For Immediate Release 

Media Contact:
Allie Girouard
agirouard@mlri.org | (617) 357-0700 x 305 

BOSTON, July 27, 2023 – Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) will be honoring Dr. Michael Curry, Esq. with the 2023 Catalyst for Change award at a reception on October 10, 2023 at the UMass Club in Boston. 

For more than 50 years, MLRI has advocated to advance policies and practices that secure economic, racial, and social justice for low-income communities. The Catalyst for Change award honors exceptional leaders who strive for these same goals and who have achieved incredible success in making a positive impact on the people of Massachusetts. 

Throughout Michael Curry’s 30 years of work in civil rights advocacy, health reform, and health equity, he has embodied the values of MLRI and perpetuated meaningful change for low-income people across the Commonwealth.

“We are thrilled to recognize Michael for his enduring commitment to health equity and racial justice in the Commonwealth,” says Georgia Katsoulomitis, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute. “Michael’s leadership and dedication to building a fair, just, and equitable Commonwealth reflects MLRI’s mission and values. He has been a mentor and role model to countless people and a true catalyst for social change. We are honored to highlight his three decades of service.” 

Michael Curry currently serves as President & CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, which represents 52 health centers, serving over one million patients out of over 300 practice sites. He is also the Immediate Past President of the Boston Branch of the NAACP (2011-2016), and has over 25 years of dedicated service to the NAACP on the city, state-area conference, and national levels. 

During the early battle with the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael was appointed by the Massachusetts Senate to the legislatively-created Health Equity Task Force, which he co-chaired, aimed at addressing the health disparities that have been realized and magnified by COVID-19. He was also appointed by then Governor Charlie Baker to the COVID-19 Vaccine Working Group, and served on the Department of Public Health’s Health Equity Advisory Group, the City of Boston’s Health Inequity Task Force, and the City of Brockton’s Social Justice Task Force. 

“Advocacy for me is the work of fighting for people and communities that have been minoritized, marginalized and discriminated against, and most often it is unseen work, and progress is hard and too often slow,” said Dr. Michael Curry, Esq.  “Massachusetts Law Reform Institute has been leading this work for over 50 years, and I’ve been inspired and guided by their success in changing laws, policies and practices for low-income people.  It’s humbling to be recognized by MLRI with the Catalyst for Change award.”

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