Hyde Square Task Force: Long vacant Jamaica Plain church transforming into space for Afro-Latin youth, affordable housing
For many Bostonians, community can be found in art classes, youth programs or even within the walls of a church. For the Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF), a nonprofit based in Boston’s Latin Quarter, community means cultural inclusivity.
HSTF was founded in the 1980s by a neighborhood consortium in response to widespread racial and economic prejudice. Under the leadership of Executive Director Celina E. Miranda, it has grown to uplift Afro-Latin creatives seeking higher education. With the support of philanthropic and private backing, Miranda has spearheaded the introduction of new programming that centers the organization’s core values of creativity, justice and love.
Miranda feels a personal connection to HSTF’s work. “As an immigrant and transplant to the city many years ago, [specifically] Jamaica Plain, Boston’s Latin Quarter was a home away from home and a place where I felt a strong sense of belonging,” she said. “As a Salvadoran immigrant and a mother of an Afro-Latina, I feel honored to be leading this project. It is an opportunity to ensure Boston’s Latin Quarter retains the cultural richness that has made it a unique place in Boston’s diverse ecosystem for decades.”
Read the full story via The Bay State Banner >> https://baystatebanner.com/2026/05/28/long-vacant-jamaica-plain-church-transforming-into-space-for-afro-latin-youth-affordable-housing/