FENWAY FORWARD 2025 ANNUAL REPORT
Renée's Story
Finding Community, Finding Purpose
When Renée moved from central Massachusetts to the Fenway in 1989, it was meant to be temporary.
She came to support her sister through a difficult time, but the sheer size and pace of the city left her feeling overwhelmed. “I hardly went anywhere,” she recalls. “Boston felt huge, and I didn’t know where I fit in.”
That changed when Renée learned about Fenway Forward’s Walk to Work program. Encouraged by the chance to build confidence and explore her new neighborhood, she joined—and soon after secured a job at a local hospital. “Walk to Work opened a door for me,” she says. “It made the city feel smaller, and it made me feel like I belonged.”
Her involvement didn’t stop there. Through Walk to Work, Renée was introduced to Fenway Forward’s broader community-building and organizing efforts. She began volunteering and eventually joined the Organizing Committee, working alongside her neighbors to advocate for tenant rights, rent control, and policies that strengthen the Fenway community.
Fenway Forward showed me that change happens when people come together...They didn't speak for us–they helped us find our own voices."
“Fenway Forward showed me that change happens when people come together,” she says. “They didn’t speak for us—they helped us find our own voices.”
Today, Renée feels deeply connected to the neighborhood she once found intimidating.
Educating others about available programs and community issues has become a source of pride and purpose. “Being connected to my neighbors is what matters most to me,” she says. “Fenway Forward does so much for this community, and being active is my way of giving something back—to them and to the people who live here.”
For Renée, Fenway Forward didn’t just offer programs—it created a space for belonging, leadership, and shared action.
"Being connected to my neighbors is what matters most to me", says Renée, "Fenway Forward does so much for this community and being active is my way of giving something back–to them and to the people who live here."