In this episode of Catalysts for Change, Jill talks with Rick Weissbourd, Faculty Director of Human Development and Psychology at Harvard Graduate School of Education. The director of the Making Caring Common Project, Rick’s work focuses on children's moral development, on vulnerability and resilience in childhood, and on how to encourage and prioritize caring, compassion, and companionship among children in and out of school. Making Caring Common is ​​a national effort to make moral and social development priorities in child-raising and to provide strategies to schools and parents for promoting caring, a commitment to justice and other key moral, emotional and social capacities. As part of the Making Caring Common project, Rick leads Turning the Tide, a national effort to reform college admissions that has engaged almost 200 college admissions offices in promoting ethical engagement, reducing damaging achievement pressure in high school and increasing equity and access for economically disadvantaged students. Rick is a founder of several interventions for children, including ReadBoston and WriteBoston, citywide literacy initiatives led by Mayor Menino. He has written for numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, CNN, The New Republic, NPR, and Psychology Today. He is the author of two books including The Parents We Mean to Be: How Well-Intentioned Adults Undermine Children's Moral and Emotional Development. We talk to Rick about perceptions of caring, achievement, and happiness for children and adults, the need for emphasizing care in our lives, and much more about his work with Making Caring Common. If you would like to learn more about Rick’s work and about the Making Caring Common Project, check out the links below. Rick Weissbourd Biography The Making Caring Common Project Website Making Caring Common on Twitter

A Podcast by The Shah Family Foundation

Ep. 57, Rick Weissbourd: Director of the Making Caring Common Project

In this episode of Catalysts for Change, Jill talks with Francis Goulliart and Lorena Lorenzet, two local food entrepreneurs who helped create Local Lunchbox, an innovative new program borne out of the pandemic that provides free, fresh, locally-prepared food for families. Francis is the CEO of Stock Pot Malden, and Lorena is a celebrated local chef and owner of the Farm Girl Food Truck.  Local Lunchbox was created in June 2020 in Chelsea, Massachusetts to help address the overwhelming food insecurity facing this community during the height of the pandemic. Since then, in partnership with Stock Pot Malden and the YMCA, Local Lunchbox has expanded to more than half a dozen communities across Massachusetts and created more than 50 food service jobs, many of which have gone to people who had been collecting meals for their families through the program. As the program grew from hundreds to thousands of meals per week, an offshoot called “Retail Lunchbox” was created, in which the free meals are served directly out of popular local restaurants. As of August 2021, Local Lunchbox has served over two million meals to children and teenagers across Massachusetts. We talk to Francis and Lorena about their backgrounds, the origins and growth of Local Lunchbox, and the potential for this model to be replicated and scaled around the country. If you would like to learn more about Local Lunchbox, check out the resources below: Local Lunchbox Website Local Lunchbox in the News Learn More About Stock Pot Malden  

Ep. 56, Francis Goulliart and Lorena Lorenzet: The Growth of Local Lunchbox

In this episode of Catalysts for Change, Jill talks with Aaron Feuer, Co-Founder and CEO of Panorama Education. A fast-growing, ed-tech company based out of Boston, Aaron works with school districts across the country to help make education better for kids, and to include students in the process of assessing and improving the way schools work. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Aaron’s work with Panorama was born out of his experiences as a student advocate while attending public schools in Southern California. His advocacy work helped to push legislation in California that uplifted student voices, and during his junior year at Yale University, he created Panorama. Since its founding in 2012, Aaron has worked with school districts across the country, including Boston Public Schools, San Bernardino Unified School District, and many more, providing college- and career-readiness tools, school climate surveys, and social-emotional learning assessments. With more than 13 million students across the country, Aaron has expanded Panorama to serve school districts across all 50 states. We talk with Aaron about his experiences as a student organizer and what led him to finding Panorama, the role Panorama plays in supporting school districts and students across the country, how Panorama is effectively used in supporting student outcomes, its role in understanding student data, and more. If you would like to learn more about Aaron Feuer and Panorama, please check out the links below: Aaron Feuer Twitter Connect with Aaron Feuer Panorama Education Website Panorama Education and Boston Public Schools Panorama Education Success Stories 

