Mill Cities Community Investments

The Fearless Fund, founded with the purpose of investing in women of color-led businesses, is currently fighting a critical court battle that is impacting the future of inclusive investing in the United States. In this Shelterforce article, Sandra (Sandy) Larson spoke with various community-lending leaders, including Glynn Lloyd, executive director of Mill Cities Community Investments + Foundation for Business Equity, about the current mood across the sector. Glynn Lloyd shared, “This is a new battlefront for our rights, and so far, they’ve chilled the marketplace or given people an excuse not to be fully committed. They don’t have to win cases—just the threat of it has an impact.” Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gx42XxJw #CommunityLending #FearlessFund #impactinvesting #racialequity

June is National Caribbean-American Heritage Month – a celebration officially recognized since 2006. It is a time to honor the rich history, diverse culture, and significant contributions of Caribbean Americans in the United States. In celebration, we asked some of our staff members to share what being Caribbean-American means to them. Katiria A., our BEI Program Manager, shared this heartfelt reflection: “Being Caribbean-American means that I have the best of both worlds. Our Latinx roots, our culture, and our traditions blended into American society. My family is from Puerto Rico. They migrated to the U.S. for a better quality of life and richer opportunities. They held all kinds of jobs, bought and sold businesses, and always made sure that we were surrounded by family, which we continue to instill today.”

Thank you to everyone who joined our Mill Cities Community Investments + Foundation for Business Equity Summer Networking Mixer! It was wonderful to see so many partners, clients, and supporters come together. Check out the event recap and photos here: https://lnkd.in/gzYDKF3p We appreciate your continued support and the impact we have been able to make together in our residential and small business communities. Looking forward to seeing you at our next event! ☀ Photos in order: 1. Janin Duran, Janin Duran Consulting Group 2. Edward Alcantara, Lawrence CommunityWorks, Inc.; Kristin Wallace, MCCI; Elkin Montoya 3. Andrew Tarsy, Emblem Strategic; Seema Williams, Andaz Construction; Katiria A., MCCI; Tameka B. Moss, MCCI; Diana M. Ubiñas, MCCI; Gloria Porras-Velasquez, Imagix Studio; Aiyah Josiah-Faeduwor, MCCI; Isaiah Romulus, MCCI; Mark Williams, Andaz Construction 4. Ruby Balborda, Silverio Insurance Group; Evan Silverio, Silverio Insurance and BEI Graduate; and Genesis Duran, The Lawrence Partnership 5. Angelina Jimenez Vargas,Bocaditos; Andrea Leaver; Mark Vosburg, Office of Planning & Development 6. Tobit Garcia, JBS Corp; Mark Williams, Seema Williams, and Brejé Williams from Andaz Construction; Glynn Lloyd, MCCI 7. Jeysi Zuniga, PSA, ACA, Synergy Contracting, Inc.; Leslie Fonseca, Galera Group; Sofia Martini, Synergy; Rafael Fonseca, Galera Group; Cesar Rodriguez, Synergy; Beverly Rodriguez, Synergy 8. Jorge Firpo and Genesis Vanderhorst Batista, Quality Air Solutions and BEI Participating Enterprise 9. Yari DeJesus, MACDC - Mass. Assoc. of Community Development Corporations

June is National Caribbean-American Heritage Month – a celebration officially recognized since 2006. It is a time to honor the rich history, diverse culture, and significant contributions of Caribbean Americans in the United States. Massachusetts is home to one of the largest Caribbean-American populations in the nation, and we are privileged to have many Caribbean Americans as part of our community and team. In celebration, we asked some of our staff members to share what being Caribbean-American means to them. Here is an insightful and powerful quote from Jennifer Sanchez, one of our Residential Loan Officers: "My favorite part of myself is being Latina. I take great pride in being Boricua. My Latin roots trace back to Comerio, Puerto Rico; La Isla del Encanto. Puerto Rican culture is rich in diversity, beautiful traditions, and strong heritage. I cherish the fact that I can speak two languages; communicating in both languages with clients is very powerful. As a Latina, I deeply value family, celebrations, and food. Nothing makes me feel more Latina than preparing our unique dishes. Yo Soy Boricua and I'm proud of it."

We are excited to announce that we received a 2024 Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) allocation! Thank you to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and our legislators for this important funding tool that incentivizes investment in community development and drives significant impact! To contribute to MCCI's growth trajectory and impact by leveraging the CITC, please contact Meaghan Phillips meaghan.phillips@mccinvest.org Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/eN88ra37

Mill Cities Community Investments + Foundation for Business Equity is thrilled to announce our equity investment in NXGN Camps, a Business Equity Initiative (BEI) graduate and one of the only Black-owned and led sports camps in the country. NXGN, led by retired New England Patriots Brent Williams, is dedicated to providing scholarships to middle and high school students to attend the organization's elite football camps. Thanks to MCCI's equity investment, NXGN will continue its growth and positive community impact by offering more scholarships, hiring more coaches, holding more camps and expanding the resources provided to athletes. Read more at the link below! https://lnkd.in/e8Kx9zqv

Mill Cities Community Investments + Foundation for Business Equity will be closed today in recognition of Juneteenth. June 19th commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, a time for deep reflection and a celebration of freedom and equality. If you're in the Greater Boston area and are looking for an event to attend, check out the Cambridge Juneteenth Parade! Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gwDd7Wz6

We are excited to share our Mill Cities Community Investments + Foundation for Business Equity Small Business Directory! 🌟 Discover unique local products, services, food, and restaurants, including graduates from the Business Equity Initiative (BEI) program and our small business clients. Explore now: https://lnkd.in/gbJneDfG #ShopLocal #ShopSmall #SupportLocalBusiness

Exciting news! Mill Cities Community Investments + Foundation for Business Equity is proud to be a lending and advisory partner with the The Life Initiative and Gabrielle Geller for the Welcome Home, Boston initiative. Today, Mayor Michelle Wu unveiled the phase 2 development teams, marking another step towards creating affordable homes for our communities. If you're not familiar with this incredible project, learn more here: https://lnkd.in/ey_ANb-N Antonio Leite, Glynn Lloyd, Milo Stella, CPHB, Declan Keefe

Happy Pride Month! Let's honor the resilience, accomplishments, and valuable contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. Explore our blog for Pride events in your community that you can join in celebrating: https://lnkd.in/gCEkMzKQ #HappyPride #Pride2024