Sisters of the Center Brunch

On Saturday, December 7th, 2024, we hosted our 4th Annual Janet "Ms. K" Kendrick Sisters of the Center Awards Brunch. This event is named in loving memory of the late Janet Kendrick (1941-2008), or "Ms. K" as she was affectionately known, CCC's former longtime Executive Director, who suddenly passed away on July 14, 2008. The Ms. K Brunch celebrates women leaders who have positively impacted CCC and Cambridge, serving as the annual event to bestow the Janet "Ms. K" Kendrick Sisters of the Center Award.

This year's recipients of the Janet "Ms. K" Kendrick Sisters of the Center Award were Evette M. Layne, a longtime CCC volunteer and supporter, and Corinne Espinoza, a former CCC board member and executive director.

We also posthumously recognized Erin Gullage (1971 - 2023) with the highest honor bestowed by the Center, The Reverend E. K. Nichols Founder's Award. Erin worked at CCC as our Financial Compliance Coordinator/Enrollment Manager for over 17 years and positively impacted the lives of thousands of youth and families.

Photography by Tory Preston-Djamboe

2024 Sisters of the Center Award Recipients

Evette M. Layne, a life-long resident of Cambridge, Massachusetts, attended Cambridge Public Schools and graduated from Cambridge High and Latin School (CHLS). Evette participated in some of the most meaningful resources that were available within the city. One of those experiences was being a “Center Kid”. Evette is a proud alumna of the MIT/Wellesley Upward Bound Program. She credits the Program for preparing her for success in her postsecondary education pursuits and for ultimately shaping her professional path. She earned a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Morgan State University (Baltimore, MD), as well as a Master of Social Work degree with a concentration in School Social Work from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign).
She has been a dedicated employee of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology since 1983, serving in numerous capacities within the Upward Bound Program, specializing in program development and administration, and is currently serving as the Director of Educational Opportunity Programs, the position she has held since August 2021.
Outside of work, she is a former Board Member of the Cambridge Community Center, Inc. and the Cambridge Camping Association, and served on Cambridge’s Commission on the High School of the Future. Evette is an active member of Myrtle Baptist Church in West Newton, MA, where she served as the former Church Clerk for over ten years, and is a Life Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority, Inc., having served as a former Vice-President and President of the Psi Omega Chapter located in Boston. Additionally, Evette is an active member of her state, regional, and national professional associations, and has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including the Rev. E. K. Nichols Founder’s Award from the Cambridge Community Center in May 2019.
Evette has been blessed with so many loving Layne family members, especially her big brother Ronald who is her best friend and the most influential person in her life; a host of adopted and extended family members from her Church, Sorority, and professional organizations; and, of course, her countless Upward Bound family members.

Corinne Espinoza is a proud mom and gramma. They raised their family as a single parent in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with the support of the Cambridge Community Center. Corinne and their son arrived to Cambridge in 2007 and their first stop was Camp Cowemoki.
A proud Center Family member, Corinne joined the CCC Board of Directors, where they served for more than ten years. Corinne stepped in as Interim Executive Director of the Center for a spell, and today, can be seen around the Center as a happy Center Family member with a grandchild soaking up the lessons of art, emotional health, science, dance, piano, reading and what it means to be a good community member. Corinne tries their best to practice the 3 C’s everyday: care for self, care for others and care for community.
They are currently a Co-director at Cambridge HEART, a local organization that provides care to community members in crisis. Corinne worked at Harvard for ten years, in local nonprofits, and ran their own consulting business. Corinne is a social entrepreneur and had a project called Good Bank, where, for two years they made tiny loans at zero per cent interest in the community. They have been a consistent volunteer, with time shared on the Cambridge Planning Board and the Cambridge Preservation Act Committee as well as other organizations. Corinne spent their first twenty years in Colorado and California, then came to Massachusetts to attend college in a program for adults with children. Corinne has a BA in Economics from Mount Holyoke College and is a 2017 graduate of the Harvard Administrative Fellows Program.
Corinne enjoys time with their son, grandson, friends and family, being in nature, dancing, gardening and reading.

The Reverend E. K. Nichols Founder's Award Recipient

Erin Gullage (1971 - 2023) was born and raised in Cambridge. She grew up in a two family house on the corner of Hampshire Street and Tremont Street, and went to the Longfellow school. At age 15 she moved to Burlington, but stayed in contact with her Cambridge friends. After high school she attended Fitchburg State College graduating with a B.S. in Sociology. She moved back to Cambridge to live in the Riverside community.
In the summer of 2003 Erin fortuitously saw Ms. K walking down Western Ave. After a friendly conversation Miss Kay invited her to stop by the CCC the following week. When Erin met with Miss Kay and saw the inside of the Center she felt right at home. Miss Kay offered her a job as a Financial Compliance Coordinator and she started a week later. Miss Kay instilled in her the value of having a community where families, friends, and neighbors could always come and feel welcomed.
Erin loved meeting the new children who started each September, especially the younger siblings of the children who were already Center Kids. The laughter, sound of voices, kids stopping into her office to say hi and give hugs. She also loved evening chats with parents coming to pick up their children. They'd stop in her office to say hi and often stayed to talk about their lives. By 2021 Erin had proudly witnessed the 2003 Center kindergarteners grow up and graduate high school. Erin was also a recipient of the Sisters of the Center Award in 2022.
Erin sadly passed away after a brief illness on Friday, December 22, 2023 at the age of 52.