Business
Eastern Bank Foundation Honors Gladys Vega With 2021 Social Justice Award
Executive Director of La Colaborativa honored for raising awareness about and addressing the gross inequities in our safety net systems BOSTON--(BUSINESS
About this update from Eastern Bankshares, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\nExecutive Director of La Colaborativa honored for raising awareness about and addressing the gross inequities in our safety net systems\n\n BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nEastern Bank Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Boston-based Eastern Bank, is pleased to announce it has honored Gladys Vega, Executive Director of La Colaborativa, with the 2021 Social Justice Award. The award, now in its 33rd year, recognizes community leaders who have made an outstanding impact in addressing critical social justice issues.\nThis press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211122006509/en/Pictured at Eastern Bank’s 2021 Celebration of Social Justice are left to right: Quincy Miller, Vice Chair and President of Eastern Bank; Nancy Huntington Stager, President and CEO of the Eastern Bank Foundation; Gladys Vega, Executive Director of La Colaborativa and 2021 Social Justice Award Honoree; and Bob Rivers, CEO and Chair of the Board of Eastern Bank. (Photo Credit: Marilyn Humphries)\nA pioneering community organizer and advocate, Gladys works relentlessly and boldly to ensure the Latine community has a voice in determining how its needs and concerns are addressed. Gladys believes that empowering individuals leads to empowering communities, and that an empowered community can use social action to achieve its goals.\n\nGladys joined La Colaborativa in 1990, two years after its founding, as a Receptionist and since 2006, she has served as its Executive Director. With her leadership, La Colaborativa serves as a consistent, trusted and fearless partner to the Latine community in Greater Boston, with a focus on Gateway Cities and towns such as Chelsea, East Boston, Everett, Lynn, Revere and Malden. La Colaborativa partners with residents to drive policy and system changes that benefit Latine communities in such areas as food and housing security, economic advancement, cultural celebration and community leadership. It serves as a trusted resource to Massachusetts’ immigrant community, including newly-arrived immigrants, undocumented families, and low-income tenants and workers.\n\nGladys is the architect of nearly all of La Colaborativa’s programs, initiatives and community organizing campaigns:\n\n\nHer leadership has resulted in expanded rights for immigrants, low-income families, tenants, wor...