Clinton in Hub helps honor local mentors
By Kimberly Atkins
Thursday, January 20, 2005

Hillary Rodham Clinton last night praised local inner-city activists and declared that - despite the 2004 election results - no political party has a monopoly on faith-based initiatives.

``There is a lot that needs to be done and there is an unnecessary debate in our country on how to do it,'' said the New York senator and former first lady, keynote speaker at a Boston dinner honoring local people who mentor city youth.

``It doesn't matter whether it is inspired by faith, inspired by our vision, inspired by family or inspired by the threat of federal indictment,'' she told those attending the Ella J. Baker House dinner at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, which attracted some 400 people.

The Baker House, a Dorchester-based arm of the national TenPoint Leadership Foundation, was founded by the Rev. Eugene F. Rivers III.

The group's first annual awards dinner paid tribute to local leaders who have worked to assist inner-city young people. Award recipients were Boston police Commissioner Kathleen O'Toole, former U.S. Attorney Donald K. Stern, Roxbury Municipal Court Judge Edward R. Redd and Sylvia R. Johnson, associate director of the Hyams Foundation, which provides grants to support local nonprofit organizations.

``Too often it is only kids who get in trouble that get the attention,'' O'Toole said. ``I want to give attention to the kids we see in the city day in and day out.''