Stoughton Stories
A Stoughton Cultural Council grant funded project
Stoughton Stories is a photo documentary and collaboration with the Stoughton community. Each person gave me 15 minutes or more of their time to share what they wanted about themselves and/or about Stoughton. I only included a fragment of their stories; a highlight that has stuck out to me because these are my experiences with them. Connect with your neighbors, be apart of your community.
The Community
Melissa
I began working for the Stoughton Youth Commission right out of graduate school in 2008 as a Clinical Social Worker. Over the last 11 years, I’ve met and worked with some of the best youth and families I’ve ever met who live in town.
They’ve let me into their worlds during some of their most trying, stressful, difficult days. I’ve watched success stories and youth grow up to be responsible caring adults who give back to Stoughton.
Michael L.
I run every day, in the rain, in the snow. I run for the veterans, the fallen, and my father who was a double amputee.
I love representing my father, my town, and this country.
Din
My family moved here a month after I was born. I went to the North, Gibbons, Junior High, and graduated in 1994 from SHS.
I love this town because it’s so diverse. It’s not about the color of your skin it’s about the content of your character.
Michael V.
The people need to serve the people. Hope is so powerful, hope comes in so many forms. We were all raking leaves and I tell them that this is more than helping one person, this is an opportunity to connect with each other.
Lisa
I was born in Stoughton 52 years ago. Both my parents moved from Madeira, Portugal as young adults. They gave me the love of gardening.
This used to be a driveway and we took everything down to build this garden...
This is Angela’s tree, we planted this for her when she was little.
Avelino
This plant was not here before. I planted that here when I came here. Before that, you can see down the street but now it’s so big, you can’t see through anymore.
...I am 89 now, I feel good.
Samantha
Generations of my family were born in this house…
A lot of it has changed now but there are still parts that are the same. The outside of the house looks old and we inherited it last year but it’s true to the original. We haven’t changed it yet
It’s nice to have my kids grow up in a house that my great grandparents lived in.
Lauren
Community is so important. Everybody coming together made it easier for me. It was so nice to have Canton support us and send us cards.
We got cards from towns I haven’t even heard of.
Jesse
It’s a tough job but it’s really rewarding. I love the diversity and how each student brings something different.
To find a school that is so supportive of the arts makes me love working here.
Joe
I’m Joe Jr, my father is Joe Sr and this was where his shop was. Everything in this town has changed.
My mom always used to say his only interest in life was his barbershop, it was his labor of love from 1957 to 2016
Charmaine
I graduated from SHS and now I am the coach of the girl’s basketball team. I came back because I always wanted to give back to my community
Ryan
I’m from Attleboro and I feel like Stoughton is a little version of that. I love it here. I love the different cultures and how supportive everyone is for each other.
SMAC
Peter
I would walk to Bay Road because there were no kids around here to play with. We’d play ball and after work, the dads would come and play with us
Rebecca
I started out as an intern at the Stoughton Council on Aging in 2015. After graduating from Bridgewater State, I began working at the front desk helping with transportation and reception.
I am now the Program Administrator and could not see myself doing anything else.
James
This is a great neighborhood. It’s new, this used to be all rock.
It’s a quiet and safe neighborhood. You see kids playing up and down the street, it is quite delightful.
Marlene
I bought this house in 2005 when l was on my lunch break. I had a boyfriend who had 2 houses that he kept bragging about, so I went out and bought this house.
Sarah
There are so many talented kids and adults that live in Stoughton. I hope that someday this theater gets restored or we have a place to celebrate the theater community in our town.
I just think that there’s such a great passion for it in this town and I hope that one day we can come together and create an environment for that.
Jasmine
Stoughton is a town rich with diversity. Our family has lived in Stoughton for 40 years and has benefited from meeting and befriending people from a plethora of countries, ethnicities, religions, and socioeconomic statuses.
Growing our family here has helped us appreciate how different, yet inherently human, we all truly are.
