06/02/2025 08:55:29 AMHannah Van Sickle

Since 1988, relentless outreach has been the foundation of Roca, Inc., a Chelsea-based nonprofit that took shape after policy work identified teen pregnancy as a major barrier keeping young people in poverty. Thirty-seven years later, the organization’s mission—to relentlessly disrupt violence by engaging young people, police, and systems to heal trauma, find hope, and drive change—remains strong. On Tuesday, April 29, Founder & Chief Executive Officer Molly Baldwin and colleagues presented a weekday webinar to demonstrate how they are using brain science to disrupt violence before it happens. Their work with at-risk individuals stretches from Hartford, Connecticut to Baltimore, Maryland (where Baldwin was spurred to issues of juvenile justice during her own adolescence) and spans the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts; with the help of engaged institutions and a committed staff, Baldwin's efforts at Roca have helped over 25,000 young people make positive and profound changes in their lives. A graduate of UMASS Amherst, Baldwin will receive an Honorary Degree during the 2025 William James College Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, June 8.

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