Page 12 - BGC prototype

10 Always in Their Corner Nora Baston, Boston Police Superintendent for the Bureau of Community Engagement Police Superintendent Nora Baston is intense. She is direct. She is competitive. She doesn’t take “no” for an answer. And she is incredibly big-hearted. In her job, “Superintendent Nora” looks to surround children, youth and families with the kind of support and opportunities that keep the whole community strong. Just like the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester — which is why she is so connected to it. She didn’t grow up in Dorchester, but did learn to play basketball at BGCD. “My mother didn’t want me just hanging around the house on weekends, so she signed me up here.” It was an auspicious decision. Nora says that, “none of the kids in my neighborhood did anything with their lives,” but she found her way up and out. The club turned her on to a sport she excelled at — and still enjoys — and taught her how to build her own support networks and how to believe in herself. When hard times hit, for instance when her mother died in Nora’s freshman year in college, her coach and her teammates helped her navigate through the grief and recommit to finishing her degree. She has a deep appreciation for how caring adults can have a profound effect on a young person’s life. As an active volunteer at BGCD, Superintendent Nora has a fundamental principle, which is to never let any kid down. “One thing you can’t do is not show up. It’s easy for kids to shut adults out. But if you take the time, you earn their respect. Make it personal and consistent and they let you in.” fffff