Lawrence Partnership

A wonderful evening at the Lawrence Partnership’s Know Your City event last week! 👏 Learn more about the series: lawrencepartnership.org/knowyourcity

A special thank you to Joanna de Peña, M.Ed of Top Notch Scholars for her outstanding job engaging attendees and helping create a welcoming and informative experience for all. We were also grateful to have our partners from UMass Lowell (both One Campus and Online) and Northern Essex Community College (NECC) join us to share valuable educational resources and programs available to our community.

We were pleased to welcome representatives from Bellesini Academy and Lawrence CommunityWorks, who highlighted the impactful services and opportunities they provide to Lawrence residents. Thank you as well to State Representatives Estela Reyes and Francisco Paulino for attending and connecting with community members.

Events like these showcase the power of collaboration and community engagement. Thank you to everyone who joined us to learn more about the organizations, resources, and opportunities that help make Lawrence a stronger, more connected city.

Announcing our 2026 Rising Star Awardees 💫 LP Annual Meeting: bit.ly/LPAnnualMtg26

Michael Bastien is the Founder & CEO of Brothers in Arms Men’s Support Circle, a community-rooted organization advancing men’s mental health, restorative practices, and generational transformation. Since 2022, the organization has served over 250 men and youth in-person through circles, leadership development, and community-based programming.

Under his leadership, Brothers in Arms has grown from $36,000 to over a quarter million in one year, expanding its reach, programs, and impact. He is also Co-Founder of the Juneteenth Arts & Awareness Festival, which draws over 1,000 attendees annually.

Michael leads organizational strategy, partnerships, and program development, with a focus on building sustainable systems that drive long-term community impact. A key initiative is the Fatherhood Relief Fund, where he is currently leading a crowdfunding effort with over $10,000 raised to support fathers facing financial hardship—paired with financial literacy, life skills, and long-term empowerment. His philosophy is simple: teach fathers how to fish, not just feed them.

He is currently a LEADS Fellow and has completed Tier 1 & 2 Restorative Justice Training at Suffolk University. Michael is also a graduate of Northern Essex Community College and the Institute for Nonprofit Practice’s Core Certificate Program.

Looking ahead, he is exploring ways to integrate technology with in-person programming to expand access while maintaining a strong, community-centered approach, with a long-term vision to reach one million men nationwide.