Past Events

Massachusetts Immigrant Collaborative (MIC) One Year Anniversary

MIC virtually celebrated their one year anniversary on May 6 – if you missed the event, you can watch a recording below!

Solas Awards 2020

At our 31st gala, we honored the iuventa10 crew, Des Mac Intyre, Chair and CEO of Mellon, philanthropists Larry and Atzuko Fish and teacher and mother, Ngozi Okoye.

Together, we raised over $650,000 for the Rian Immigrant Center’s legal, education, and resource and support services. Thank you to all who supported and attended our virtual gala, your contributions directly benefit the lives of immigrant and refugee families in out communities.

Thank you to all who attended our name change unveiling event!

Thank you to all who supported our 2019 Solas Awards Gala!

At our 30th gala, we honored Leo Varadkar, TD, An Taoiseach of Ireland, Attorney General Maura Healey, and Tony Rodriguez, a student at Boston International Newcomers Academy.

Together, we raised over $750,000 for the Rian Immigrant Center’s legal, education, and wellness services. Thank you to all who supported and attended our gala, your contributions directly benefit the lives of immigrant and refugee families in our communities.

Solas Awards 2018

At our 29th gala, we honored Kerry Kennedy of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, Norman Houston OBE from the Northern Ireland Bureau, and Shevonne De Pina, a Trinidadian immigrant.

Together, we raised $500,000 for the Rian Immigrant Center’s legal, education, and wellness services for immigrants and refugees. We are tremendously grateful to those who generously sponsored the event, who supported our silent auction, live auction, and live ask, and who joined us on the night. Thank you! Check out our photo gallery here.

Committee Co-Chairs

Karen Ansara, Ansara Family Fund at The Boston Foundation and Linda Dorcena Forry, Suffolk Construction

Host Committee

Hope Aldrich, Eastern Insurance Group, Anne Bailey Berman, Chadwick Martin Bailey, Kim Borman, Borman Consulting, Michael Cahalane, Cetrulo LLP, Meghan Clifford, Bank of America, Cathal Conlon, New England Revolution, John Cullinane, The Cullinane Group, Victoria Denoon, Sheila Dillon, City of Boston, Gerard Doherty, Law Offices of Gerard F. Doherty, Charles Donahue, John Donohue, Arbella Insurance Group, Adler Eliacin, State Street Corporation, Kristin Foley, Ashish Gairola, Cognizant, Anne Geraghty, Geraghty Associates, Susan Glynn, Arbella Insurance Group, Justine Griffin, Rasky Partners, Julie Griffin-Carty, Harvard Medical School, Toni Jackson, Boston International Newcomers Academy, Dot Joyce, Dot Joyce Consulting, Kevin Kelley, Liberty Mutual Group/Ironshore, Kevin Martin, Jr., Kevin P. Martin and Associates, Bob Mayerson, Patriot Care, James McGlennon, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Michael Niland, Encompass Consulting, Drew O’Brien, Burson-Marsteller, Brian O’Donovan, WGBH. Martin Sheerin, John Hancock, David Sherman, Insight Enterprises, Brian Sugrue, AB Bernstein, Judy Weiss, Samuel Rubin Foundation

Platinum Sponsors

Ansara Family Fund at the Boston Foundation, Arbella Insurance Foundation, Geraghty Associates, John Donohue and Frances Robinson

Gold Sponsors

Cognizant, Northern Ireland Bureau, The Schooner Foundation

Silver Sponsors

The A.M. Fund, Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation, Foley Family, Invest Northern Ireland, Kevin and Maryellen Kelley, Kimberly Borman and Steven Singer, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Oracle, Trianz

Bronze Sponsors

Anne Bailey Berman and Roger Berman, Charles and Nancy Donahue, David and Karen Hinchen, Deloitte, Eastern Salt Company, John and Diddy Cullinane, John Hancock, Kevin P. Martin and Associates, Law Offices of Gerard F. Doherty,  Pampanin Law Offices, Peter and Janet Kelliher, State Street Irish-American Professionals Network, Synergy, Tata Consultancy Services, The British Society

Patron Sponsors

Boston Consulting Group, Boston Harbor Hotel, Boston Partners Global Investors, Brian Sugrue and Katie Fitzpatrick, Cetrulo LLP, Nancy Englander and David Ruben, Dell EMC, Dimension Data and Cisco Systems, Donegal County Council, Dot Joyce Consulting, Eoin Reilly and Darlene Donovan, Iandoli, Desai & Cronin, Jane Etish-Andrews and Kevin Andrews, John Flaherty, Judith Weiss, Martin Sheerin and May Lee Low, Marty Meehan Educational Foundation, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, Michael and Rosie Niland, Patriot Care, Paul Hartnett, Paul Revere Transportation, Rasky Partners, Splunk, The Boston Foundation, The Cavan Group, Wells Fargo

Solas Awards 2017

We were proud to honor John Donohue of Arbella Insurance Group, 68th Secretary of State John Kerry, and Sudanese immigrant and UMass Boston student Noon Elhassan at our 28th Solas Awards Gala. This event raised record-breaking funds for the Rian Immigrant Center, and with your support we were able to direct over one million dollars to support immigrant and refugee families from across the globe.

Solas Awards 2016

Our 27th gala honored the Honorable Martin T. Meehan, President of the University of Massachusetts, Rev. Dr. Raymond Hammond, Founder and Pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, and Her Excellency Anne Anderson, The Republic of Ireland’s Ambassador to the United States.

Solas Awards Recipients

Throughout our Solas Awards history, we have been honored to recognize a number of leaders whose work and character reflect the mission of the Rian Immigrant Center. We are pleased to offer the following list of past Solas Awards Recipients:

2019
An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, TD
Attorney General Maura Healey
Tony Rodriguez

2018
Kerry Kennedy
Norman Houston OBE
Shevonne De Pina

2017
68th U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry
John F. Donohue
Noon Elhassan

2016
Ambassador Anne Anderson
Martin Meehan
Rev. Dr. Raymond Hammond

2015
Mayor Martin Walsh
Robert Coughlin
James Rooney
Senator Linda Dorcena Forry

2014
Sister Lena Deevy
Richard E. Holbrook
Susan Cohen

2013
Joyce and Bill Cummings
John T. Hailer
Raj Sharma
Jack Joyce

2012
Vincent Ryan
Beverly Edgehill
Kevin Kelley

2011
Dr. Ralph de la Torre
Eva Millona
Rev. Daniel Finn

2010
Congressman Richard Neal
Robert Glassman
Sabine St. Lot
Marie St. Fleur

2009
President Mary McAleese

2008
Tom Stemberg
Beth Williams
Cahal Stephene

2007
Gerard and Marilyn Doherty
Rev. Msg. Thomas J. McDonnell

2006
Arnold Hiatt
Rev. Gloria White-Hammond
Rev. Liz Walker
James Brett
Michael F. O’Connor

2005
Teresa Heinz Kerry
Janice Loux
John McGrail

2004
Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs Brian Cowen
George Russell, Jr.
Arthur Murphy

2002
Mayor Thomas Menino

2001
President Bill Clinton

2000
Congressman Joseph Moakley
Kathleen O’Toole
Gail Snowden

1999
Neal Finnegan
Dunfey Family
John O’Connor

1998
Congressman Brian Donnelly
Congressman Bruce Morrison
Elizabeth Shannon

1996
President Mary Robinson

1995
John Cullinane

1994
Ambassador Ray Flynn
Catherine Shannon

1993
Senator Edward M. Kennedy