ANNUAL REPORT FY 2014 who contribute their unique voices, visions, and values to improve PBHA’s services and challenge each other to approach service through different lenses. We further endeavor to build a supportive environment that shares power with our constituents through strong relationships built on mutual respect across identity lines. We are committed to diversity at all levels of PBHA because we genuinely believe that an inclusive organization makes us stronger and more effective in Our Core Values achieving our mission. Maria Dominguez Gray, Class of 1955 Executive Director Growth and Learning. As Jose Magaña ’15, President a student led organization, valuing growth and learning is and must be This year PBHA engaged 1500 ly, passing on the organization better second nature at PBHA. We honor volunteers, serving 10,000 con- than we found it. growth and learning as integral to stituents through 83 programs. The Justice. While the activities building collective leadership, life people and services represented in that take place in PBHA may change skills, and social justice awareness each of the 83 programs are diverse, across the years, they share the in current and future generations of yet there is a common thread that common vision of building a world change agents. We believe that reflec- weaves these experiences together. grounded in economic and social tion and training along with meaning- We are tied together by our mission justice. Justice means that all people ful service are essential to ensuring to build partnerships between student have equal opportunity and rights to both quality impact in our programs and community leaders that address resources, happiness and human dig- and responsible student development. needs and increase opportunities for nity. It means that we are addressing Love and Compassion. One the people we serve. both direct and structural needs and of Martin Luther King’s most impor- The PBHA experience is also having the courage to take a stand tant legacies is the reminder that defined by shared principles for how when rights are violated. “Everybody can be great...because we approach the work, what we Community. At PBHA, we anybody can serve. You don’t have to weigh in decision making, and how we believe in the mutual understanding have a college degree to serve. You interact with each other. While these fostered by community, recognizing don’t have to make your subject and shared principles have lived as part of and promoting collaboration and fel- verb agree to serve. You only need a PBHA culture over the years, they had, lowship as essential parts of service heart full of grace. A soul generated to date, not been clearly defined. This and life. We believe that each of our by love.” Love and compassion for the past year, the organizational leader- individual struggles is tied up in the people we work with is foundational ship took on the challenge to do so. struggle of others. What we can to PBHA’s approach. We choose to see Through input from across PBHA’s accomplish as a community is much and honor others as we see and honor stakeholder groups, we arrived at six greater than the sum of our individual ourselves and to act in a way that core values that we hope inform our efforts. We believe that our work upholds every person’s human dignity collective work. needs to be grounded in partner- through mutual empathy. We believe Stewardship. The core value ship and reciprocal relationships with that love and compassion are evi- of stewardship is particularly mean- constituents and that we must ensure denced in action, not just feelings, and ingful in an organization in which room for the voices of all members of lead to mindful servant leadership. student leadership changes each year our community to be heard. As we reflect on the organi- and which is impacted by the fluid- Diversity. We welcome and zational efforts and accomplishments ity of community needs. Over 110 celebrate diversity in all its forms to this year—from honoring stewardship years, each member of the PBHA com- create a safe, supportive, and vi- with the completion of our relational munity has served as a caretaker of brant space for students to engage database, to standing for justice the organization’s legacy for a period in meaningful service, collaborative with area youth to advocate for their of time. We inherit the groundwork projects, and thought-provoking rights—we are proud to see PBHA’s from those who came before us and conversations. PBHA honors reflective core values in action. hopefully take our trusteeship serious- dialogues between diverse volunteers, Adult Services In School and After Advocacy, Housing Mentoring Programs Programs School Programs and Health Programs 5 long-term out- comes for youth PBHA BY THE across programs NUMBERS 900 Boston & Cambridge youth attended PBHA’s Focus on Future and Making Goals Summer Urban. Its award-win- ning academic camps fight sum- mer learning loss and offer communities low-cost summer Support enrichment. 