July 12, 2024
Boston, MA – On July 11th, The Massachusetts Senate passed an Economic Development Bond Bill that included a $2.5 million dollar earmark for the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute’s planned Center of Healing, Teaching and Learning. The amendment was championed by Senator Nick Collins, along with Senators Jamie Eldridge, Liz Miranda, Patrick O’Connor and Pavel Payano.
In the legislature, State Representative Chris Worrell successfully championed $500,000 in the House FY2025 appropriations bill. He also led the charge for $2.5 million in the House Economic Development Bond bill for the new Center and for operating funds. The co-sponsors were State Representatives John Francis Moran, Michelle M. DuBois, Marcus S. Vaughn, William F. MacGregor, Marjorie C. Decker, Mike Connolly, Sean Garballey, Colleen M. Garry and Kay Khan.
On June 26th, The Boston City Council, under the leadership of Council President Ruthzee Louijeune and Councilor Brian Worrell, voted to provide $650,000 to the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute for survivor services and burial funding.
“We thank our state and municipal champions for supporting the critical work of responding to Massachusetts families of homicide victims,” said Chaplain Clementina Chéry, president and CEO of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute. “These developments have brought the new Center that much closer to reality.”
“We are grateful to our elected officials for their leadership and courage,” said Rachel Rodrigues, Co-Executive Director of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute. “It has taken three decades for our organization to achieve this level of engagement and responsiveness from our elected leaders.”
“We recognize the struggle that many community-embedded, minority-led nonprofits often face in being heard and taken seriously by policy decision-makers,” added Alexandra Dorrelus, Co-Executive Director of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute. “We are committed to working with our colleagues across the Commonwealth to make these kinds of successes the norm rather than the exception.”
Funds from the Massachusetts Economic Development Bond bill will support construction of the three-story Center of Healing, Teaching and Learning at 30 Westville Street in Dorchester. The project was officially endorsed by the Boston Zoning Board of Appeal last month.
Funds from the State’s General Appropriations budget and City of Boston’s FY2025 budget will support the programs and services of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, including the Rest In Peace Fund, which ensures families can bury their loved ones with dignity and compassion, and the Live In Peace Fund, which supports families’ practical and emotional needs after their loved one has been murdered.
About The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute is a center of Healing, Teaching and Learning for families and communities impacted by murder, trauma, grief and loss. An integral partner with the City of Boston for 30 years, we offer resources for families seeking support and training to providers on best practices in homicide response. Learn more at LDBpeaceinstitute.org.
Contact:
Luis Antonio Thompson, Luisantonio@LDBpeaceinstitute.org