Projects
Prabal Chakrabarti, a Boston Fed executive vice president and head of its Regional and Community Outreach department, said the LELE leaders have “an infectious energy.”
“They have real vision, and they deserve to have broader influence, but their perspectives are too often left out of conversations about growing local economies,” he said. “LELE makes sure we hear their voices.”
Afrocentric Little Public Library
In collaboration with Our Sister’s School, The Doers lab will retain a portion of their students to participate in our eight-month series of workshops. This will culminate in an international trip to Grimsby, UK. The Doers lab youth will graciously assist this program with completing the little library project. This project addresses book deserts for residents who live outside of walking distance from a public library. Through diligent research, these students identified and researched quantiles carefully outlining the specific need for small free community libraries to be placed throughout greater New Bedford in the areas most in need. These young people personify the “Do” in Doers Lab! We are excited to mesh our prospective cohort into a beautiful mosaic of valuable experiences. We will take action steps to create a world that will empower young people to create and sustain equity, diversity, inclusion, empathy, and evolution.
Afrocentric Little Library NOW OPEN
RIVERSIDE PARK • NEW BEDFORD, MA
PROJECT UPDATE
L.E.L.E.
A Federal Reserve Bank of Boston initiative that elevates new voices with new ideas to tackle economic challenges announced the leaders of its pilot projects on Friday.
The Leaders for Equitable Local Economies initiative, or LELE, selected five teams from four Massachusetts cities. The teams’ proposals have a variety of aims – from increasing opportunities for businesses run by people of color, to building better systems to support new parents. But they all share the basic goal of advancing racial equity and economic opportunity.
The leaders are based in Fitchburg, New Bedford, Pittsfield, and Worcester. The teams, made up of two to three community leaders, will each receive a $20,000 stipend (provided by private funding), coaching, and access to grant money.
Prabal Chakrabarti, a Boston Fed executive vice president and head of its Regional and Community Outreach department, said the LELE leaders have “an infectious energy.”
“They have real vision, and they deserve to have broader influence, but their perspectives are too often left out of conversations about growing local economies,” he said. “LELE makes sure we hear their voices.”
