Update from Trinity Boston Connects: We Are Still Connected

Greetings Trinity Church and friends! 

 

“You have 20/20 vision.” That is the prescription we all would like to receive from our eye doctors. The first half of 2020 has certainly brought visual acuity or sharpness of vision. The global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus coupled with the pandemic of racial injustice in the United States have brought into sharp focus the ugly abiding reality that is systemic structural racism and the gaping disparities it creates and reinforces in housing, health care, education, and wealth for communities of color across this nation and in our Commonwealth. Yet, we have also seen with crystal clarity the enduring ways in which brave men, women, children of all colors, ethnicities, and backgrounds have stood together to fight against the Scylla and Charybdis of COVID and racism. Rather than succumbing to fear, or being paralyzed by apathy, ordinary folks, nonprofits, churches, corporations, and philanthropic foundations throughout the city of Boston and beyond moved by compassion started a groundswell of connections, one to another.  

 

The first half of 2020 has amplified the urgency of TBC’s mission and made the call for our programs palpable. Each of our programs has found creative ways in which to reaffirm our commitment to make Boston a more equitable city. 

 

That’s why Team Trinity is in gear and ready to go the distance, even with social distance. On September 26th they will embark on a virtual Rodman Ride with their own self-directed adventures in support of TBC’s programs, serving more than 1,000 youth of color in Boston. Inequities haven’t stopped, so why should we?  Register today to ride, donate, or both! (link: https://rodmanrideforkids.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=584) 

 

This week, August 10th-14th, Trinity@McCormack is hosting its annual Summer Learning Institute: a three-day experiential learning community for teachers, administrators, and school based-mental health professionals interested in creating trauma-responsive school communities.This year’s Institute will focus on bringing these practices into the virtual space in response to the new educational challenges created by COVID-19. 

 

TEEP staff, students, and alum used social media to adapt their regular summer programming, creating new and fun ways to learn and build community online. We couldn't be prouder of how TEEPers rose to the occasion in these unprecedented times. Join us in supporting TEEP's virtual summer 2020 by following TEEPers’ health and wellness tips on Tik Tok, math and science lessons on Instagram, and keep up with compelling YouTube content they’re engaging with like this.  

 

Now in its 4th year, the Racial Equity Senior Leaders Learning Circle (SLLC) is a safe and trusted space for leaders to bring their most vexing diversity, inclusion, and racial equity challenges. Leaders learn and apply organizational change tools and unpack the biases we carry that get in the way of leading our work even more powerfully. We have separate caucus time for White and People of Color leaders to explore the differing personal and professional challenges each group faces in leading race-based organizational transformation work. Start your racial equity leadership learning here. 

 

All the great work we are committed to doing could not happen without the financial generosity of individual, corporate, and foundation support. We have been fortunate to receive several grants specifically to provide assistance to our young people and their families during this time of COVID-19. TBC is extremely grateful for The Boston Resiliency Fund’s support of our racially informed, trauma-inclusive clinical services for youth workers of color who serve on the front lines of non-profit organizations throughout Boston. Thank you to the City of Boston for supporting our critical work in an unprecedented time of need! 

 

As we move into the second half of 2020, we have made the prudent decision to continue to work virtually through at least this fall. This decision reflects our commitment to live out our values of trauma informed care and equity for our colleagues and their families.   

 

Finally, we continue to value the partnership with Trinity Church. The Trinity community has made masks for McCormack families in need, stood with us in support of the March Like a Mother for Black Lives, and provided ongoing financial support of all of our programs. For all of this we say: THANK YOU!  

 

All the best, 

Charmane Higgins 

Executive Director, Trinity Boston Connects