Middlesex Community College: Living The Dream Partners Recognize Lowell Community Members

Press release from the Middlesex Community College:

Caitlin Buckley

1/26/2022

For over 20 years, the Living the Dream Partners have hosted an event to honor the life and teachings of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As part of the celebration, the Partners honor community members of Greater Lowell who – on both a personal and professional level – have dedicated themselves to supporting the community in ways inspired by Dr. King’s beliefs.

This year’s virtual celebration took place on Monday, January 17, 2022 and streamed on YouTube. The event raised $18,500 in support of students from both Middlesex Community College and the University of Massachusetts Lowell, as well as other Living the Dream Partners initiatives.

Four recipients received Living the Dream Partner Awards, including community members Dolores “Loli” Sierra and Newell Flather as Individuals, the “Community Block Party” Meet your Candidates” as the Event, and The Center for Hope and Healing, Inc. as an Organization.

Sierra is the Community Engagement and Event Coordinator for the Coalition for a Better Acre. Through her work, she builds trusting relationships with each member, coordinates services and support, takes them to doctors’ appointments, informs them of upcoming elections and how to vote, and helps them use technology to communicate with loved ones.

“The work that you do for others in the secret, others notice without you knowing and when you least expect it, you are able to shine and share it with the world,” Sierra said. “My advice is be humble and your time will come to shine!”

Given the award posthumously, Flather had a passion for helping the community of Lowell. He connected people and recognized future leaders, especially those from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities. Throughout his life, he volunteered with the Peace Corps, taught in Ghana, invited the first female trustee to join the Theodore Edson Parker Foundation board, and supported many Lowell-based organizations.

“It was a great honor and privilege to know Newell Flather since the mid-1970s and to work alongside him in common cause for all things Lowell, which was our shared focus and passion,” said Karen Carpenter, Flather’s former Theodore Edson Parker Foundation colleague. “Newell’s style of working with others was always respectful but firm in values of diversity and inclusion. He certainly worked to fulfill the dream of MLK, and his service to bettering lives established behaviors that others followed.”

Hosted by the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association, Lowell Votes and the Office of the City Manager of Lowell, on October 23, 2021, over 100 community members met with 19 city council and school committee candidates to highlight the importance of voting and having representation in government.

“On behalf of the Civic Team at CMAA, we are honored to receive this award,” said Tara Hong, CMAA’s Civic Engagement Coordinator. “The work of serving our community will ever end, but we are here to continue to serve as the resource to the City of Lowell, not just from the civic team but also from other departments at CMAA. The Civic Team at CMAA is committed to serving the community for these upcoming years of elections as well. Thank you so much – we are honored to receive this award, and let us continue to do great work as one community.”

The Center for Hope and Healing, Inc. works 24/7 to eradicate sexual violence and protect survivors. The nonprofit advocates for and delivers services to a diverse population of survivors and communities who are historically under-resourced to work toward intervention and prevention.

MCC’s Assistant to the Office of the President Aleksandra Tugbiyele and Director of Marketing Communications Beth Noël acted as the emcees for the event that also featured video messages from MCC President Phil Sisson, Congresswoman Lori Trahan, State Senator Edward Kennedy, State Representative Tom Golden, and a blessing from Pastor Janine Dailey.

During the virtual event, community members shared the way they “take action” and are inspired by the life and teachings of Dr. King. The event also included performances from Lisa Pilato Dance Center, IACS Jazz Ensemble, and Dreamland: Senseless Optimism.

Vision Maker sponsors for the event were Enterprise Bank and Lowell Community Health Center. The Change Agent sponsor was Community Teamwork, and the Dreamer sponsor was George and Carol Duncan. George and Nancy Robb, The Greater Lowell Community Foundation, Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union, and Roy Herold in honor of Nicola Rinaldi were all Partner sponsors of the event.

Visit www.livingthedreampartners.org for more information about the Living the Dream Partners, volunteer opportunities in the community, sponsorship opportunities to go towards supporting student success, and next year’s MLK Event.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in education for more than 50 years. Middlesex puts the student first. Meeting each learner where they are, MCC provides them with a safe, welcoming and engaging place to learn. Offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses – Middlesex features flexible course formats and a variety of award-winning student support services and resources. Student success starts at MCC!

This press release was produced by the Middlesex Community College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.