‘I want to tell the world about this place:’ As they Prepare for College, Twin Sisters Share Gratitude for the Community they Built at Teen Center

For as long as they can remember, twin sisters and Teen Center members Samira and Samara have been side by side, guiding one another through the trials and triumphs of their 18 years of life.  

Born and raised in Cape Verde, the two said that moving to the U.S. at just twelve years old came as a shock. Not only did they have to learn a new language, but they suddenly found themselves immersed in a country with entirely different cultural norms and systems. Thanks to Catholic Charities Boston’s Teen Center, however, Samira and Samara said they never felt alone. 

Serving as a safe haven for nearly 300 adolescents living in Dorchester’s Bowdoin-Geneva neighborhood, the Teen Center offers both an after-school and summer program, designed to build students’ confidence and catalyze their academic and personal growth. 

“We joined the Teen Center when we were in 5th grade, and we immediately felt a sense of community,” said Samara. “It was nice to be around other Cape Verdean students who had similar backgrounds to us.”  

Now seniors in high school at John O’Bryant, Samira and Samara credit the Teen Center for providing them with a strong support system and prioritizing their academic and personal growth. 

“We didn’t really understand English when we first came here, but the Teen Center helped us learn how to communicate,” said Samira. “They helped us with homework and had a huge impact on us academically.” 

Moreover, the two say they gained confidence in themselves and their respective dreams. While they have not yet decided where they will each attend school next year, they both have received multiple college acceptances, with Samara planning to major in math or engineering and Samira planning to pursue criminology or political science. 

While extra-curricular activities make it difficult to visit the Teen Center every day, the sisters continue to visit at least once a week to spend time with friends and offer support to younger members, grateful for the tight-knit community they cultivated at the Teen Center over the years. 

“A lot of the time we couldn’t go home after school because our parents were working, so the Teen Center became like our second home,” said Samira. “The friends we made back in 5th grade when we joined are still our best friends today.”  

Looking back at her middle school and high school career, Samara said some of her fondest memories are from her time at the Teen Center, from endless afternoons playing recreational sports in the gym to summer days spent exploring Water Country, Six Flags, and Cape Cod.  

“We had so many adventure field trips and were able to visit places we otherwise never would have had the opportunity to go,” she said.   

With graduation just around the corner, Samira and Samara said it will be bittersweet to part ways at the end of the summer, both with one another and with the place that made them who they are today.  

But no matter where their paths lead them, they know that the Teen Center will always be there for them – and that they will always be there for each other.  

“It’s like a family,” said Samara. “I definitely see myself coming back and if I have children one day, they will definitely come here. I want to tell the world about this place.” 

To learn more about Catholic Charities Boston’s Teen Center, click here. To find out how you can support Catholic Charities Boston’s clients most in need, visit our Ways to Give page.