The Cambridge Community Foundation is powered by the people who join us in building a more vibrant, just, and equitable Cambridge. Today, we’re excited to welcome six new members of the CCF family, bringing fresh perspective and deep commitment to our work:

Sarah Baker, Board member

Sarah brings a combination of leadership, editorial experience, media production, and clinical training to CCF. She spent two decades working in media — as a Senior Editor at Viking/Penguin and Simon & Schuster, and later as Editor-in-Chief of Art New England magazine— acquiring and shaping books and stories across history, culture, memoir, science, and social issues. Her work in public radio as a producer for NPR programs, including On Point and The Connection, enabled her to amplify voices and ideas.

She is currently a candidate for an MA in Mental Health Counseling at Lesley University, where her studies in group dynamics, cultural identity, addictions, and grief/loss reflect her deepening commitment to mental health and community well-being. This past year, she was a Clinical Intern at The Edinburg Center, facilitating evidence-based therapeutic groups. For several years, she has co-designed and led retreats using methodologies such as Visual Thinking Strategy, Design Thinking frameworks, and Co-Active Coaching techniques. Sarah brings to the board strategic thinking, strong communication skills, and dedication to equity, collaboration, and the power of storytelling to create change.

Michelle Hicks, Board member

Michelle is engaged in business development for GMO’s Global Client Relations team located in Boston. Prior to joining GMO in 2015, she worked at Strategic Value Partners as the managing director of marketing and investor relations. Previously, she worked as an associate partner and business development manager at Wellington Management and as Vice President at Goldman Sachs. Michelle earned her B.A. in Psychology and French from Amherst College and her MBA from Harvard Business School.  She lives in Cambridge with her husband, Cam. Her three children are all proud graduates of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School and now off living their lives near and far. Michelle also serves on the Advisory Council for Horizons for Homeless Children.

Mary Aggarwal, Professional Advisors Council member

Mary Aggarwal is a Managing Director, Private Client Advisor, and Institutional Client Advisor, at Bank of America Private Bank in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than twenty-five years of experience in the financial industry, Mary brings both depth and perspective to her work. She advises ultra-high-net-worth clients with discipline and care—beginning by clarifying each client’s unique goals, then coordinating a team of Private Bank specialists to design and implement customized, comprehensive wealth strategies designed to create lasting impact. Mary also draws on her experience as an entrepreneur, which has given her insight into the meaning of money and its influence on families across generations. She understands the complex dynamics that shape financial decisions and uses that knowledge to guide clients in building thoughtful, customized wealth plans. Prior to joining Bank of America Private Bank, Mary spent seven years at Wells Fargo and previously served as a Private Client Manager with U.S. Trust.

She holds a Personal Financial Planning certificate from UCLA and completed advanced family dynamics training at Wells Fargo. Community leadership and engagement are extremely important her. Mary has been a member of the Purposeful Planning Institute, engaged with the Family Office Exchange, and served on the board of the Zimmer Children’s Museum in Los Angeles. Beyond her professional and philanthropic work, Mary is a devoted wife and mother of four. She is passionate about giving back to the community and enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

Caitlin Meloy, Professional Advisors Council member

Caitlin Meloy is a Senior Vice President and Endowment and Foundation Specialist with Bank of America Private Bank in Boston. With over a decade of experience, she builds lasting relationships with families, foundations, donor advised funds, and nonprofits to support and sustain their charitable missions. Her international experience informs a global perspective on family giving. Caitlin’s consultative approach engages current and future foundation leaders, offering guidance on governance, mission advancement, grantmaking, leadership development, and administration. She collaborates with philanthropic specialists and colleagues across the Private Bank and Merrill® to address dynamic client needs.

Before joining Bank of America in 2016, Caitlin was Director of the Young Leaders for the Ireland Funds in Dublin and previously worked at Fitch Ratings in residential mortgage-backed securities and public finance. She holds degrees from Santa Clara University, University College Dublin, and Yale School of Management, and is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®). Originally from New York, she lives in Medford, MA with her husband and two children. Caitlin is active in the Ireland Funds Young Leaders, serves on the board of the Period Education Project, and represents University College Dublin’s Boston Chapter. A former triathlete, she enjoys activities that support mental and physical wellness.

