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We Don’t Censor Students in Boston, Even if It Costs Us
What 826 Boston’s stand says about this moment for education
Enrique J. Pepén
May 08, 2025
In partnership with
(l-r) 826 Boston Writers’ Room Manager Kassy Edouard, City Councilor Enrique Pepén, and 826 Boston Executive Director Corey Yarbrough. (Photo courtesy of 826 Boston)
About a month ago, I stood alongside students, educators, and community members at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for 826 Boston’s newest Writers’ Room at New Mission High School in Hyde Park. The energy in the room was palpable as we were excited to celebrate a space dedicated to empowering students through writing. In Boston, we pride ourselves on being a city that values education, diversity, and community. To get the news a few weeks later that so many nonprofits and agencies, like 826 Boston, would be without federal funding this fiscal year was a sharp drop in morale.
We’ve seen it happening across the nation and especially here in Massachusetts: educational programs are under siege. Federal policies now threaten to defund schools and organizations that engage in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities. In response, 826 Boston made the courageous decision to withdraw its application for the 2025–2026 AmeriCorps program year, forfeiting approximately $250,000 in annual funding. This choice wasn’t made lightly, but was necessary to uphold the organization’s core values. Without this funding, 826 Boston faces challenges in staffing and programs such as these Writers’ Rooms, which currently rely on AmeriCorps service members to provide individualized support to students.
Forgoing federal funding for 826 Boston means a significant financial gap, one that 826 Boston aims to bridge through increased reliance on private donations and volunteer support. It’s a daunting challenge, but one that I commend them for taking to preserve the integrity of their programs. The stakes are incredibly high, and not only for organizations like 826 Boston.
These anti-DEI restrictions don’t just defund equity. They defund honesty. They penalize organizations for acknowledging the lived realities of their students. They are designed to scare educators and to intimidate nonprofits into staying “neutral” and to erase conversations about race, gender, and oppression from our classrooms.
As a son of Boston, I am proud to represent one of the most vibrant, diverse districts, where Black, Brown, immigrant, and working-class kids deserve spaces that affirm them, not silence them.
The broader implications of such federal policies are deeply concerning. When funding becomes contingent upon the erasure of DEI initiatives, we risk creating educational environments that are less inclusive, less representative, and less effective. Organizations are forced to choose between financial viability and their foundational values, a choice no institution should have to make.
The future of our city depends on the success of all its students. I urge my fellow Bostonians, community leaders, and policymakers to support organizations like 826 Boston. We must advocate for funding structures that uphold, rather than undermine, our shared values.
The sad recent reality is that for so many organizations throughout the city, the sacrifice of federal funding dependency is the only way to gain true independence. Let’s ensure that organizations committed to equity and inclusion have the resources they need to continue their vital work of uplifting our most vulnerable.
Enrique J. Pepén is the Boston City Councilor for District 5, which includes Hyde Park, Readville, and parts of Roslindale and Mattapan. Born and raised in Boston, Pepén is the proud son of two Dominican immigrants who arrived to the city in the 90s. He currently lives in Roslindale with his wife and two kids.
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