Meet the MRW Steering Committee (Part 2)

The MRW Steering Committee is made up of a majority of resident leaders of color, along with city government representatives, and a resident environmental advocate. The responsibilities of the MRW Steering Committee are to oversee the development of the project design by giving direction to the MRW Project Team, and also leading public outreach efforts for the design of the project.

Meet a few of the Malden River Works Steering Committee members below and learn more about their perspective of the project and why this project is so important to them!

RAMON NORALES

Ramon Norales was born in Spanish Honduras, lived in New York City for 20 years and has lived in Malden, Mass since 1997.  Ramon is Principal Advisor for the Global Sales Enablement org at Oracle Corporation where he has worked nearly nineteen years. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, including watching his son play baseball and going fishing. Ramon also volunteers with Rosie’s Place in Boston, a shelter for battered and homeless women. 

Why was it important for you to be involved in this project?
Being involved in this project gives me a sense of pride in my community. It is so important that everyone gives back to their community. In doing so, we add value by creating a better community where families can enjoy living in. I feel proud to be working towards building a park that will be a space for families and all members of the community. We can see the excitement from our local residents during public meetings. We can feel good about this huge undertaking knowing it is going to bring new families to Malden and our neighboring towns communities.

What value do you think this project will bring to Malden and to community members?

This project will bring great value to Malden. Families will have a great place to go and can feel good knowing Malden is well taken care of by its own community. With this project, we will build a sense of ownership and belonging in the community, and we can build a sense of pride. Malden is a very culturally diverse community and with this project, we have the opportunity to build a new space where we can learn and grow from one another.

LAURA LE

Laura Le is a science teacher in the Boston Public Schools. Her passion has always been in marine biology and environmental conservation among other interests. Laura is also a Kung Fu instructor who teaches for Wah Lum Kung Fu Academy and at the Tai Chi Academy in Malden and in nearby Quincy, MA. Laura is a Vietnamese American, native to Greater Boston, and she is very pleased to represent the Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) community while serving on this Committee.

Why do you think it is important to engage the community and particularly youth in this project?

I think it is important that we ask ourselves how to get young people involved and make them feel like they own this project as well because they are the future stewards of this space. Organizations can form partnerships with schools, we can develop project-based learning curriculum that improves the watershed, and in the end youth get the benefit of taking part in something. They ultimately can develop a sense of pride knowing that they are part of an environmental project.

EVAN SPETRINI

Evan Spetrini is the Senior Planner & Policy Manager at the Malden Redevelopment Authority. Since joining the MRA in February 2019, he has drafted inclusionary zoning and waterfront zoning ordinances, managed the development of a land use and economic development plan for the Broadway Corridor, and assisted in the creation of the MRA’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance and Small Business Assistance Programs, in addition to serving as a member of the Malden River Works Project Team and Steering Committee. Evan serves as staff to Malden’s newly established Affordable Housing Trust Fund and is leading the Trust’s first strategic planning process.

What sets this project apart from other park projects?

Physically, this project is an effort to redesign and reorganize the DPW yard to incorporate a climate resilient public park along the Malden River. However, and arguably more importantly, this project is about creating a new model of project governance in Malden that puts equity front and center and shifts decision making power from the municipality to the community. Our project has equity at the forefront of all we do, and we understand that vulnerable communities are part and parcel of Malden as a whole.

What do you see as the primary goal of the project?

The goal of the project is to bring together a new coalition of community leaders, environmental advocates, and government stakeholders in action to achieve a common and achievable goal, and build a foundation of commitment and trust that will serve as the basis for equitable resilience work beyond the duration of the design for this park alone.