Allie Barker, Donor Grants Associate

Allie supports donor-directed grantmaking and helps create meaningful philanthropic experiences that connect donors with the causes they care about while strengthening the local community. Before joining the Foundation, she managed annual giving, donor stewardship, and database management as a Development Coordinator. She also coordinated community partnerships and programs, building relationships with schools, nonprofits, and families. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management with a minor in Nonprofit Organizations from Appalachian State University and completed Boston University’s Professional Fundraising Program. Outside of work, Allie enjoys reading on the Cambridge Common, thrifting, and testing out Honeycomb Creamery’s latest concoctions.

Connor O’Brien, Senior Development Associate

Connor supports development operations and donor services to strengthen advancement and philanthropic partnerships at CCF. Previously, Connor managed development and communications initiatives for direct service nonprofits focused on housing, homelessness, and youth services in Boston and his hometown of Cleveland. He holds a Master of Nonprofit Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from John Carroll University. A proud Cambridge resident, Connor enjoys visiting the public library, riding his bike, and exploring Mount Auburn Cemetery.

This article is part of our Smart Giving series for professional advisors.

In 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a resolution supporting the designation of National Estate Planning Awareness Week, observed each October. You've likely heard of this, and you may know that October 19 through 25 is the week in 2026. Chances are, though, you've not recently (or ever) looked at the actual resolution. The preamble outlines several reasons why estate planning deserves this annual spotlight. Here are three worth noting: 

• "Whereas careful estate planning can greatly assist Americans in preserving assets built over a lifetime for the benefit of family, heirs, or charities." 

• "Whereas estate planning involves many considerations, including safekeeping of important documents, documentation of assets, operation of law in the various States, preparation of legal instruments, insurance, availability of trust arrangements, charitable giving, inter vivos care of the benefactor, and other important factors." 

• "Whereas alternatives to disposition of assets after death, such as planned gift-giving, may accomplish a benefactor's goal of providing for his or her family and favorite charities." 

What's especially noteworthy is the intentional inclusion of charitable giving throughout the resolution. For attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, National Estate Planning Awareness Week is a good time to remind yourself to ask each client a question that can open an important dialogue sometimes overlooked in the estate planning process:  

"Are there charitable causes you would like to include in your estate plan?"  

Sounds simple, right? It's just thirteen words. Still, advisors may not address charitable giving as consistently or thoroughly as clients would like, according to the 2026 TPI Study of the Philanthropic Conversation, which surveyed high-net-worth clients and wealth advisors, trust and estate attorneys, accountants, and other tax professionals.  

Here's what stands out in the findings: 

• 80% of HNW clients agreed that advisors have an obligation to engage them in conversations about charitable activity.  

• 93% of clients who discussed philanthropy with advisors considered the advisor's role important.  

• While 99% were satisfied overall, only 61% reported being very satisfied with charitable planning discussions.  

The key takeaway: There's room to go deeper! Keep in mind that even clients who have never thought of themselves as philanthropists may welcome the opportunity to fully discuss and structure their charitable intentions beyond their lifetimes, such as through a charitable bequest to a favorite organization or a fund at CCF, or by naming a charity as the beneficiary of retirement assets. Raising the subject in more than a cursory way can also lead to broader conversations about family, values, getting the next generation involved, and legacy—conversations that deepen your understanding of what matters to your clients.  

So, ask the thirteen-word question, "Are there charitable causes you would like to include in your estate plan?" If the client answers "yes," listen closely to what they say. A smart next step in the conversation is to suggest that you involve the team at CCF as a sounding board. Our experienced professionals are here to help you and your client review giving vehicles and approaches that align with the client's intentions while you continue to guide the overall legal, tax, and financial planning. 

The team at CCF wants to be your first call whenever the subject of charitable giving arises with a client. Indeed, five of our favorite words to hear from tax and estate planning advisors are "Could you help us with …" We look forward to hearing from you! Feel free to contact Michal Rubin, vice president of philanthropic partnerships, at mrubin@cambridgecf.org.

This article is part of our Smart Giving series for professional advisors.

