Social Equity Campaign and SCC’s 50th Anniversary*
Remember in 2019, when SCC was hard at work to fight for Somerville’s diversity and economic equity? SCC was celebrating its 50th anniversary—and at the time, they had no idea just what lay ahead for the future. There was a lot of great community momentum that year—the Union Square community had just won a Community Benefits Agreement with US2; the First Source Jobs program successfully moved 80% of its active participants into jobs with good wages; and SCC climbed closer to its 100 Homes goal, with nearly 80 houses taken off the market to be permanently affordable. And this all came soon after the community pushed for a 20% Inclusionary Zoning requirement, creation of the Jobs Linkage Fee, and passage of the Community Preservation Act. Did they know then that all of those steps in those years would lead to the Somerville we have today? Here we are, in 2069: Union Square has become the economic magnet for responsible employers who prioritize inclusive hiring with great training programs, benefits and wages. There are thriving clusters of homes and commercial buildings around all of Somerville’s transit areas, with all levels of affordability, and abutting community parks and gardens. Developers in Somerville are required to enter into a CBA with the residents, and do so without thinking twice. We are so lucky to live and work in this community where there is no majority group in our demographics—and our elected officials reflect this, too!
As we look back to 2019, we realize just how important it was to build those pillars to keep SCC and its community partners strong, focused, and productive. The investment of people’s time, passion, and money are what created such an essential foundation to get us here. Those were pivotal years that wouldn’t have happened without the sponsors who supported the 50th Anniversary, all of the CITC donors who supported the Social Equity Campaign, and of course, all of our active members.
We invite you to be a part of the history in the making, the future in the present! Would you like to be a sponsor of SCC’s 50th Anniversary, or to benefit from the Community Investment Tax Credit program through the Social Equity Campaign? This is the time! This is all of our time.
*Inspired by: A Message From the Future with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez