Hispanic Heritage/Latino History Month
Hispanic Heritage/Latino History Month celebrates and honors the history and culture of the Hispanic and Latino/Latina/Latinx communities.
Ricky B. — Moving Toward Independence
Ricky’s life started in the foster care system. He was adopted as a child and moved to a town outside of Boston where he attended school. “I struggled in school and was diagnosed with a developmental disorder as a child,” says Ricky. As an adult, Ricky moved to an apartment in South Boston, where he…
Aldina M. — Enjoying Her Community
Originally from Cape Verde, Aldina M., 64, came to the United States in 2002, becoming homeless six years ago, following a prolonged hospitalization. She had lived in her own apartment for many years, but because of her medical bills, Aldina could no longer afford it. “I thought about returning to home, but then I learned…
August is Black Business Month
August is a time to acknowledge and celebrate the more than 3 million Black-owned businesses across the country and their important contribution to innovation, entrepreneurship, diversity and the economy.
Roberto J. — A Place of His Own
Roberto grew up in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood, where he lived for most of his life. For 35 years, he worked two jobs — in the auto parts industry and in event security, but during the pandemic, these industries shut down. “I was able to survive for a while,” Roberto says. “I gave up my…
Iouri K. — Pine Street was There for Me When I Needed Support
Iouri K. immigrated to the United States in the early 1990’s with his wife following the collapse of the former Soviet Union. He came to experience the “American dream” and did. A hard worker, Iouri built a successful moving business in Boston. “My wife and I came to the United States., learned the language, built…
Justice LaForest — Triage Supervisor
Justice LaForest is Pine Street’s triage supervisor, focusing on finding alternatives to shelter for guests.
Betul Gaffari
Originally from Istanbul, Turkey, Betul Gaffari (she/her) came to Boston to attend Boston College. She learned about Pine Street Inn through BC’s Pulse program, which teaches students about social justice, by having them fulfill a volunteer service requirement.
Juneteenth
This year marks the third anniversary of the Juneteenth holiday in the US. Juneteenth commemorates the June 19, 1865, proclamation of freedom for the enslaved people in Texas which was the last state of the Confederacy with slavery. While Juneteenth is considered the “longest-running African-American holiday” and has been called “America’s second Independence Day,” it wasn’t recognized as a federal holiday until 2021.
Kens E. — Pine Street is a Place of Hope
Kens E., a housekeeping job training program graduate, learned about the program from Pine Street’s staff when he first came to the Men’s Inn shelter. “I like working with the instructors and maintenance staff at Pine Street,” Kens says. “It’s a great team, and I’m learning so much. I get hands-on experience doing maintenance work…
Venice M. — Starting a New Life
Venice, a trainee in Pine Street’s food services job training program, loves to cook. She came to Boston from Jamaica in 2021 looking for a better life. When she arrived, Venice stayed with a friend as she looked for work. “Back home, I was always working,” Venice says. She soon discovered that she needed certain…
Ngoc L. — A Tough Journey With a Great Ending
Ngoc L., 65, fled his native Vietnam in the mid-1970s as the war was ending. He came to the United States looking for a better life. In the U.S., Ngoc attended high school and found a job. “The idea was to get an education and a good job so I could help my family back…