June 23, 2021

Representative Antonio F. D. Cabral (D-New Bedford) has nominated Dr. Jennifer E. DeBarros for the 2021 “Commonwealth Heroine” award, an honor she received at today’s 18th annual ceremony hosted virtually by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. Dr. DeBarros was recognized alongside her fellow nominees in Commonwealth Heroines Class of 2021. These women use their time, talent, and enthusiasm to uplift their community without seeking recognition or reward for themselves. 
 
Dr. DeBarros currently leads the HEAL (Health, Education, Action, and Leadership) Center at the NorthStar Learning Centers, but has been an advocate, organizer, and community educator in our community for over 25 years. She has worked with foster children, juvenile drug court participants, out-of-school youth, and young parents to support them on a path toward finding their voice, strengths, and power. Fueled by her own experiences and intellectual determination, Jennifer’s work has focused on how her personal adversities are tied to a larger, historical, and collective movement for civil rights and social justice. Though she is a part-time lecturer at UMass Dartmouth and director at HEAL, you are just as likely to see her walking her neighborhood and bringing her message directly to the young people who need to hear it.  
 
“Dr. Jennifer DeBarros has led by example. Her own educational and personal journey has made her a powerful mentor and model for young people in our city – and she has always taken that responsibility to heart,” said Rep. Cabral. “She embodies the mission and the values of the Commonwealth Heroine Award and I am very pleased to see her work and commitment to young people and social justice be recognized statewide.”