Following the development of an organizational infrastructure and the establishment of its first projects and committees in 2020, the Diversity Coalition recognized that its maturation warranted an initiative toward legal incorporation. With the pro bono legal assistance of Jay F. Theise, Esq. of Aquinnah, incorporation as a Massachusetts Charitable Trust was accomplished in November of 2020. The Trust document was signed by all seven members of the Board of Trustees.
The important history of MVDC leading to this incorporation has its origins with a group of six founding members. In 2018 and into 2019, the six Founders (Walter Collier, Sandra Pimentel, Robert Tankard, Paul Bracy, Rex Jarrell, and Ruth deWilde Major) met weekly for seven months to deliberate on how to create a model organization to help eradicate racism. A mission statement, a charter statement (called Memorandum of Understanding) and an initial organizational structure were created.
Work continued into 2020, when the organization truly became operational, and the Board’s commitment was made toward incorporation which took several months to achieve.