For his efforts to improve the quality of life in Milwaukee neighborhoods, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation recognized community organizer Christopher Boston as the 2014 recipient of its Doug Jansson Leadership Award. He received the honor at the Foundation’s 99th annual meeting and civic awards presentation Wednesday, June 18, 2014 at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee. As director of sustainable communities for Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Milwaukee, Boston leads the organization’s strategy for comprehensive community development, helping transform distressed urban communities into healthy places to live, work and raise families. He serves as LISC’s liaison in Milwaukee’s Washington Park and Harambee neighborhoods. Boston’s years of experience in grassroots community leadership complement his calling as pastor at Lamb of God Missionary Baptist Church. He previously served as lead organizer/director of Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH) and was the youngest to serve in that role in the agency’s history. He also was president of the Milwaukee Chapter of the Black Alliance for Educational Options.
Pictured (from left) are: Ellen Gilligan, president and CEO of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation; Christopher Boston, recipient of the 2014 Doug Jansson Leadership Award; his wife, Tonnie; and Portia Young, public relations manager for Sargento and host of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s 2014 Annual Meeting and Civic Awards Presentation.