Courage Awards

The Courage Awards, based on the 7 Principles of Life, (Courage, Hope, Faith, Love, Unity, Justice, and Forgiveness) are awarded in memory of Matthew Mendes to youth in the greater Dorchester community who have embodied the spirit of courage by graduating high school and pursuing a trade or further education. The goal is to present seven $1,000 awards annually. If $7,000 is not available, the number and amounts of the awards will be determined by the board of Touchable Stories Inc. pursuant to the recommendation of

The Bobby Mendes Peace Legacy. Awards will be presented annually at the Bobby Mendes Award Dinner. Nominations are solicited from local schools and youth workers and are accepted from the community at large. A committee comprised of Isaura Mendes and invited community members will make the determination of the award.

The 1995 murder of Bobby Mendes had repercussions that have yet to be resolved. The Cape Verdean community was shattered as factions sought revenge. The homicide rate skyrocketed. In addition to his eldest brother Matthew Mendes regularly lost uncles and cousins to gun violence as he grew up. It was an environment where law enforcement was active and did not offer the youth of the community the benefit of the doubt. As was the case with many adolescents in the neighborhood Matthew became court involved and found it difficult to gain meaningful employment. In 2006 with support and advocacy Matthew reached a point where six months without further court involvement would clear his slate and open the door to an apprenticeship. Matthew was invited to spend the time working with young people in Birmingham, England. His mother accompanied him on the trip and for several weeks they met with at risk youths and their families and shared experiences. For the first and only time in his life Matthew experienced the feeling of safety. The police were not armed, he could enter nightclubs without being searched and he did not feel like there was a target on his back. Also, for the first time Matthew was able to express his feelings about his brother’s murder. He was talking to kids he could relate to, kids from “the projects”, kids who idealized the “gangsta” culture of the US, but who although rough and lethal in their own way, were not as well armed. He was dispelling myths, exposing the stark reality of that life. He was embracing his mother’s dedication to peace and forgiveness. He joined her in the commitment to breaking the cycle of violence. Just before returning to the states, he told a group that the lifestyle was not what it was hyped to be, that in his neighborhood random drive by shootings were a regular occurrence and that he could be the next victim. Tragically just six weeks after returning to the states, Matthew Mendes was murdered in a drive by shooting. His killer is still at large.

The Bobby Mendes Peace Legacy is an independent program of Touchable Stories Inc. (a 501.c.3 nonprofit organization). (Touchable Stories Inc. accepts donations and funds the awards through its Bobby Mendes Peace Legacy bank account.)

Touchable Stories Inc., founded in 1998 by multi-media artist Shannon Flattery, created interactive installations providing a contemporary portrait of often overlooked communities. The work centered around oral histories gathered from community members. The issues identified are refined through community dinner dialogues.

Bobby Mendes Peace Legacy founded in 1999 as an outgrowth of Touchable Stories Upham’s Corner. It is dedicated to the memory of Bobby Mendes whose murder on the streets of Dorchester in 1995 marked the first killing of a Cape Verdean by another Cape Verdean. It is directed by Bobby’s mother Isaura Mendes.

Awards presented directly to an accredited educational institution will be treated as a nontaxable scholarship. Awards for materials, supplies, tools, or non-accredited certifications will be treated as prizes and reported on a 1099-misc.

Board of Directors (Touchable Stories Inc) Shannon Flattery, Timothy Mason, Richard Gawel and Isaura

Mendes.