The nonprofit Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition, based in Worcester, has named founding member Celia Blue as its first president and CEO, the organization said Thursday, while also announcing a $500,000 donation from the Esler Family Foundation.
The Esler Family Foundation in Worcester was founded by local philanthropists and married duo John and Jeanne Esler, with a commitment to supporting racial equity initiatives.
“Their decision to fund a grassroots organization such as MAWOCC is forward-thinking and non-traditional,” Blue said in a statement. “It is the kind of meaningful support that is so needed to move our work forward.”
Blue resigned as interim director of the Rhode Island Department of Human Services, where she previously served as chief of staff, deputy director, and chief administrative officer, to take on her new leadership role at MAWOCC, per the announcement.
