IOC External Advisory Board Member Dominic Moulden Receives Honorary Degree at Boston University’s 2025 Commencement

The Initiative on Cities proudly celebrates our External Advisory Board member, Dominic Moulden, for receiving an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at Boston University’s 2025 Commencement. IOC Director Loretta Lees speaks of Moulden’s exceptional character and achievements, stating:
“Dominic is a thinker, but he is also a doer; he is a born leader, a collaborator, a friend to marginalized people and communities. One of eleven children brought up in relative poverty in public housing in Baltimore, his life’s work has been about giving and doing for others, about care, support, but also impactful change.”

As a community organizer, artist, and educator, Moulden leads a multifaceted and creative approach to activism that captures Black resilience and fights systematic racism and colonialism. His deep commitment to social justice and racial equity is evident in his photography, which documents the Black presence across the US, global connections to “home,” and the beauty in Black communities. Alongside his work as a photographer, Moulden is also the founder of the Elephant Free School, a Black-centered academy that offers political education as well as coaching and training in resident-led community development, equitable revitalization, cooperative economics, affordable housing, fundraising and organizing strategy, shared leadership, and workplace democracy.

For over three decades, Moulden’s community organizing has played a paramount role in transforming lives across Washington D.C., New Jersey, and Baltimore, Maryland. Through his leadership at Organizing Neighborhood Equity (ONE DC) as the Resource Organizer, Moulden co-created and managed a 34-member team for a successful $1.2 million campaign to permanently house the Black Workers & Wellness Center (BWWC). This extraordinary project followed Moulden’s prior housing activism in DC, which led to the first Community Benefits Agreement to increase the supply of quality affordable housing in underserved neighborhoods.

In addition to Moulden’s profound dedication to equity through direct community impact, he is recognized internationally in his work that crosses into academia. With a strong background in philosophy, Moulden has been published in numerous scholarly journals, including his co-authored article, “The Making of the Just City: Housing, Gentrification, and Health,” and a piece for Shelterforce’s essay series, “What Does Community Control of Land Mean to You?” As a lecturer at various universities and conferences, he also presented his research at the IOC’s 2023 International Conference, “Gentrification and Displacement – what can we do about it?” Through this academic influence, Moulden’s philosophical scholarship reflects an equal attentiveness to justice and liberation, as well as his active involvement in social movements.

As demonstrated through countless empowering initiatives, Moulden’s artistic advocacy and organizing stem from his keen devotion to resolving inequities and supporting marginalized communities. Dr. Lees emphasizes, “Dominic has done so much, he has had such a positive impact on people’s lives. In what follows, I give a flavor of this, and as you will see, he is especially deserving of this recognition.”