Massachusetts State Representative Liz Miranda presents Speak for the Trees with a special Citation

On Thursday, December 16, 2021, we were honored to receive a citation from State Representative Liz Miranda, Suffolk 5th, and the Massachusetts House of Representatives for our “Commitment to Environmental Work and Climate Justice.” Rep. Miranda stopped by our offices at the Fields Corner Business Lab in Dorchester and met with our entire team. She spoke of her past and current legislative work on Environmental Justice. We also shared with her our past work and future vision. It was an exciting and important moment for our organization.

Rep. Miranda poses with our team. Left to right, Natalie Merline, Jerel Ferguson, Victoria Frothingham, Liz Miranda, David Meshoulam, and Eva Paradiso.

After receiving the citation, we presented Rep. Miranda with a leaf map of Boston – “City on a Hill” – that shows the connected nature of the neighborhoods of the city.

Rep Miranda receive a poster of Boston as a leaf

(L-R) Jerel Ferguson, Community Outreach Manager and David Meshoulam, Executive Director of Speak for the Trees, present Representative Miranda with a Boston: City on a Hill neighborhood map.

Miranda with Eva and Natalie

Liz Miranda talks with Education Coordinator and fellow Wellesley College graduate, Eva Paradiso, and TerraCorps Service Member Natalie Merline.

This wasn’t our first meeting with Rep. Miranda. This summer she visited youth in our Teen Urban Tree Corps to discuss our collective work in her district to increase the tree canopy and teach others about the rising heat indexes across the city.

Rep Miranda visiting teens, summer 2021.

Rep. Miranda visited the teens in our Teen Urban Tree Corps program this summer to share her story and learn about their work.

We are grateful and honored to receive this recognition. We continue the hard work of bringing communities together towards growing tree equity in Boston as a tool towards building, and maintaining healthy and vibrant communities.

The citation recognizing our “commitment to environmental work and climate justice.”