Co-creating a Theory of Change for Anti-Racist Research

Through an ongoing partnership with PowerCorps Boston (PCB), we developed the basis for a theory of change for anti-racist research, with the guidance of the RJRI. This involved learning about and reflecting together on the interweaving themes of racially just research, including doing shared readings, 3 in-person meetings, with PowerCorpsBOS and with MIT students, and individual meetings and work through a shared Miro board. We will continue to build on this work, including the young adults of PowerCorpsBOS, in the coming months, to finalize a theory of change which we will put into use starting this fall, as a foundational document in our growing research and action partnership - which has expanded to include MITOS and Facilities as close collaborators in building an internship program for PowerCorpsBOS members and graduates, contributing to the Climate Community Collaborative and informing the foundations of an MIT Climate Corps. In doing this work, we were building on an established partnership with goals jointly adopted in 10/22, described here: “The MIT Civilian Climate Corps research Initiative is a multi-year project inspired by the vision of a Civilian Climate Corps (...) to meet the dual imperatives of climate and racial justice in the United States at scale. The project seeks to contribute to effective implementation of the “climate corps” idea, for impact on racial, economic and environmental justice in cities, through coursework, research and convenings. (...) PowerCorpsBOS, created in 2021 as a component of the city’s Green New Deal vision with the first cohort launched in 2022 under the leadership of Davo Jefferson, has aspirations and components of a CCC. Our goal is to partner with PowerCorps Boston in ways that help the organization to achieve its mission to make an impact for young adults and for climate in Boston. In doing so, we believe that together, we will develop insights and contributions that can help advance the field nationally.”

Led by: Simmone Carina Stearn (MArch '25), Joe Rowell (Workforce Development Manager, PowerCorps BOS), Lisbeth Shepherd (Lecturer, Architecture & Entrepreneur in Residence, MITDesignX)

Geography: Boston, Massachusetts