Capstone Students Receive Mayoral Citations for LGBTQ+ Discrimination Resource Guide
“This is the kind of meaningful work,” says Dean Kellee Tsai, “that good university-government partnerships can—and do—produce.”
Four Policy School graduates from the Class of 2025 were honored with Mayoral Citations from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu for their groundbreaking work addressing discrimination in Massachusetts.
Lucas Sensius (MPA), Alexandria Bethune (MPA), Alyson Mullings (MPA), and Marie Stephens (MPP) developed a comprehensive resource guide for navigating discrimination as part of their Capstone project. Three of the students—Lucas, Lexie, and Alyson—received their citations during the June 2nd LGBTQ+ Pride flag raising ceremony at City Hall Plaza.
The resource guide was created in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQIA2S+ Advancement (MOLA) and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD). It aims to help Boston residents navigate the complex network of city and state agencies that handle discrimination and civil rights complaints.
“This resource guide has truly been a labor of love, dedication, and collaboration,” said Kimberly Rhoten, Director of LGBTQ Policy and Strategic Initiatives at MOLA. The resource will serve not only the LGBTQ+ community but all residents facing harassment and discrimination based on their identity.
Dean Kellee Tsai, who attended the City Hall celebration, praised the students’ contribution: “This is the kind of meaningful work that good university-government partnerships can—and do—produce.”
The project exemplifies the Policy School’s mission of conducting civic research for the greater good, demonstrating how academic work can create real-world impact when combined with public service partnerships.