Ep. 55, Aaron Feuer: Co-Founder and CEO of Panorama Education

In our fifth installment of our special series, “Catalysts for Change: The Race for Boston”, Jill talks with John Barros. The Chief of Economic Development for former Mayor Marty Walsh, Barros previously ran for Mayor of Boston in 2013. John Barros joined Mayor Walsh’s administration in 2014 to establish the new Economic Development cabinet and lead the department for seven years. Before working for the Walsh administration, he served as Executive Director of the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative and also served on the Boston School Committee. A lifelong resident of Roxbury and Dorchester, he attended Dartmouth College and Tufts University. He currently resides in Dorchester with his wife and four children. We talk with John Barros about his background growing up in Boston, his time leading the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative and serving on the Boston School Committee, the initiatives he led as Chief of Economic Development, and how he will draw from his experience to help Boston thrive as we recover from the pandemic. If you would like to learn more about John Barros’s campaign, please check out the resources below. Resources: John Barros’s Campaign Website Meet John Barros  John Barros’s Twitter John Barros’s Campaign Stances Ways to Engage with John Barros’s Campaign 

Ep. 54, The Race for Boston: John Barros

In the fourth episode of our special series, Catalysts for Change: The Race for Boston, Jill talks with Dr. Jon Santiago, State Representative for the 9th District of Suffolk County. An attending physician in the Boston Medical Center’s emergency room, he has served as a State Representative since being elected in 2018. Raised in Boston after his family immigrated from Puerto Rico, Rep. Santiago went on to volunteer for the Peace Corps, serve as a Fullbright Scholar in Paris, and attend Yale Medical School. Following medical school, Rep. Santiago returned to Boston to work at Boston Medical Center, where he is an attending physician in the Emergency Department. In 2018, he ran against a 35-year incumbent for the 9th Suffolk District and was sworn in as state representative in 2019. In addition to his work as a state representative and physician, Rep. Santiago is also a captain in the U.S. Army Reserve and has been deployed overseas. He lives in the South End with his wife. We talk with Rep. Santiago about his experience as an immigrant growing up in Boston, how his medical background impacts his work as a public servant, his vision for improving Boston’s neighborhoods, and more. If you would like to learn more about Jon Santiago’s campaign, please check out the resources below. Resources: Jon Santiago’s Campaign Website Meet Jon Santiago  Jon Santiago’s Twitter Jon Santiago’s Campaign Stances Ways to Engage with Jon Santiago’s Campaign 

Ep. 53, The Race for Boston: Jon Santiago

In our third episode of our special series, Catalysts for Change: The Race for Boston, Jill talks with Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell. A lifelong resident of Boston who represents District 4, Andrea has served on the council since being elected in 2015. Raised in Roxbury and the South End, Councilor Campbell graduated from Boston Public Schools and Boston Latin School, going on to attend Princeton University and UCLA Law School. Following law school, Councilor Campbell worked as a lawyer, serving as deputy legal counsel for Governor Deval Patrick as well as spending time in the private sector. In 2015, she successfully ran against a 32-year incumbent to represent District 4 on the City Council, and in 2018, she became the first Black woman to serve as the City Council President. She and her family live in Mattapan. We talk with Councilor Campbell about her journey, her experiences growing up in Boston, her work as a city councilor, her vision for an equitable Boston, and more. If you would like to learn more about Andrea Campbell’s campaign, please check out the resources below. Resources: Andrea Campbell’s Campaign Website Meet Andrea Campbell Andrea Campbell’s Twitter Andrea Campbell’s Campaign Stances Ways to Engage with Andrea Campbell’s Campaign 

Ep. 52, The Race for Boston: Andrea Campbell

We are excited to release our special podcast series on the Boston mayoral election, Catalysts for Change: The Race for Boston.  2021 is an important year for Bostonians -- we will recover from Covid-19, and we will elect a new mayor. This is a historic election. For the first time in history, Boston will have a mayor who is a person of color. With six candidates and an open seat following Mayor Walsh’s departure to Washington D.C., there’s a lot to cover, and we’ll be diving in over the next six weeks with each of the candidates about everything from education, to economic development, to racial justice, to their favorite coffee shops and restaurants in Boston, and more. In the second episode of our special series, ‘Catalysts for Change: The Race for Boston’, Jill talks with City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George, a lifelong resident of Dorchester and former Boston Public Schools teacher. Born and raised in Dorchester as the daughter of immigrants, Councilor Essaibi George graduated from Boston Public Schools and the O'Bryant School of Math and Science. After teaching for 13 years at East Boston High School, she successfully ran for an at-large seat on the Boston City Council. Councilor Essaibi George has served on the City Council since 2015 and currently serves as Chair of the Committee on Education and of the Committee on Homelessness, Mental Health, and Recovery. She currently lives in Dorchester with her husband and 4 children. We talk with Councilor Essaibi George about her background growing up in Boston, her career as an educator and small business owner, her vision and plans for leading Boston out of the pandemic, and more. If you would like to learn more about Councilor Essaibi George’s campaign, please check out the links below. Resources: Annissa Essaibi George Campaign Website Annissa Essaibi George’s Twitter Meet Annissa Essaibi George Annissa Essaibi George’s Campaign Stances Ways to Engage with Annissa Essaibi George’s Campaign 

