“We Never Missed Payroll”: Lesley Christian Reflects on 35 Years at Crispus Attucks

At CACC’s 55th Anniversary Garden Celebration on September 19, former Executive Director Lesley Christian was honored for her extraordinary service to Crispus Attucks Children’s Center. The afternoon also included the dedication of the John and Lesley Christian Greenhouse, recognizing Lesley and her late husband and their enduring connection to CACC.

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But one of the greatest gifts Lesley gave us that afternoon was a story.

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In remarks that were by turns funny, candid, moving, and deeply personal, Lesley looked back on 35 years at CACC—and on an organization that repeatedly found ways to serve children and families even when the resources available fell far short of what they needed.

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“I had a lot of learning to do—and quickly”

Lesley first came to Crispus Attucks in 1978. CACC already had an extraordinary reputation in the community. She remembers a waiting list of more than 1,000 children and says it was not unusual for expectant mothers to put their babies on the list before they were born.

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When Lesley eventually became Director, she received a rather dramatic introduction to nonprofit leadership.

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Her notes from the anniversary celebration put it succinctly:

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“First Week: No money, 45–50 employees — Never missed payroll!”

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“That was my very scary introduction to the challenges of running a business,” she recalled. “I had a lot of learning to do... and quickly!”

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Over the years that followed, CACC expanded dramatically. Preschool capacity doubled, afterschool programming was added, and enrollment grew from approximately 130 children to 290.

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Building—and protecting—a home for children

Growth brought challenges of its own.

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CACC’s buildings had been lost by their previous owners to the City of Boston over unpaid real estate taxes. Attorney Flash Wiley became an important advocate for CACC as it worked to secure its future on the property.

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Eventually acquiring the buildings was a major accomplishment—but Lesley remembers discovering just how much work ownership would require.

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The large campus suffered from years of deferred maintenance: troubled heating systems, broken pipes, leaks, aging roofs, ceilings and painting that needed attention. And there was no Director of Operations or property manager.

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As Lesley put it: “Just me! Whew!”

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There were more serious challenges outside the buildings. Lesley remembers a period when violence and drug activity were daily realities in the surrounding neighborhood. CACC responded by creating a more secure campus, including installation of an attractive perimeter fence designed both to protect children and staff and to respect the surrounding community.

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CACC even developed “Shots Fired” safety drills. With Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith, the Center also incorporated violence-prevention work designed to help children process their feelings and learn alternatives to violence.

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Even amid difficult circumstances, CACC was determined to create a place where children could feel safe, learn, play, and thrive.

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Partnerships made more possible

Another part of Lesley’s story sounds remarkably familiar today.

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State funding alone was not enough to provide everything CACC’s children deserved.

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So CACC built partnerships.

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Northeastern University helped provide dental screenings. Boston University provided hearing and speech assessments. Mass Audubon offered nature experiences. The National Center of Afro-American Artists helped bring arts experiences to children. Children’s Services of Roxbury and The New England Home for Little Wanderers provided therapeutic services. Higher Ground became a partner in program enhancement and consultation.

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CACC even owned a school bus and transported about 45 children each day. When children needed dental treatment from Dr. Richard Carr, Lesley remembers putting them on the CACC bus and taking them to his office.

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Through support from the Child Care Capital Investment Fund, CACC renovated classrooms and developed  Boston’s first natural playground, named The Wiley Playground in honor of Fletcher "Flash" and Benaree "Bennie" Wiley.

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Behind those institutional partnerships were individuals who believed deeply in CACC. Flash Wiley served as a pro bono attorney for more than 25 years and led two major “Flash Bash” fundraisers. Bennie Wiley served as Clerk of CACC’s Board of Directors for more than 20 years.

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Lesley made a handwritten addition to her anniversary notes beside her list of partnerships: “+ many, many more!”

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It is a small annotation that says quite a lot about how CACC survived and grew.

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“The best part of being the Director”

For all the stories of buildings, budgets, programs and partnerships, Lesley was clear about what mattered most.

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The children.

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She remembered watching children arrive at Crispus Attucks as babies and then grow and flourish. Some of her happiest memories came later, when parents returned and proudly told her how their children were doing in elementary school, high school and college.

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Seeing what happened in the lives of those young people, she said, “was absolutely the best part of being the Director.”

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Lesley also paid tribute to the teachers and staff who made that possible, describing CACC’s skilled and experienced educators as the core of the Center’s success. She particularly recognized longtime colleagues Gladys Smith, Mahalia Steele and Cathy Thornton.

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A story that continues

There is something striking about hearing Lesley describe the CACC of decades ago from the vantage point of 2026.

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The programs have changed. The campus has changed. The neighborhood has changed. Generations of children, families, educators and leaders have passed through our doors.

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But much of what Lesley described remains at the heart of Crispus Attucks today: creating a safe and welcoming place for children; working alongside families; bringing community partners together around their needs; enriching children's lives through nature and the arts; and finding resources to bridge the gap between what public funding provides and what children deserve.

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That continuity made it especially meaningful to welcome Lesley back to CACC for our 55th anniversary—and to dedicate the John and Lesley Christian Greenhouse as a permanent part of the campus she did so much to sustain and strengthen.

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Fifty-five years after CACC opened its doors, Lesley’s memories remind us that its history is not simply the story of an institution.

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It is the story of people who kept showing up for children.

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And that story continues.