Love Your Block initiative cleans up Roxbury neighborhood

Jordyn Jagolinzer, WBZ-TV

BOSTON — Residents gathered to clean up part of their Roxbury neighborhood that some feel has been neglected. The Love Your Block initiative is important for residents like Marvin Watkins, a dad to a four-year-old girl. 

“I want her to grow up in a community she can be proud of,” Watkins said. 

Henry Santana, Boston Director of Civic Organizing Henry Santana explained, “I think that we’ve tried to focus on areas that are predominately left out.”  

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu joined in on the efforts to clean, mulch, and plant flowers with Watkins and other volunteers.

“This is about really getting local, getting out the brooms, the dust pans and making sure we’re taking care of the streets, sidewalks and parts of our community we see every day,” Wu said.   

The annual community service event also had music, food, and coffee.

Watkins said there was also a sense of community. 

“There’s been a marked difference since we’ve started in investing in the community and doing cleanups and everything,” he said. 

The hope is that future generations will love their community just like these volunteers do.