Ep. 51, The Race for Boston: Annissa Essaibi George

We are excited to release our special podcast series on the Boston mayoral election, Catalysts for Change: The Race for Boston.  2021 is an important year for Bostonians -- we will recover from Covid-19, and we will elect a new mayor. This is a historic election. For the first time in history, Boston will have a mayor who is a person of color. With six candidates and an open seat following Mayor Walsh’s departure to Washington D.C., there’s a lot to cover, and we’ll be diving in over the next six weeks with each of the candidates about everything from education, to economic development, to racial justice, to their favorite coffee shops and restaurants in Boston, and more. In this first episode, we are joined by Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu, who has served as an at-large member of the council since being elected in 2013. Michelle Wu previously worked at City Hall for Mayor Tom Menino and his chief of staff, Mitch Weiss, and on Senator Elizabeth Warren’s 2012 senate campaign. She graduated from Harvard Law School and currently lives in Roslindale with her husband and two kids. We talk with Councilor Wu about her background and journey to Boston, her work as a Boston City Councilor, her plans for Boston schools, her vision on environmental justice, the tea shop she used to run, and more. If you would like to learn more about Michelle Wu’s campaign, please check out the resources below.    Resources: Michelle Wu for Mayor Campaign Website Meet Michelle Wu Michelle Wu’s Twitter Michelle Wu’s Campaign Stances Ways to Engage with Michelle Wu’s Campaign 

Ep. 50, The Race for Boston: Michelle Wu

In this episode of Catalysts for Change, Jill talks with District Attorney Rachael Rollins of Suffolk County. Since 2019, DA Rollins has been the chief law enforcement officer for Boston, Winthrop, Chelsea, and Revere. She is the first woman ever elected as District Attorney in Suffolk County and the first woman of color ever elected District Attorney in Massachusetts. A lifelong resident of Boston and Cambridge, DA Rollins previously served on the Judicial Nominating Commission and as general counsel for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, nominated by former Governor Deval Patrick. Since taking office as District Attorney in 2019, DA Rollins has implemented policies aimed at reducing the prosecution of misdemeanors that are tied to mental health issues, substance use disorders, food and housing insecurities, and immigration status. She created the Discharge Integrity Team to help investigate officer-involved shootings and allegations of excessive force, as well as the Integrity Review Bureau (IRB) that looks not only at post-conviction claims of innocence, but also reviews unconstitutional, unethical, and unjust convictions, as well as sentencing disparities. We talk with DA Rollins about her background growing up in Boston and what inspired her to go into law, her innovative use of data and analytics to bring transparency and accountability to the District Attorney’s Office, and the ways in which she uses her office to drive policies aimed at creating a more just and equitable legal system. If you would like to read more about Rachael Rollins and her work as Suffolk County District Attorney, please check out the links below. Meet District Attorney Rachael Rollins Rachael Rollins Biography Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office Website Rachael Rollins’s Twitter

Ep. 49, Rachael Rollins: District Attorney of Suffolk County

In today’s episode of Catalysts for Change, Jill talks to Lee Pelton, current President of Emerson College, who will soon become the CEO of The Boston Foundation. Starting officially at The Boston Foundation on June 1st, Dr. Pelton has an extensive background in higher education and a deep passion for service. Throughout his career, Dr. Pelton has worked to address social justice issues. A common theme in his lectures, speeches and writing has been to ask us “to share our talents and resources with those who have not had the good fortune to participate in the bounty of life.” Pelton grew up in Wichita, Kansas, where he graduated from Wichita State University. He left Kansas to earn a Ph.D. in 19th century English and American Literature and Languages at Harvard University. After teaching at Harvard, he served as Dean of the College at Colgate University and Dartmouth College and then served for 13 years as the president of Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. He has spent the past 10 years at Emerson College, where his leadership has been called “transformational”. In addition to his work at Emerson, Lee is involved with a number of non-profit organizations and supports their work with his informed take on racial equity. We talk to Lee about his journey leading him to Emerson College, his vision and aspirations for his role with The Boston Foundation, the current state of Boston and the important issues facing its residents.  If you would like to read more about Dr. Pelton’s work, check out the resources below. Lee Pelton Biography Lee Pelton and The Boston Foundation Lee Pelton’s Letter to Students in June 2020 on Racial Injustice Lee Pelton’s Twitter The Boston Foundation’s Website 

Ep. 48, Lee Pelton: President of Emerson College & Future CEO of The Boston Foundation

