Leaders

as a Fall River native of over 60 years, and a longtime member of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Janice is very faithful and determined to show up for herself and others. Janice has taught faith formation at the Cathedral for many years, and is a paraprofessional with special needs students in the Fall River Public School system. While in the school system she developed a concern for immigrant children, in particular, and their families’ challenges of language, culture, and laws that often prohibit their full potential. Janice has been active in UIA’s immigration and housing campaigns and police and criminal justice reform work. She speaks up for her family requesting individual meetings with state officials and speaking out in public at our community actions. Janice is also committed to doing more outreach to build UIA through organizing UIA’s participation in many neighborhood group meetings in recent months to our listening campaign to hear concerns and invite others into our organizing.

because she has grown tremendously over the last six years since she became active in UIA. She has grown from being a participant who wanted to remain behind the scenes and silent to a powerful leader who is no longer afraid to speak out. Janice has become a vocal leader in our public safety and reform campaigns along with our most recent work on housing. She has been organizing neighborhood meetings with officials on her own with other leaders, speaking out on the challenges of housing in the city while standing in front of the Mayor who disagreed with what she was sharing in public. This past year has really brought Janice into the forefront of UIA’s organizing. She is determined to keep growing UIA and building our power to make a positive impact and true change for those struggling on the margins. From her own family’s challenges to the larger community, Janice is committed to keep up the good fight and WIN! (October 2023)