Announcing the USES125 Exhibit

We invite the community to attend the opening of the USES125 Exhibit, an exhibit exploring the rich history of USES and the notable community members who impacted the South End settlement house movement. The opening reception will be held on Thursday, April 6, from 6:00 – 8:30 pm and the exhibit will remain on display at the Harriet Tubman House (566 Columbus Avenue) through the end of the year. All are welcome and no registration is necessary.

“It’s been grounding and inspiring to research and prepare our history exhibit at this time, while USES is engaged in a strategic planning process that’s pivoting our focus to families with growing children, ” said President and CEO Maicharia Weir Lytle. “ We’ve reconnected with our roots while creating our exhibit, and have renewed our commitment to the core settlement house values of equality, inclusion, and opportunity for all. At the same time, we’ve been reminded that as an organization, USES has continually evolved to meet the changing needs of the community. We have a responsibility to always be moving forward.”

Local author and historian Russ Lopez led the research for the USES125 Exhibit. Jovita Fontanez and Representative Byron Rushing co-chaired an exhibit research committee that includes Jennifer Coplon, Frieda Garcia, Nick Haddad, Claire Hayes, Ken Kruckemeyer, Tunney Lee, USES CEO Maicharia Weir Lytle, Bill Meserve, Lauren Prescott, and USES Vice President of Development Nikki Stewart.

Through archival research and materials, the exhibit explores local history beginning with the foundation of Andover House in 1892, through the merger of five South End settlement houses to form United South End Settlements in 1960, and up to present day and beyond with the implementation of our new strategic direction.

USES125 contains exhibit panels exploring the 125 years of history, as well as a slide show of photos and a community board where stories and memories can be displayed. We encourage community members to leave commentary and contribute photos to the display.

This exhibit is the second in a series of events commemorating our 125th anniversary. USES’s Birthday Party on Saturday, January 28 was attended by a diverse crowd of more than 300 community members. The Neighborhood Gala will be held on Wednesday, May 24, with tickets available for purchase here.

To learn more about the upcoming history exhibit and register for the reception (this is encouraged, but not necessary), click here.