In this episode of Catalysts for Change, Jill talks to Massachusetts Attorney General, Maura Healey. The people’s lawyer, Attorney General Healey talks to us about her work in representing all residents of Massachusetts as well as how her support and information from her office intersects with solving current key state-wide issues including food access and housing security. Maura Healey began serving as Massachusetts Attorney General in January 2015 and is leading the people’s law firm as the people’s lawyer, continuing a career spent fighting for justice and equal rights. Her historic victory in her first-ever run for office was driven by a strong grassroots campaign where she bested well-financed, establishment candidates in both the Democratic primary and the general election in November 2014. While being sworn in, AG Healey vowed to lead an office guided by her core values and driven by the issues that matter to the people of the Commonwealth – from health care and energy costs to protecting consumers, ensuring equality for all and keeping our communities safer. During the pandemic, the Attorney General has been helping to fight inequities across a spectrum of issues. We talk to Attorney General Healey about her journey to becoming the Attorney General of Massachusetts, the impact of COVID-19 on her office’s work, and current issues that she is addressing in Massachusetts. To learn more about the Attorney General’s office and Attorney General Healey’s work, please check out the links below. Office of Attorney General Healey Website Follow AG Healey on Twitter AG Healey on Student Loan Forgiveness Maura Healey’s Website 

Ep. 47, Maura Healey: Massachusetts Attorney General

In this episode of Catalysts for Change, Jill talks to Maria Fenwick, founder and Executive Director of The Teacher Collaborative. A former teacher in Boston Public Schools herself, Maria talks to us about how teachers are dealing with the pandemic and navigating remote teaching and learning. Maria has spent her career working with and supporting teachers across Massachusetts as a teacher in Boston Public Schools and, most recently, as an independent consultant. In 2016, Maria founded The Teacher Collaborative, which connects teachers across schools and districts, supports them to develop solutions to common challenges, and empowers them to share their ideas to make schools better places for students to learn. Maria and her team at The Teacher Collaborative work with teachers across the state to empower their voices, accelerate improvements in schools and districts in Massachusetts, and more, through teacher-directed programming. As teachers have had to adapt to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, we talk to Maria about how teachers are supporting their students, how they’ve adapted to address challenges in their classrooms, and the current state and future of education. If you would like to learn more about Maria and The Teacher Collaborative and how to support them, check out the resources below. Here is a link to The Teacher Collaborative website Twitter: @TheTeacherCoLab / @MariaFenwick Instagram: @TheTeacherCoLab Facebook: @TheTeacherCollaborative  LinkedIn: @TeacherCollaborative 

Ep. 46, Maria Fenwick: Founder and Executive Director of The Teacher Collaborative

In today’s episode of Catalysts for Change, Jill talks to Deanne Galdston, Superintendent of Watertown Public Schools. As more and more school districts in Massachusetts begin to reopen their schools, Superintendent Galdston talks to us about Watertown Public Schools’ COVID-19 surveillance testing program and how they successfully and safely brought students back to school. Superintendent Galdston began her work as Superintendent in 2017. She began her professional career as a Spanish and history teacher in San Jose, California, New York City, and in Billerica, Massachusetts.  In Billerica, she went on to serve as a curriculum coordinator, high school assistant principal, and eventually assistant superintendent.   Since beginning her tenure in the Watertown Public Schools, Dr. Galdston leads the district in the attainment of its strategic objectives, focused on equity, excellence, community, and Building for the Future.    We talk to Superintendent Galdston about the efforts made to reopen schools in Watertown, how surveillance testing works in schools, and more. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her efforts have focused on a safe return to in-person learning, employing a variety of mitigation strategies for her students and staff, which includes the surveillance testing program to allow for safe in-person learning. Schools across the state have begun to implement surveillance testing in their schools to safely re-open for students and staff. If you would like to learn more about this and efforts in Watertown Public Schools, check out the resources below. Here is the link to understanding COVID-19 pooled testing in Massachusetts schools Here is a link looking at the surveillance testing program in Watertown Public Schools Pooled Testing Program Information from Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Superintendent Deanne Galdston’s Biography  Deanne Galdston’s Twitter

Ep. 45, Deanne Galdston: Superintendent of Watertown Public Schools

The Shah Family Foundation supports innovative and transformative work in education, healthcare and the community. We believe that interesting and lasting solutions sit where these intersect. Our primary work and support is centered in Boston, with the goal of sharing broadly the programs and innovations that prove successful in our home town. Catalysts for Change interviews game changers about timely topics in education, wellness and America’s neighborhoods. Last Night at School Committee is a bite size summary of BPS School Committee meetings.

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A Podcast by The Shah Family Foundation

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