Approximately 20 community members attended the Chelsea City Council meeting held at City Hall on Monday, Feb. 25.
The evening’s agenda included a special ceremony recognizing individuals whose efforts have positively impacted Chelsea.
Dr. Alfred Donatelli, chair of the Chemical Engineering Department at UMass/Lowell, received the first honor. The City Council recognized Dr. Donatelli for “his many contributions in
the world of Science and Engineering.”
A strong advocate for STEM education—which encompasses science, technology, engineering and mathematics—Dr. Donatelli had recently been featured in the Record following a STEM demonstration he conducted at the Chelsea Public Library.
Six individuals were presented with the Chelsea Trailblazer 2019 Award: Bruce Mauch, Grace Muwina, Saritin Rizzuto, Lisa Santagate, Record Editor Cary Shuman and Leroy Tyler. Given annually in recognition of Black History Month, the Chelsea Trailblazer award acknowledges those who have strengthened their community through dedicated service and meaningful contributions. Though Shuman was unable to attend, the other five awardees accepted their recognition from City Council members and participated in a photo session with their families and council representatives.
City Council Clerk Paul Casino described the award recipients as “a beacon of light for all those who want to follow in their
footsteps.”
During the public comment period, Joan Cromwell, President of Chelsea Black Community (CBC), offered remarks about the significance of Black History Month.
“Black History is not only for Blacks. It’s
American history and it’s a part of our history right here in the city,” Cromwell stated. “We’re all dealing with the same issues every day, so it’s a shared
month that we should all be celebrating together as a community.”
Beverly Martin Ross, a longtime Chelsea resident, then took the floor and shared, “We really appreciate our City Manager as well as our
newly appointed [Representative] Ayanna Pressley, who came out to serve the homeless
in honor of Black History Month.”
“I just want to give all the praise to the
Chelsea Black Community for the work they put in every year creating events all
month long,” remarked City Council President Damali. “There’s a lot of history here
in the community that’s rich and I appreciate all the work that goes into
keeping the black history alive here in the community. You guys are the real
heros.”
On Thursday, February 28, Williams Middle School hosted another Black History Month celebration, where Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins served as keynote speaker and paid tribute to the Chelsea Trailblazers.
The Chelsea City Council will convene again on March 11 and March 25 at 7pm at City Hall.