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Donor Spotlight: Hubie Jones, Senior Advisor and Social Justice Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Hubie Jones is the Senior Advisor and Social Justice Entrepreneur-in-Residence at City Year. City Year is an education-focused, nonprofit organization that unites young people of all backgrounds for a year of full-time service aimed at keeping students in school and on track to graduation. A leader and champion of racial and social justice, Hubie is a recipient of a number of awards, including the MacArthur Genius Grant and Purpose Prize.

We spoke with Hubie about the positive impact of economic development corporations (EDC’s) like Dorchester Bay in the communities they serve.

From your perspective, why are economic development corporations (EDCs) like Dorchester Bay an important resource to the communities they serve?
They are primarily in neighborhoods that are populated by low-income people of color who are always under pressure. In many cases, gentrification comes in and raises the cost of housing that many people can no longer afford to stay in their neighborhood where they have lived for years. Dorchester Bay and other EDCs are organizations that advocate for the poor, know the affordable housing terrain, and have put in affordable housing in place so people can stay in these communities or find a home in these communities. Dorchester Bay empowers people in their neighborhoods to fight for their needs and rights.

Is there anything you can say about Dorchester Bayʼs commitment to the Dorchester community?
Dorchester Bay has been fierce for over forty years, and it is impressive that it has been able to sustain itself at an impactful level. Dorchester Bay has a social impact on the fabric of the city at large. You can’t have a healthy Boston without organizations like Dorchester Bay that support these viable and vibrant neighborhoods that they serve.

What aspects of Dorchester Bay’s mission motivated you to support our work?
I am a big supporter of organizations like Dorchester Bay and particularly if they are doing their work at a high level of effectiveness. It did not take much for me to realize that I should do something to help further the impact of their mission. 

Anything you want people to know about you?
I have been involved in the formation and leadership of at least 25 nonprofit organizations in Boston. I have been fortunate to have a lot of good people to work in partnership and coalition to develop nonprofit organizations that continue to serve young people in Boston.

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