Joel Richards (B.A. M.Ed) was a public school teacher for 17 years. As a community advocate, Mr. Richards is a board member of Little Saigon where he works to support the vibrant and historic Vietnamese community in Dorchester. He also served as President of the Fields Corner Main Street where he planned and implemented community events and directly helped businesses navigate the chaos of COVID. In the aftermath of COVID and the long summer of 2020, Mr. Richards saw the need for Dorchester to come together in celebration of one another. That is why he founded and is still the head planner for the Dorchester Juneteenth Celebration. Mr. Richards is also a pastor where he delivers sermons across Boston preaching on the need to bridge divides and return to values of unity and justice. Mr. RIchards is currently building a youth trauma database with the Boston Collaborative to better serve the young people of Boston.