Who lives at the Friends House? – Continued
The following article, by Annie Boyd, about some of the Friends House’s newest residents can be found in our latest (Spring 2014) newsletter. You can find electronic versions of all our newsletters at this page.
One of the wonderful things about living in the Beacon Hill Friends House is the constant influx of new residents. Over the past few months, we’ve seen several new people move into the House, and I recently sat down with each of them to learn a little more about who they are and what brought them here.
Ben has been living in the Boston area since 2008, most recently in Somerville. He works as a counselor and advocate at a middle school for low-income Hispanic girls in Lawrence, MA, a job that he describes as challenging but that feels “very purposeful and important.” He loves the rich sense of culture and diversity in Boston, as well as the nearness to his family in central Pennsylvania. His favorite thing about BHFH is the sense of community we share, and while he was raised as a Unitarian Universalist, he really enjoys living in a Quaker community. Ben describes his favorite activity as “having thoughtful and engaging conversations with others.” If he was stranded on a desert island and could only bring one thing, he would bring either Martin Heidegger’s book Being and Time, or a friendly cat and a very large supply of tuna to keep them both happy.
Danny came to Boston from Bel Air, Maryland,
to attend Launch Academy, a programming and web development school. He heard about BHFH from Craigslist and decided to apply. His favorite thing about Boston is that people stop at crosswalks to let you cross the road, and his favorite thing about BHFH are the friends he’s made in the community. He also appreciates, as do we all, that our Resident Chef, Myles, feeds him. Danny’s hobbies include reading, writing, and rapping. If he could have dinner with anyone, alive or dead, he would sit down with Robert E. Lee.
Amanda moved to Boston from New York City about 10 years ago, and heard about BHFH through current residents Ben and Rachel Lawent. She loves the cultural institutions and atmosphere of intellectual curiosity in Boston, and how there’s always something to do! Her favorite thing about BHFH are the “unexpected moments of fellowship and community,” like coming home late at night to cookies and conversation or spontaneously going out dancing on the weekends, and loves the warmth and welcome of the House. As for hobbies, she has a particular love for the performing arts, and tries to see as much performance as possible, as well as serving on the board of the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown. She’s also working on starting a family-friendly co-op in the Boston area, and loves long bike rides, especially to relax. If she had a spirit animal, it would be an otter.
Nora arrived in Boston from Ithaca, New York, where she was finishing her master’s in city planning at Cornell. She came to Boston for work, and is employed as a mediator and professional coach. As a Quaker, she heard about BHFH through Quaker circles. Her favorite thing about Boston is that there’s always something to do, whether it’s concerts, cultural events, or other activities, and her favorite thing about BHFH is “all the play that we get to have.” Her hobbies include dance, playing the harp, and letterpress. If she could have any superpower, it would be the ability to heal people.
