Announcing the First FEAHD Cohort

Congratulations to the inaugural cohort of the Fellowship for Equitable Affordable Housing Development (FEAHD) and their host CDCs:

• Lanette Johnson and Dorchester Bay Economic Development Council

• Olivia Rosa and Lawrence CommunityWorks

• Felicia Pagán Soto and Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation

• Alba Solis and Somerville Community Corporation

• Kayra Lopez and The Neighborhood Developers

• Kiara Mark and Urban Edge

• Twonnisha Winbush and Valley Community Development

FEAHD aims to increase inclusivity across the affordable housing development field and build a pipeline of project management and development professionals who reflect the demographics of the communities served by CDCs. 

Every member of our first cohort of Fellows identifies as being from historically underrepresented groups, 88% identify as first-generation college students, 75% have personally experienced housing insecurity or lived in affordable housing, 50% are bi-lingual or multilingual, and 38% are first generation immigrants. 

At the kickoff celebration, Chrystal Kornegay, Executive Director of MassHousing, addressed the Fellows directly, telling them that she too learned about real estate development while on the job. She said that while the Fellows may not yet know the jargon, they know how to get things done, and urged them to recognize the power they’ll have as women of color making important development decisions in their communities.

“What really excites me about this pilot is that this is the first program with this format - Fellows actually being hired by community development organizations with a two-year commitment.”

- Joan Straussman Brandon, Northeast Region Vice President at NeighborWorks America (lead funder of FEAHD)

FEAHD is an initiative of OppCo, The Neighborhood Developers, and Urban Edge, with leadership support from NeighborWorks America.