to a strong start in its first two months. The College is pleased to announce that in partnership with the Roxbury Community College Foundation (RCCF), it has secured $840,000 of generous support for the Center from four respected organizations in Boston: the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery initiative, The Boston Foundation, the New Commonwealth Fund, and McMillan Stewart Foundation
When completed, the CESJ will be an educational center focused on preparing low-income students and students of color to obtain jobs and develop their own small businesses in the growing green tech and energy efficiency sectors. “We are grateful for such amazing local support of our proposed purpose,” said Luciano Ramos, Executive Director of the Center for Economic and Social Justice. “Our goal is to create new opportunities and access for traditionally underserved students, so they can build high demand tech skills and secure jobs that will uplift them, their families and their communities.”
The CESJ will be housed in the historic David Dudley House, built in 1825. The building is being renovated to retain as much of the period look and details as possible, while using modern materials and systems to achieve model energy efficiency both for students and community members. The building is being renamed as part of an ongoing effort to uplift and empower the Greater Roxbury community.
“It is a privilege to collaborate with Roxbury Community College, which is committed to equity and justice,” said Roeshana Moore-Evans, executive director of the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery Initiative. “We find ourselves at an exciting stage in our work, laying the groundwork for a transformative journey.”
"At The Boston Foundation -- where we are committed to repairing past harms and advancing racial equity -- supporting the launch of the new Center for Economic and Social Justice, in the long-neglected home of a family known for its place in the slave trade, sends a powerful message about reclaiming history and restoring justice," said Lee Pelton, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation. "As it trains young people to work in the growing green energy sector, the center does much more than build economic opportunity for RCC students. It also helps create jobs, grow businesses and provide more equitable access to new green technologies that can unlock the neighborhood's potential as a center for Black prosperity.”
“Massachusetts is a hub for green technology, but without organizations like Roxbury Community College’s Center for Economic and Social Justice, the jobs in one of our most critical industries will be distributed inequitably,” said Makeeba McCreary, President of the New Commonwealth Fund. “We’re proud to support Roxbury Community College’s work to create a more equitable and just Commonwealth in the heart of Boston’s Black community.”
The RCCF Foundation’s fundraising campaign for the CESJ, Shaping Roxbury’s Future, welcomes both financial donations and in-kind materials and services. To get involved visit the campaign website.
