For Tagesech, community engagement isn’t just a job — it’s a mission shaped by her own immigrant journey.

Tagesech first came to Cambridge from Ethiopia in 2005, determined to build a new life and help others do the same. She started her new chapter by enrolling in English classes at the Community Learning Center (CLC) and later graduated from the Bridge to College Program in 2010, opening doors to new opportunities.

While still a student, Tagesech began working for the City of Cambridge as an Outreach Worker with the Community Engagement Team (CET) — a multi-agency collaboration that helps connect the city’s diverse linguistic and cultural families to resources, programs, and events.

Working primarily with the city’s Amharic-speaking community, Tagesech became a trusted bridge between new immigrants and vital local services. Amharic is one of Ethiopia’s main languages, and for many families in Cambridge’s growing Ethiopian community, it’s a lifeline for navigating day-to-day life in a new country.

“I wanted to help the Amharic speaking community,” Tagesech explains. “I know the barriers they face and understand what they go through because I passed through the same path. Since I speak their native language, I can build trust and relationships with them easily.”

The CET program has become a vital part of Cambridge’s commitment to inclusion. Outreach Workers like Tagesech connect families to childcare, housing assistance, job training, community events, and civic life — often making the difference between struggling alone or finding a supportive network.

Tagesech served as an Outreach Worker for almost ten years, building deep ties within Cambridge’s immigrant and refugee communities and strengthening her own leadership skills along the way.

“I know building relationships with community members takes time. Being passionate, strong, patient, and positive-minded drove me to keep going,” Tagesech says.

Today, she continues her work in community service as a full-time staff member at the Cambridge Human Rights Commission, helping all Cambridge residents navigate housing discrimination, civil rights protections, and more. She says her time with CET laid the groundwork for the work she does now.

“The CET is important because it helps people feel part of the Cambridge community,” Tagesech says.

Since its founding, CET has become a model for community-based outreach, relying on the unique cultural and language skills of local leaders to build trust with underrepresented families. Outreach Workers don’t just hand out flyers or point people to services — they build lasting relationships that help families feel truly welcome and supported.

The CET’s impact continues to grow as Cambridge’s population becomes more diverse. From Amharic, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Bengali, and Portuguese to Spanish, Outreach Workers connect with families in the languages they trust — addressing not only language barriers but cultural differences that often prevent people from asking for help.

Tagesech’s story reflects the power of community engagement done right: neighbors helping neighbors, immigrants turned leaders, and local government partnering with the people it serves to build a stronger, more connected city.

Originally reported by Cambridgema. Government.