Origins and Evolution
Our network was formed in March 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic as a rapid response entity aimed at providing direct services to those whose pre-existing challenges were exacerbated by the pandemic. Over the past two years, Mutual Aid Eastie has focused on supporting our neighbors not just through direct services but by building strong relationships and connections throughout our community. By doing so, we continue the legacy of supporting marginalized neighbors while making change through unity and collective power.
The Need for Mutual Aid in East Boston and Beyond
East Boston has long been a vibrant, working-class community with a large concentration of Latinx immigrants and other people of color. This neighborhood of over 45,000 residents is about two-thirds people of color, including 55% Latinx. Almost half (46%) are foreign-born, the highest among Boston neighborhoods, and one-third are not US citizens. More than half (51.9%) speak Spanish at home.
East Boston was one of the neighborhoods most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with infection rates among the highest in Massachusetts. The pandemic exacerbated pre-existing challenges such as unaffordable housing, overcrowding, economic insecurity, and environmental injustices. Overcrowded housing contributed to the rapid spread of the virus. A survey in summer 2020 revealed that lower-income communities of color, including East Boston, experienced significant income losses and food insecurity.
Driving Change Through Mutual Aid
Mutual aid is a practice where community members come together to support each other, sharing resources and skills to meet collective needs. It is based on principles of solidarity, reciprocity, and cooperation, rather than charity. Mutual aid recognizes that everyone has something to contribute and something to receive, fostering an environment where individuals work together to improve their community’s well-being.
Mutual aid is not a new phenomenon but one as age-old as human civilization itself. At its most basic level, mutual aid is people taking responsibility to care for one another and provide for needs. In the US, mutual aid has a rich history among marginalized peoples, from Free Black societies in the 1770s to Chinese immigrants defending against racial discrimination in the 19th century, and settlement houses serving European immigrants by the 20th century. Recent decades have seen mutual aid efforts in response to disasters like Hurricane Katrina, Superstorm Sandy, and Hurricane Maria.
Our Community Impact
In response to inadequate systems during the pandemic, mutual aid efforts in East Boston grew out of existing initiatives and were anchored by community-based organizations with deep relationships with the most vulnerable. These efforts included: providing material aid (food and housing), supporting and educating residents to access government and social service systems, and facilitating wellness and healing.
These mutual aid efforts bolstered feelings of solidarity, reciprocity, and care, building community capacity to organize systems of collective care. They brought together people and partners who had worked together before, sparking new collaborations and breaking down silos between social service agencies and grassroots organizations.
Since then, our mission has evolved to focus primarily on creating community spaces to connect neighbors and build solidarity to drive change.
Mutual aid is deeply connected to community engagement and organizing. Grassroots community-based organizations pivoted to provide mutual aid as part of their work to address systemic racism and inequalities. Many neighbors we first met at our weekly food distribution have become leaders in our network to support others and address injustices in our community.
Join Us in Building Community
Mutual Aid Eastie continues to grow and adapt to the needs of our community. Our work is not just about providing immediate assistance but about building long-term resilience and solidarity. We invite you to join us in creating an equitable and connected East Boston, where every neighbor is empowered and supported.
Why Support Mutual Aid Eastie?
Mutual Aid Eastie is at the forefront of a movement that not only addresses immediate needs but also builds the foundation for long-term community resilience, solidarity, and leadership. Our Core Team is comprised of historically marginalized members and people of color, whose stories and challenges reflect those in the community we serve.
By supporting Mutual Aid Eastie, you are investing in a future where neighbors support each other, marginalized voices are uplifted, and systemic inequalities are actively challenged.
Your support helps us to:
- Provide essential resources to those in need
- Foster strong community bonds and solidarity
- Build leaders and advocates
- Create sustainable systems of mutual support and care
Join us in our mission to create an equitable and interconnected East Boston. Together, we can build a community where every neighbor thrives.