Page 78 - BusinessWest February 20, 2023

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Girls Inc.
Continued from page 7
spaces — a lobby area outside of the teen center.
Overall, nothing about the new home for Girls Inc. has been finalized without the input of they main stake- holders: the girls themselves, said Rive- ra-Colon, adding that this includes the location of Parker’s office.
“The approach has been, ‘we’re
not going to make this for you without you,’” she explained. “Every part of
the process involves the stakeholders; they have to be part of it, so that, in the end, this will be a building we will all
be proud of. Everyone has had input, from the youngest girls up to Suzanne, which I think is incredible.”
While offering tours and providing input on the new space, girls have also seen women at work on every facet of this project, which was another goal and another part of the learning expe- rience, said Parker, adding that many area women professionals have been integral to this project.
That list includes Tierney at Kuhn Riddle; attorney Rebecca Thibault with Doherty Wallace Pillsbury & Murphy, a
former Girls Inc. board member; con- struction managers D’Lynn Healey and Ta Karra Greene with Western Build- ers, the general contractor for the proj- ect; Vicky Crouse, president of Com- mercial Lending at PeoplesBank; and Julie Cowan, vice president of Lending for MassDevelopment.
These professionals serve as role models, said Parker, adding that, from the start, this project was to be women- led and girl-focused.
“It’s been incredible the number of women involved in leadership roles on
this project,” Rivera-Colón said. “And it wasn’t by accident.”
Summing up the feelings of most people involved with this project, she added that “we’ve been so long in planning and executing all this that it doesn’t seem real that we’re finally here. But we are.”
Bottom Line
Given the words used by Parker and others to describe this long and dif- ficult process, one can see why those involved would certainly not want to do
this any time soon.
The good news is they won’t have
to; the property on Hampden Street will suit the needs of Girls Inc. for decades to come.
While acknowledging that fact, all those involved also recognize that, as challenging as this journey has been, it has also been rewarding on count- less levels. And it encapsulates all that this thriving agency is all about: enabling girls to learn, grow, and reach their full potential — together.
Considering all that, this has cer- tainly been an exercise in building momentum for Girls Inc. — figurative- ly but also quite literally. BW
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Passwords
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questions, avoid providing answers
that are available in public records or easily found online, like your zip code, birthplace, or mother’s maiden name. And don’t use questions with a limited number of responses that attackers can easily guess, like the color of your first car. You can even use nonsense answers to make guessing more difficult — but
if you do, make sure you can remember what they are.
Change Passwords Quickly If There’s a Breach
If a company tells you there was a data breach where a hacker could have gotten your password, change the pass- word you use with that company right away, and on any account that uses a similar password. And if someone is using your information to open new accounts or make purchases, report it and get help at identitytheft.gov.
Bottom Line
“Passwords are the locks on your account doors,” the FTC notes. “You keep lots of personal information in your online accounts, including your email, bank account, and your tax returns, so you want good protections in place.” BW
78 FEBRUARY 20, 2023
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