Life's big milestones cover a lot of ground! Some are deeply personal, such as welcoming a grandchild, retiring after a long career, or celebrating a significant birthday. Other milestones are financial: selling a business, receiving an inheritance, exercising stock options, selling a valuable piece of real estate, or realizing a financial gain following an initial public offering involving stock your client has owned for years. 

Whether financial or personal, major milestone moments often bring a sense of accomplishment. They can also bring something else: an opportunity to pause, reflect, and be smart about the next big move. For many people, that's when the questions start changing. At some point along the way, instead of asking themselves, "What's my next big thing?" they shift to "What matters most?" and "What kind of impact do I want to leave behind?" That's why it's important to initiate charitable conversations with your clients after a significant financial event. 

Now that your clients may have the financial resources to act on their intentions, they may find they have the time and flexibility to think more intentionally about the causes, organizations, and communities that have shaped their lives. Some want to express gratitude for opportunities they've received. Others hope to create opportunities for future generations or honor family members. Still others simply want to make sure the success they've enjoyed continues benefiting others for years to come. 

As your client look ahead in their lives and anticipate big milestones, you can start conversations with them early to implement a philanthropy plan. For example, here are a few steps you can help your clients can take years before a significant liquidity event: 

• They can consider establishing a donor-advised fund at a community foundation so they can get familiar with the wealth of knowledge of hyper-local issues in your client's community. DAFs enable donors to set aside charitable dollars while taking the time to thoughtfully consider which organizations they'd like to support over the months and years ahead, especially following a financial transaction. 

• Your clients may also choose to establish a field-of-interest fund at their local community foundation as part of their charitable giving "portfolio" to address particular community needs, as well as unrestricted funds that provide resources to respond to the area's greatest opportunities for generations to come. 

In the case of private business interests, from a capital gains perspective, your clients may be far better off establishing charitable arrangements well before a transaction is underway. Of course, if your client recently experienced a liquidity event and haven't yet established a charitable plan, it is not too late!    

Whether your client has already experienced a significant financial event—or expect one in the future—we'd love to talk. The team at CCF can help your clients explore charitable options that reflect their values, support the causes they care about, and create a legacy that extends far beyond a single moment of success. 

A special evening of networking and conversation.

Join us on September 24, 5-7pm to connect with peers, explore emerging philanthropic opportunities, and learn more about the role arts and culture play in strengthening one of the country’s most innovative communities. Whether you’re seeking new perspectives to inform client conversations or simply looking to expand your professional network, we hope you’ll make it to this engaging evening at The Smoot Standard (313 Mass Ave) in Central Square. Hosted by CCF’s Professional Advisors Council.

Register here—space is limited!

Hambleton “Ham” Lord, Boston-area entrepreneur and co-founder of Launchpad Venture Group, a leading angel investment network, was elected chair of the Board of Directors for the Cambridge Community Foundation, Inc. (CCF) effective July 1, 2026. Lord assumes the role as Phil Johnson steps down from his five-year tenure as chair. 

Throughout his career, Lord has worked to ensure the benefits of innovation and entrepreneurship extend to all corners of the community. He will help guide CCF’s growth as it works to address the community’s evolving needs and nurture a vibrant and inclusive Cambridge. 

CCF also appointed Gail Roberts, an award-winning real estate agent and philanthropist, as vice-chair. She will help strengthen the Foundation’s social cohesion work related to arts, culture, and belonging. 

Lord co-founded three software companies early in his career, gaining a keen understanding of entrepreneurship as a catalyst for positive change. In 2002, he co-founded and led Launchpad Venture Group, which focuses on investments in early-stage technology and life sciences startups. Today, Launchpad is New England’s largest angel network and ranks among the nation’s top 10. In 2013, Lord co-founded Seraf to empower angel investors to support ventures that reflect the region’s collaborative and creative spirit. Lord was unanimously elected chair after two years of service on the CCF board. 

 “Ham has a proven record of launching and building innovative organizations. His expertise as an entrepreneur and innovator will be invaluable as CCF strengthens its role as a creative problem-solver and civic leader in Cambridge,” said Geeta Pradhan, president of the Cambridge Community Foundation. “I’m delighted that CCF Board Member Gail Roberts will serve as vice-chair. A CCF donor-advised fundholder, Gail is a strong voice in the philanthropic community in Cambridge and a passionate advocate for our arts and culture sector.” 

