In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Elyse Cherry CEO of Boston Community Capital who has earned national recognition for her groundbreaking work attacking the foreclosure crisis through an innovative combination of private and public dollars. Elyse is also an important voice in the LGBT community serving as the former Chair of MassEquality during the organization’s successful campaign for marriage equality in Massachusetts. We talked to Cherry about being one of the few women running a major financial institution and her spin on our LGBT issues.
When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Cherry stated, “Well that goes back a long way. I served on the GLAD board for many years, the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders and chaired MassEquality actually when we got through the legislation in Massachusetts on civil marriage issues. For many years now it really focused on organizing the GLBT community on political matters ensuring that people who were running for office either federal or state are consistent with our views.” When asked for her reaction to the US Supreme Court Prop 8 & DOMA Rulings Elyse added, “I was absolutely delighted. That was such a long struggle and of course we were working here on among other things, on a business brief that is trying to get businesses to sign on this issue of how difficult it is to really run two different human resource undertakings. You have people who are not treated the same. That is you have people who can either marry and have the benefits of federal rights or not. I have to say on a more personal note I was so proud of Mary Bonauto who of course has been at GLAD forever and Maura Healey from Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley's office and the wonderful job they did. I went down and listened to them give their arguments to the First Circuit Court of Appeals and I couldn’t be more proud about the strength and the intellect and the character that resides in our community.”
Elyse Cherry as CEO of Boston Community Capital (BCC), has overseen the investment of over $900 million into low-income communities. Boston Community Capital is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) an organization dedicated specifically to using financial tools to make an impact in its community. With Elyse at the helm, BCC has increased assets by 3,500% and invested heavily in low-income communities programs that support housing, childcare and job creation in sustainable industries. Currently Elyse is also very active in LPAC (Lesbian Political Action Committee) that backs candidates that support our LGBT issues.
For More Info: bostoncommunitycapital.org
Brilliant idea to interview Elyse. She is very significant on many levels and the greater community should know about her, her company and her mission.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview. Thanks Marilyn