BCAN

Judy Kolligian was a dedicated BCAN volunteer from 2006 until she became too sick last year to continue living independently. She died in hospice on February 6, surrounded by loved family members.

The Green Blocks Pioneer

Throughout the past 18 years of working with BCAN, she indulged her time in several different projects. One of our favorites was the Green Block project in Jamaica Plain. Judy was inspired by the idea of having neighbor-to-neighbor outreach and wanted to build a better sense of community through various activities, from composting parties to movie nights. Building this strong community has allowed for residents to organize events, encourage sustainable practices, and support each other. Her passion in establishing Green Block has been invaluable, and allowed the community to open up new opportunities for them that are still intact to this day.

Judy’s Impact on BCAN

Judy lent her sense of humor and dedication to making the world a better place to countless sessions of poster and banner-making, song lyric brainstorming, “barn raising” and fundraisers, Green Block events, depaving work parties, and low carbon living gatherings. She served as BCAN’s Treasurer for many years, carefully tracking expenses and writing thank you letters to financial supporters of BCAN’s mission. She combined her experience as a social worker and in progressive political organizing with a certainty that it is better to act than despair, a certainty that whatever we can do in the present to embed climate action with social justice will make it easier for neighbors we never get to meet and for generations to come.

We will miss Judy’s loving, inquisitive persistence and her strong, unique voice, and we will carry her spirit with us as we continue to build the world she envisioned.

Judy’s family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to “Resist (for BCAN)”, PO Box 301240, Boston MA 02130, or with this link here.