“Cambridge is at an inflection point,” said Lord. “Economic disparities are widening, deep poverty persists, and opportunity remains out of reach for some adults and young people. Our city begins to fray when neighbors lead separate, disconnected lives.”  

“To address this,” he added, “CCF is investing in economic mobility and social cohesion, both core components of a successful, thriving city. CCF has proven that it can bring Cambridge together to tackle its toughest challenges and is poised to make an even greater impact with the support of this incredible community.” 

Gail Roberts assumed the role of vice chair after a decade of service on the CCF board. “As a local realtor, I feel fortunate to work in Cambridge,” said Roberts. “Every day, I see the remarkable opportunities our city offers—but not everyone has equal access to them. CCF is working to change that and I’m excited to help it harness Cambridge’s generosity and talent to strengthen the well-being of our entire community in the years ahead.”  

Lord succeeds Phil Johnson, founder of PJA Marketing + Advertising, who stepped down after 16 years on CCF’s board, including five as chair.  Johnson drew on his experience to raise the Foundation’s visibility and strengthen public understanding of its work. During his tenure, CCF developed its five-year strategic plan to reduce economic disparities and strengthen community bonds. It also harnessed its unique role as a community foundation to address social problems that no organization can solve alone. 

“I’m deeply grateful to Phil for strengthening the Foundation and communicating our unique value as Cambridge’s community foundation,” Pradhan said. “We have become the civic leader Cambridge needs in times of crisis and opportunity.” 

Johnson was also instrumental in creating the Making Good marketing campaign and the Imagined in Cambridge! Social Innovation Award, which identifies innovative, grassroots solutions to the city’s most intractable problems, and Cambridge WINS sports equity sponsorships.  

As the foundation of and for all of Cambridge, CCF brings together philanthropy, civic leadership, and grantmaking to advance a more vibrant, just, and equitable city for everyone. Working in deep partnership with nonprofits and others, CCF tackles the city’s most intractable problems, with a focus on economic mobility and social cohesion. It also serves as an influential civic leader and a philanthropic home for Cambridge’s generosity. In 2025, CCF invested $5.2 million in the community, strengthening the nonprofit sector, addressing urgent needs, and advancing strategic initiatives. CCF also adopted a new corporate structure that gives the Foundation greater flexibility to connect donors with the issues they care about, collaborate in new ways, and act more quickly and boldly on behalf of Cambridge. 

At CCF, we work with a wide range of donors who want to support favorite charities and causes they care about. Sometimes we meet with individuals and families who have already begun their charitable giving journey by establishing a donor-advised fund at a national charitable sponsor or commercial provider.  

Over time, many donors discover that they want something more. They want to learn about local needs, connect with nonprofits making a difference in their community, involve family members in giving decisions, and work with people who understand the place they call home. For these donors, transferring a donor-advised fund from a national charitable sponsor or a commercial provider to the Cambridge Community Foundation can be a natural next step. 

The good news is that moving a donor-advised fund is often easier than people expect. Here is a simple guide to the process. 

Step 1: Start a conversation with the CCF 

The first step is simply to reach out. The team at CCF can learn about your charitable interests, answer questions, and explain how a donor-advised fund at a community foundation can support your goals. 

Many donors are surprised to learn that a community foundation offers not only the convenience of a donor-advised fund, but also local knowledge, philanthropic expertise, and a long-term commitment to strengthening the community. 

Step 2: Map out a fund that reflects your values 

One of the most enjoyable parts of the process is designing a fund that reflects your family's charitable vision. You can choose a fund name, such as the Smith Family Fund or Smith Family Foundation, designate fund advisors, and discuss how future generations might become involved. Many donors use this opportunity to create a structure that encourages family conversations about generosity and community impact, tapping into CCF's resources and expertise. 

Step 3: Establish your new donor-advised fund 

CCF will provide a simple fund agreement that outlines how the fund will operate and who may recommend grants to nonprofit organizations. The process is typically straightforward, and the CCF team will guide you through each step.

