From the Cambridge Community Foundation
The Cambridge Community Foundation announced the five winners of its sixth annual Imagined in Cambridge! Social Innovation Award during a June 18 celebration honoring the city’s nonprofit sector. The awards recognize grassroots innovators who are building meaningful connections across Cambridge communities at a moment social cohesion is more vital than ever.
This year’s celebration came as the foundation responds to record levels of need in Cambridge. In 2025, it awarded a historic $1.5 million in Community Fund grants, reflecting a 65 percent increase over the previous year and surging demand for nonprofit services across the city.
“There are a few essential ideas behind this year’s gathering: We’re stronger together. We can reimagine together. We can do anything together,” foundation president Geeta Pradhan said. “These grassroots innovators have seen the fraying of our social fabric and are proposing solutions that bring people together. Like our nonprofit partners, they are meeting the moment with passion and purpose.”
The 2025 winners are:
S-Cube Diplomacy
Founded by Tamene Tedla, this multilingual education program brings interactive Steam learning directly into Cambridge neighborhoods through adaptive play and storytelling. The program creates joyful spaces where children with special needs, immigrant families and adult learners can learn and connect across languages and cultures. In less than a year it has engaged more than 80 participants, building bridges between East African communities and the broader Cambridge population.
Mapping Queer Cambridge
A youth-driven project in which LGBTQ+ high school students, led by Kimm Topping, research queer history and lead walking tours, building belonging while creating a permanent queer history trail in Cambridge.
Partners in Rhyme
An intergenerational poetry program overseen by Patti Russo that brings teens and older adults together to read, discuss, and write poetry. The program fosters meaningful connections, encourages creative expression, and helps reduce loneliness and ageism.
Shade
This teen-led initiative, co-directed by Cambridge Rindge and Latin School graduates Samadhi Simmons and Matthew Keane, creates safe pop-up hangout spaces in Cambridge parks where teens can gather without judgment or surveillance. Born from the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program, Shade offers inclusive public spaces for youth, particularly those from marginalized communities, to simply exist and connect.
Community Stories for Change (Humans of PAUS)
Founded by Olf Mouyaka, who teaches French at the Putnam Avenue Upper School, this storytelling project helps students build empathy by interviewing school community members whose stories are often unheard – custodians, cafeteria staff, nurses and peers. By sharing these stories, students foster a culture in which everyone feels seen and valued. With a goal of sharing 100 stories by year’s end, the project is transforming how the school community connects.
Each winner gets a $5,000 award to expand their programs and deepen their impact across Cambridge.
The judges who selected this year’s winners were: Pardis Saffari, director of economic opportunity and development for the city of Cambridge; Omolara Fatiregun, founder and chief executive of Thrive!; Keith Mascoll, founder of The Triggered Project and a previous Imagined in Cambridge! Award winner; Wyona Lynch-Mcwhite, executive director of Social Innovation Forum; and Sulagna Ghosh, founder of Joint Family and a previous Imagined in Cambridge! Award winner.
The June 18 celebration was held at Althea in Central Square with music by the Aric B. band and live art by Adam O’Day.
More information is here.
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