Rene Mardones

Originally from Chile in South America, Rene E. Mardones migrated to the United States in 2000. Since that time Mardones has been actively involved in social issues affecting low-income communities, immigrants, and communities of color in the Greater Boston area. His passion for social change and community activism began in his native country.

In 2003, Mardones joined the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation as an AmeriCorps organizer. He was exposed to the community development world and the different models of how community development corporations operate. Later Mardones joined Sociedad Latina as a parent organizer; there he worked with immigrants who wanted to better understand the educational system in Boston. Mardones also spent seven years working as a community organizer for Alternatives for Community and Environment and the T Riders Union program. In 2013, Mardones became the lead organizer with Somerville Community Corporation working on a range of issues, including affordable housing, local jobs, and a community benefits agreement around new development coming to Somerville, Massachusetts. In 2021, Mardones joined Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative as a director of community organizing.