Step 4: Recommend a grant to make the transfer from your current donor-advised fund 

Once your new fund is established at CCF, you can contact your current donor-advised fund provider and recommend a grant to CCF for the benefit of your newly created fund. In many cases, this can be completed online and requires only a few minutes. 

Step 5: Confirm the details 

To help ensure a smooth transfer, be sure to use the exact name of your new fund and any instructions provided by CCF. Our team will gladly help coordinate the details and answer any questions that arise along the way. 

Step 6: Decide how much to transfer 

Some donors transfer the entire balance of an existing donor-advised fund at once. Others prefer to transfer a portion first and move additional assets later. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. The right decision depends on your charitable goals, giving plans, and personal preferences. Some donors even choose to maintain their existing donor-advised fund at a commercial provider while also establishing a separate locally-focused donor-advised fund or other charitable fund at a community foundation. 

Step 7: Put your philanthropy to work in the community 

After the transfer is complete, you can begin recommending grants from your CCF donor-advised fund. Our team is always here as a sounding board and resource if you have questions! You may already support several favorite local nonprofits, and our team is happy to discuss both these organizations and new organizations that might have caught your attention. Many donors find that this deeper connection to the local community—and to professionals who understand it—becomes one of the most rewarding aspects of their giving. 

The upshot here is that any donor-advised fund can help you organize and simplify your charitable giving. By moving your fund to CCF, you also gain a local partner committed to helping you make a lasting difference close to home. If you'd like to explore whether a transfer makes sense for you, the CCF team would be delighted to start the conversation! 

This post is part of our Smart Giving series for professional advisors.

You've no doubt noticed that Qualified Charitable Distributions ("QCDs") continue to gain traction as one of the most practical and effective charitable planning tools for clients over age 70 ½. By allowing eligible clients to transfer funds directly from an IRA to a qualified charity without recognizing the distribution as taxable income, QCDs can help reduce adjusted gross income while supporting charitable priorities. For many clients, especially those who do not itemize deductions, a QCD is particularly appealing.  

What's especially notable is that in recent years, Congress has expanded planning opportunities by indexing annual giving limits for inflation ($111,000 per person in 2026) and allowing certain one-time QCDs ("Legacy IRAs") to fund charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts. And now, proposed legislation known as the "Charity Parity Act" would, if enacted, extend QCD treatment beyond IRAs to include employer-sponsored retirement plans such as 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and 457(b)s. This potential change in the law would remove the extra step of rolling assets into an IRA before making a charitable gift, simplifying the process for many donors whose retirement savings remain primarily in workplace plans. 

Consider a typical client scenario. Your client, age 74, is taking Required Minimum Distributions ("RMDs") from a traditional IRA. Because the client claims the standard deduction, charitable gifts do not generate additional tax savings. By instead directing a portion of the RMD to a qualified charity as a QCD, the client can satisfy part or all of the RMD obligation without increasing taxable income. In many cases, this can also help reduce Medicare premium surcharges and lessen the taxation of Social Security benefits, creating planning advantages beyond the charitable deduction itself.

Here are three examples of how CCF can help your client achieve charitable goals through QCDs: 

• A client directs a QCD from an IRA to CCF's Annual Fund to support broad community needs. The client satisfies part or all of the client's annual RMD requirements while supporting the institution that addresses the region's changing priorities or challenges. 

• A client uses a QCD to contribute to a fund at CCF focused on causes such as education, the arts, etc. This allows the client to support a specific area of passion while relying on CCF's expertise to identify effective nonprofit organizations over time. 

• A client makes a QCD to an existing designated fund or scholarship fund held at CCF. For example, the client may support a favorite local nonprofit through a designated fund or help students pursue higher education through a scholarship fund, all while reducing taxable income through a QCD. 

Keep in mind that charitable giving with IRAs goes beyond current gifts to charity! As part of advising clients about their IRAs, be sure to check their beneficiary designations. Not only is it tax advantageous for a client to name a fund at CCF or other public charity as beneficiary of an IRA, but it's also a best practice to avoid problems in the future. (Retirement plan beneficiary designations continue to show up in cautionary tales!)    

For attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, developments related to QCDs are worth watching closely. QCDs increasingly serve as a natural connector among retirement planning, philanthropy, and legacy conversations. Just as importantly, QCD discussions often open the door to broader planning opportunities, helping clients align financial goals with the causes and communities they care about most. As always, please reach out to CCF anytime!  

CCF staff Christina Turner (far left) and Joanna Mawhinney (far right) with Minigrant recipients (L to R) Kerri Hickman, Cara Rascoe, and Winston Liao.

What can $500 do for Cambridge? A new CCF program is an experiment to find out.

This spring, the Cambridge Community Foundation opened a call to residents for ideas to do good in their neighborhoods, seeding each eligible idea with $500. Now, our first-ever Making Good Minigrants are supporting nine Cantabrigians to build small-scale projects with real-world impact.

CCF’s new Minigrants were launched to support early-stage or emerging ideas led by individuals or small groups who want to meet a need in their community or do something that benefits their neighbors.

Our inaugural Minigrant recipients:

• Kim Bostic-Williams, Mum’s the Word

A wellness session to provide mothers of color with a restorative space to reconnect with themselves, reduce stress, and build community, by combining gentle yoga, breathwork, a sound bath, mindfulness practices, guided reflection, and community conversation.

• Ukpong Etteh, National Council of Negro Women – Greater Boston Section

A mentorship program to equip young women ages 15 to 18 who identify as Black or LatinX in the Cambridge area with role models and opportunities that will launch them onto a path towards greater success in life.

• Keisha Greaves, GCR Adaptive Project

An educational and community-based initiative that promotes inclusive design and adaptive fashion while empowering people with disabilities in Cambridge and beyond.

• Kerri Hickman, Little Citizens Circle

A 4-week facilitated developmental series for Cambridge children ages 3–5 to translate complex concepts like equity, identity, and community care into developmentally appropriate lessons for our youngest neighbors.

• Zhonghe Li, Wildcrane

Outdoor art workshops at the Sacramento Street Community Garden to help neighbors connect to nature and to one another. Facilitated by a Cambridge artist whose work focuses on community engagement in nature, these free workshops aim to foster accessible spaces for reflection and shared experience.

• Winston Liao, Vending machines for arts prints and zines

An initiative to create accessible vending machines for artwork such as prints and zines that will be located inside local businesses, libraries, and community centers, increasing access to art while also broadening the potential audience for creators.

• Hawi Mijena, Inman Square Community Beauty Pop-Up

Free hair consultations and styling services by a skilled stylist to residents in the Inman Square area who may have financial barriers to professional salon care.

• Julianne Parolisi, Music Therapy Without Borders

A music therapist and mental health counselor creates community building through music for various groups of people– unhoused folks, older adults, individuals with disabilities, immigrants/newly arrived folks, young children, and others.

• Cara Rascoe, Shine and Thrive: A Fun and Inclusive Kids Day

A sensory friendly indoor event for children ages 8 to 12 in Cambridge to create a space where they feel safe, included, and free to be themselves, particularly children with diverse abilities who may feel overlooked or excluded in more traditional environments.

“We’re interested in supporting promising ideas of all sizes  – we’re excited to see the journeys of these projects and all the good that may come out of them,” said Joanna Mawhinney, senior programs manager at CCF.

Unlike the Imagined in Cambridge! Social Innovation Award — which focuses on innovative projects that have already been tested and are ready to grow — Making Good Minigrants are available to anyone who lives in Cambridge and has an idea about how to improve their city.

The nine recipients will be invited to share their project and learnings at a Making Good Minigrant gathering hosted by CCF in October.

In the meantime, these small dollars are sparks.

“Currently, I have the talent but lack the extra funds to provide these products for free,” said Hawi Mijena, whose project will provide professional hairstyling for members of her community who otherwise couldn’t afford the luxury. “This grant makes the project possible without a financial burden on me or my neighbors.”

Kerri Hickman said the minigrant is helping them move their ideas for Little Citizens Circle forward, noting, “I’m motivated to do more after CCF’s support.”

Cara Rascoe, who is using the funds to host a special event for kids with diverse abilities, said she’s grateful for this unique opportunity. “It has been a journey as a mom who has a child with different abilities and I am so excited to host a day of belonging with other families like mine.”

