SOMERVILLE, MASS., November 21, 2018 — Parenting Journey today announced that three new members will join its 13-member board of directors: Tito Jackson, former Boston City Councilor and CEO of Verdant Medical, Inc.; Jefly Louis, special education paraprofessional at the Arthur D. Healey School; and Monica Infante, home healthcare aide and community volunteer. Louis and Infante co-chair Parenting Journey’s Parent Advisory Council, which was established last year.
“We’re excited to welcome three new members to the board, including two parents who have been directly impacted by Parenting Journey. They all bring a distinct and vital point of view to help guide the organization,” said Imari Paris Jeffries, executive director of Parenting Journey. “As our inaugural Social and Family Justice Fellow, Tito worked with Jefly, Monica and the other members of our Parent Advisory Council to advocate for equitable social policies that every family deserves. We look forward to continuing to create change based on their direct experiences.”
Tito Jackson is CEO of Verdant Medical, Inc., a non-profit organization committed to providing exceptional palliative care through high-quality cannabis products. Previously, he served as Parenting Journey’s inaugural Social and Family Justice Fellow focusing on public policy and civic engagement, building partnerships and developing a robust agenda to help lift families out of poverty. As Boston City Councilor of District 7, Tito chaired the Committee on Education and the Special Committee on the Status of Black and Latino Men and Boys and was vice chair of the Committee on Healthy Women, Families and Communities. He also served on six other committees, including City Neighborhood Services and Veteran Affairs; Homelessness, Mental Health and Recovery; Housing and Community Development, Jobs, Wages and Workforce Development; Public Safety and Criminal Justice.
Jefly Louis is a special education paraprofessional at the Arthur D. Healey School in Somerville and also works for Key Autism Services, a company that offers ABA Therapy services to bring about meaningful and positive change to those diagnosed with autism. She currently serves as a member of Parenting Journey’s Parent Advisory Council. Jefly participated in the creation of the Parents’ Bill of Rights which was endorsed by the Boston City Council earlier this year. Jefly originally got involved with Parenting Journey after becoming the caregiver of her then six-year-old niece.
Monica Infante has spent the past two decades working as a home healthcare aide with elders in and around Boston. She is dedicated to helping her community through a variety of volunteer service. Monica is involved with her PTO, she volunteers at Headstart as a policy counselor, and she helps the Boys & Girls Club of Watertown with a wide range of services, including translation and event assistance. She also has been approved to foster children through the Department of Children & Families. Monica is currently pursuing a degree to work as a Private Investigator, and as a PI she hopes to help bring justice to communities in a new way. At Parenting Journey, she serves as a co-chair of the Parent Advisory Council. Monica is from Lisbon, Portugal and has been traveling as an immigrant for over 35 years throughout the world. She takes great pride in her family and her daughter.
ABOUT PARENTING JOURNEY
Parenting Journey’s work is inspired by the belief that strong families are the foundation of vibrant healthy communities and the catalyst to ignite social change. The organization is dedicated to providing programs that uplift parents and caregivers and strengthen families and communities, advocating for equitable family policies, and disrupting the social narrative around parenting in poverty.
Parenting Journey envisions a world where all parents and caregivers have access to the resources they need to build resilient families and thrive, no matter their race or socioeconomic background.
For more information, visit https://parentingjourney.org/.
Media Contact:
Amanda Albert
617.337.9521
aalbert@thecastlegrp.com