417 undergraduate volunteers received Community Engagement high-quality trainings in tutoring, mentoring, and program management Academic Success 87% of students who volunteer with PBHA say their time hereincreased their understanding of their abilities, talents, Sense of Self Worth and self Where Are They Now? Spotlight on Graduates: to the Leaders! Program.” In addition to teaching, Flores volunteered with a STRIDE Graduates Continue To Victor Flores ’13 human rights commission and Lead after PBHA supported DREAM in its capacity- building endeavors, drawing on his PBHA’s STRIDE program supports stu- experience as a PBHA Program Group dents of diverse backgrounds as they Officer to help the organization write become leaders in their communities, grants, collect data, and instill best both as undergraduates and beyond, practices. by providing reflection and skill devel- After a year in the DR, Flores is now opment opportunities, mentorship, back in the United States, having and financial assistance. In 2013, the day after the Sum- mer Urban Program ended, Victor received a prestigious Public Policy Flores’13, boarded a plane to begin a Fellowship from the Congressional FRANCESCA year of service funded by a Frederick Hispanic Caucus Institute. For his first SMITH ‘14 supports Sheldon Traveling Fellowship. Flores, placement, he will work at SEIU head- curriculum and who had worked as a Keylatch after- quarters in Washington, DC, research- assessment for school volunteer, Summer Urban ing and organizing around issues such Inquilinos Boricuas Program senior counselor and direc- as raising the minimum wage and en Acción (IBA), a tor, was now stepping into a new advocating for immigration reform. community-based role: running student workshops on “I learned how to take care of myself organization in race and gender in alternative school at PBHA,” Flores said, citing mentors Boston’s South End. and community spaces. such as Kate Johnsen, Maria Domin- Working with the Dominican Repub- guez Gray, Nicole Young, and commu- lic Education and Mentoring Program nity partners from the South End and JARELL LEE ‘10 is (DREAM), Flores designed and taught Lower Roxbury. “I am where I am be- the Founding Dean of an enrichment course for students cause of the time and support [people School Culture at ages 11 to 14, as well as a vocational gave me at PBHA]: as a person, and as Achievement First program for older youth “very similar a potential leader.” Aspire Elementary in couraged student leaders to facilitate Brooklyn, NY. Spotlight on Graduates: or lead. Nadia Farjood ’13 Working with the Athena Program and Leaders! helped Farjood real- ize her passion for “helping young people figure out a language for what they’re going through.” By the time EMILY WONG ‘14 she graduated, she knew she wanted works at UC San to “encourage women to step up and Francisco’s Breast take up space” in government and Care Center as a “I probably should have been wearing public spheres. She now develops research assistant my PBHA sweatshirt instead of cap curriculum and trainings for Political with the Athena and gown on graduation day,” joked Parity, a Cambridge-based organi- Breast Health Nadia Farjood ’13. “It felt more like zation that strives to increase the Network. my degree was from PBHA!” number of women of color running Farjood certainly put much of her- for and being elected to public office. self into PBHA as an undergraduate, Farjood’s trainings serve as a resource volunteering with the Athena Program for women of color running for office, EDWIN HARGATE and Leaders!, working as a senior offering support at every stage of the process. ‘11 teaches in an counselor for South Boston Outreach “This is an economic justice issue, inclusion fourth grade Summer, and serving as events coordi- social justice issue, political justice classroom at the nator and Mentoring Program Group Officer. issue,” said Farjood, who wants to get Samuel W. Mason women a seat at the table as policies Pilot School in “I appreciated the liberty PBHA gave that affect them are determined. “If Roxbury. students to chart their own path,” women aren’t there, the conversation Farjood reflected, citing how staff en- is different.” Harvard Square Homeless Shelter’s 30th Anniversary Gala Alumni of the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter celebrate 30 years of service with staff and members of University Lutheran Church, the American Roundtable to End Homelessness, and special guest Shaun Donovan ‘87, who delivered the Robert Coles “Call of Service” lecture. After working at HSHS as an undergraduate, Donovan went on to serve as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. 2013’s PBHA Post Graduate Fellowship Recipients Post graduate fellowships are awarded each year to seniors who demonstrate a commitment to a lifetime of service.