The Foundation’s Making Good Minigrant application will open to new ideas again in October.

Photo by Mark Ostow

Marissa Molinar planned to save the Amazon. She earned a degree in environmental science from Brown University and expected to spend her twenties studying plants and animals in a rainforest most people will never see. Then, burnt out right after graduation, she started taking dance classes to feel like a person again and never went back. Her parents were Mexican folkloric dancers, and she had trained in Bharatanatyam in high school. By 2015, she had committed to contemporary dance and arts organizing full time, and that year she founded the MIDDAY Movement Series, a BIPOC-led grassroots initiative cultivating a new, diverse generation of dance leaders through professional development, mentorship, and advocacy.

Marissa is CCF’s inaugural Culture Connects Cambridge Fellow, one of three strands in the first phase of Culture Connects Cambridge, CCF’s $1.4 million, three-year investment in the city’s arts sector. The work is a pilot program, and its job is direct: empower artists and cultural groups to have more say in the decisions that shape their own working lives.

Christina Turner, CCF’s vice president of programs and grantmaking, says Marissa was an obvious fit from the start. “We had Marissa in mind when we were building the fellowship,” Christina says. “She brings an important and valuable perspective to advocacy, with a powerful ability to apply the lessons of the past to the organizing work of the present and to help imagine what becomes possible in the future.”Part of that job is dismantling a bias baked into the way Americans talk about the arts: that culture is a nice-to-have rather than something essential. The arts can sometimes be seen as a luxury, inaccessible, and rarified. Marissa traces that bias straight back to choreography.

“It’s not a mistake in this society to understand these art forms as luxuries, because for so long that’s how they were intended,” Marissa says. The same design choices that once served a royal audience, the cost of the ticket, the formality of the room, the assumption that you need training to have an opinion about what you are watching, are what still make a lot of people feel like these spaces were never built for them.

Mexican folklórico and Bharatanatyam taught her something else. “So much of what Mexican folkloric dance does is describe what everyday life has been like,” Marissa says. “It lets us practice being together in different ways, and practice being ourselves in front of other people.”

She often cites the sociologist Ruha Benjamin, who argues that “imagination is a terrain of struggle.” “If someone else had the boldness to invent the world that’s around us,” Marissa says, “clearly we can also be emboldened to dream of things that don’t exist yet.”

As CCF’s inaugural Culture Connects Cambridge Fellow, Marissa interviewed Cambridge artists this spring and their conversations echoed what CCF’s own research already showed: rising cost of living, a widening racial wealth gap, and arts funding that, in Marissa’s words, “can’t just come from one location.”

“It’s not just what we do, it’s how we do it, and why,” Marissa says. She points to Cambridge’s bike advocacy movement, where organizers found “a lot of agreement around what that shift would need to be” and picked one issue to fight for. Getting artists, who are used to working alone, to “think ecosystem-wide” the same way is the harder job.

In practice, that can look like a chartered bus. This spring she partnered with Christina Turner, CCF’s vice president of programs and grantmaking, to bring a group of Cambridge artists to the Creative Sector Summit in New Bedford. Marissa prepared a glossary of arts-sector jargon in advance because, as she put it, “there’s no one single definition” once people start Googling terms they’re embarrassed to ask about. On the ride down, she led a short movement series and then made everyone introduce themselves, so that individual and grassroots artists who might not know anyone in the room would have a few faces to look for once they got there. Marissa has seen how easily people in that position wind up isolated at a conference built for staff of bigger institutions. Growing up in Texas, greeting people was second nature. “I was raised to say hello to everyone,” Marissa says, and calls teaching that habit to Bostonians “a personal crusade of mine.”

On the bus ride home, Marissa ran a debrief so the group could process what they had just seen and land on their own next steps before the day faded. The debrief also served as an opportunity to learn, taking in how the group reacted, so she could figure out how the fellowship needed to evolve and better understand the work going forward.

Her parents were activists in the Chicano movement, and she describes her own advocacy work as an extension of that.

“I’m excited to continue the lineage, making that good trouble,” Marissa says, “but with real support and real excitement, and I think just real joy. I feel incredibly lucky to be in something that is inherently so joyful.”