While nearly 70 years ago Mission Hill was predominately Irish Catholic, the neighborhood has grown to have greater racial diversity. Although caucasians currently make up almost half of the population, the neighborhood is 17.5 percent Hispanic, 18 percent African American and 14.1 percent Asian (with a mix of other races making up the rest of the population). A variety of organizations welcome and serve both native and foreign born residents in the neighborhood, including Sociedad Latina, which provides educational and professional services to Latino youth, and the Tobin Community Center, a human and service agency that works with low income families. The Action for Boston Community Development Center, an anti-poverty agency with 14 locations throughout the Boston area, also provides services for low and moderate income immigrants in Mission Hill, including immigration and citizenship services, translation and interpretation and ESOL courses.
“This is a melting pot of the city,” said David Passafaro, 61, an employee in Mission Hill. “And it’s a very active and vibrant neighborhood because of the various cultures and people that are here.”
