BOSTON (February 20, 2025) – Boston Metropolis Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata (District 1) proudly honored Robert Lewis Jr., President and CEO of the Boys & Ladies Golf equipment of Boston, throughout the Boston Metropolis Council’s Black Historical past Month celebration. This yr’s occasion acknowledged Black Legacy Leaders and Black Future Leaders, highlighting people whose contributions, resilience, and influence proceed to form communities throughout town.
“It’s an unbelievable honor to have a good time a real chief, a visionary, and a champion for racial fairness—Robert Lewis Jr. His influence on the Metropolis of Boston is immeasurable, and his dedication to uplifting metropolis youngsters and fostering change has left an indelible mark on our metropolis’s historical past,” mentioned Councilor Coletta Zapata.
Robert Lewis Jr.’s journey is considered one of resilience, service, and an unwavering dedication to justice. Rising up in East Boston, he witnessed firsthand the painful realities of racial division throughout the period of busing within the Nineteen Seventies. At simply 13 years outdated, he lived by means of the turmoil that reshaped Boston’s neighborhoods—firebombings, college violence, and a fractured neighborhood. Quite than permitting that trauma to outline him, he reworked his experiences right into a lifelong mission: to create a Boston the place each younger individual—no matter race or background—has the chance to thrive.
His management at The BASE redefined the best way we take into consideration youth, utilizing sports activities as a pathway to larger training and significant careers. Now, because the President and CEO of the Boys & Ladies Golf equipment of Boston, he’s remodeling the lives of numerous youngsters by making certain they’ve entry to training, healthcare, and workforce readiness—all important components of a brighter future.
By his work at The Boston Basis, Metropolis 12 months, the Boston Facilities for Youth & Households, and quite a few nationwide initiatives, Robert has been a driving power for fairness and justice. His management has not solely modified techniques however modified lives. He continues to problem us all, asking the arduous questions: Are we any higher at present than we had been 50 years in the past? And he reminds us that the combat for justice is way from over.
“Robert, your braveness, your conviction, and your tireless advocacy encourage us all,” Councilor Coletta Zapata continued. “Boston is a greater metropolis due to you, and we’re without end grateful to your management. As we speak, we honor you—not only for what you’ve gotten achieved, however for the longer term you proceed to combat for. Thanks for by no means giving up on Boston and for at all times believing within the energy of younger folks to vary the world.
