FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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BOSTON, MA (July 14, 2026) — The Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) is pleased to honor Sarah Byrnes, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Union of Public Housing Tenants (Mass Union), with this year’s Gladys Vega Outstanding Community Leader Award on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. This distinguished award recognizes exceptional leaders who champion the rights and dignity of their communities across Massachusetts. Byrnes stepped into the role of Executive Director of Mass Union in 2023, and is at the helm during one of the most consequential moments for public housing residents in recent history. Across the country, federal actions by the Trump Administration have targeted vulnerable and marginalized communities in public housing – but the threat extends far beyond any one group, putting at risk the stability, rights, and futures of all public housing residents.
At Mass Union – a statewide organization run by tenants for tenants – Byrnes is on the frontlines of this fight. Since joining Mass Union, she has expanded the organization’s reach and visibility, adding new programs, partnerships, and key events like an annual Public Housing Day at the State House. Byrnes considers herself first and foremost an organizer, and tenant leadership development is at the heart of Mass Union’s work.
“Sarah brings both the leadership and perseverance that this moment demands,” says Georgia Katsoulomitis, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute. “At a time when public housing funding is at risk and residents are under serious threat of losing
housing, she is exactly the kind of leader we need. She has been in the trenches with residents, cultivating and fostering strong tenant leaders, and is relentless in fighting for the human right to housing and for the rights of families in public housing.”
“This award belongs to every tenant leader who has contributed to their Local Tenant Organization, stood up for public housing at the State House, or refused to let their community be pushed aside,” said Byrnes. “Public housing residents are facing unprecedented threats right now, and I’m honored to be part of an organization built on the belief that the people most affected by these policies are also the ones best equipped to fight them.”
This year’s Catalyst for Change event will be held on September 15, 2026 at the UMass Club in Boston. The evening brings together legal advocates, community leaders, private bar attorneys, and supporters committed to advancing economic and social justice across the
Commonwealth.
About the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
Founded in 1968, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) is a nonprofit poverty law and
policy program that provides statewide advocacy and leadership in advancing laws,
policies, and practices that secure economic, racial, and social justice for low-income
people and communities. To learn more, visit MLRI.org.