A Beacon on the Streets

Few people know the despair of some of Boston's neighborhoods like Talia Rivera, who has devoted her life to giving back.

(Photograph by Christopher Churchill)

Talia Rivera, 32, is a network coordinator at the Black Ministerial Alliance, where she trains staff at nonprofits to work with troubled youth. She's been a street worker, has counseled gang members in Boston, and is a youth pastor. Some of this work has been part of her job. Some of it she does on her own time. All of it stems from a decision she made to turn her own life around. She grew up in the Cathedral Project in the South End and served 90 days in jail for drug dealing when she was 17. She says:

I was definitely what we call "proven risk" now. I dropped out of high school in 10th grade, kind of [got] caught up in that gang stuff. Then I became a teen mom at 17. I just kind of thought, "If I don't do something else, it's going to end up generational." When I got out [of jail], I walked into this church, and that's what did it for me.

I had asked someone one day, "Is this really worth it? Is it worth doing this work? Like, especially when you're not seeing the outcome that you want?" The person gave me this analogy about someone building a cathedral: The people who actually started doing the work didn't really get to see the outcome; they didn't get to see this beautiful huge cathedral built, but somebody did.

Street workers don't turn away any young person who needs help. The purposes of a street worker are to meet with, or intervene on, any gang-related issues and to connect those people to resources. [I wouldn't] say, "Listen, I've done A, B, C, D, just like you." Because it's like preaching. As we get to know each other, it's inevitable that stuff comes out. [My approach] may sound so simple, but all I do really is say, "What's up?" Maybe I'll stop, maybe I'll keep going. But the next day I'll come around. "How you doing? I'm the street worker in the neighborhood." I'll give them my card. "If you need anything, call me." Then I'll keep going. Just being consistent, so they're constantly seeing me. Then they'll start to ask, "What do you do?" and "I need some help."

With the '08 group [of Villages Without Walls, the counseling of gang members], I wanted the hardest kids. What we wanted them to do was just develop relationships with [other] young people and look at their lifestyle issues. What are your goals? How do you reach those goals? Some of them are trying, but it's hard. And it's hard for me, finding a balance. If I had a choice, that's what I would be doing full time. We're not even going to add in mom and wife.

I got a phone call the other night at 10:30. So I pick up the phone and [a young man] says, "Sorry to call you so late. Guess what, T? I got my [driver's] license." I'm thinking, "That's a big deal for him. That's progress." To me, that's the start of building these cathedrals.

Maria Cramer is a member of the Globe staff. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.