Community Leads the Charge: East Boston Unites for a Resilient Waterfront Future
Written by b87fm on 11/07/2025
East Boston residents, parents, and educators are taking center stage in a major effort to protect their neighborhood from rising tides and coastal flooding — starting with the waterfront at the Mario Umana Academy.
The project, years in the making, will finally bring a long-desired resilient waterfront park and flood-protection system to the Umana and surrounding community. While City departments are providing funding and engineering support, residents emphasize that this initiative was built on grassroots advocacy — from parents pushing for safety improvements to students calling for environmental action in their own classrooms.
“This investment isn’t just about concrete and barriers — it’s about our kids, our families, and the place we call home,” said Eugenia Corbo, a fifth-grade parent and member of the Umana School Site Council. “We’ve been fighting for a safer, welcoming waterfront for years. Seeing that dream take shape means everything to our community.”
The design process will include direct input from students, teachers, and East Boston residents, ensuring the park reflects community priorities while safeguarding the area from future flooding. Alongside engineers and landscape designers, residents will help guide the vision for a space that manages stormwater, cools the urban heat island, and creates outdoor learning opportunities for youth.
“At the Umana, we believe in preparing students to lead in a changing world,” said Principal Akia-Nua Francillon. “This project will not only protect our school but transform our waterfront into a living classroom where our students can explore resilience, sustainability, and innovation in their own backyard.”
Located at 312 Border Street, the school sits within a state-designated environmental justice block group, an area disproportionately affected by climate change impacts. The community-led project aims to reduce those risks while connecting residents more deeply to the waterfront — both as a protected public space and as a hub for environmental education.
East Boston neighbors say this is the kind of project that represents climate justice in action — centering local voices, protecting vulnerable residents, and investing in spaces that empower future generations.
“This is about East Boston taking care of East Boston,” Corbo added. “We’re building resilience — not just against the water, but for the people who live, learn, and grow here every day.”
