When the Rev. Marybelle “Mimi” Hollister learned she had been selected as a 2025 Commonwealth Heroine by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, her first reaction was embarrassment.
“I know so many people who are worthy in town,” said Hollister, who has spent decades advocating for fair housing, environmental sustainability and social justice in Marblehead. “But it was lovely, lovely of [state Rep.] Jenny Armini and whoever suggested me to her.”
Hollister was nominated along with Marblehead speech pathologist Jessica Brown by Armini and Sen. Brendan Crighton for the annual recognition program that honors women who make outstanding contributions to their communities. The Class of 2025 Commonwealth Heroines comprises more than 125 women from across Massachusetts.
Brown, who founded The Power of Speech in Marblehead, provides speech therapy and occupational therapy using a neurodiversity-affirming approach. Her work focuses on empowering children with understanding how their brains work and building skills from there, rather than trying to mask their natural personalities.
“I was surprised and honored when I first heard that I was named a Commonwealth Heroine,” Brown said. “We live in such a small town in Massachusetts, so to get recognition at the state level is pretty amazing.”
“Mimi Hollister embodies the ethos of service above self,” Armini said. “From the Marblehead Ministerial Alliance to the Fair Housing Committee to Sustainable Marblehead, Mimi’s focus is always on improving people’s lives and creating a more just society.”
Rooted in early experiences
Hollister’s activism stems from her missionary upbringing in China, where she was born, and formative teenage experiences reading “Cry, the Beloved Country,” the novel about apartheid in South Africa. Her parents instilled in her what she calls an “innate” sense of responsibility for addressing injustice.
“I was raised with a lot of awareness about the stuff that’s going on around us and about individual responsibility,” she told the Marblehead Current.
Brown traces her calling to childhood as well, though in a different way. Growing up, she was often called a “peacemaker” and “too sensitive.”
“Trying to help others has always been a part of who I am, sometimes to a fault,” Brown said. “Building my business in Marblehead finally made me feel like I was doing what I was always meant to do — help children grow up in a world where they feel safe, seen and confident being exactly who they are.”
During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, Hollister felt drawn to join the protests in the South, even as she was raising three young children.
“I just wanted to wrap them all up and put them on the bus and head south,” she said. “It made my heart happy to know that, at last, [protests were] going on in places — seriously, not just piecemeal.”
That calling eventually led her to seminary at Union Seminary in New York, where she earned her divinity degree in her 50s. She was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 1989 and describes the denomination as “very much training ministers to be very engaged in their community.”
Local impact
After moving to Marblehead in the 1990s, Hollister quickly identified local causes that aligned with her values. She joined the Fair Housing Committee early on, drawing from similar work she had done in California. She became involved with Sustainable Marblehead shortly after its founding and helped bring environmental speakers to the Marblehead Ministerial Association.
One of her proudest efforts was leading a campaign for the Community Preservation Act, though it failed at Town Meeting despite support from Hollister and other advocates.
Brown’s approach to community service developed from her personal experience growing up in Marblehead and recognizing specific needs in the community.
“Because I grew up in Marblehead, I knew there was a need for the specific type of therapy I provide,” Brown said. “My private practice uses a neurodiversity affirming approach to guide our speech therapy and occupational therapy sessions with children. We are passionate about empowering kids with understanding how their brain works (e.g., ADHD, autistic, etc.) and then building skills from there.”
Brown’s work challenges traditional approaches that often focus on helping children appear neurotypical.
“When society is often telling us how to act, feel and look from an early age, we want children to grow up knowing everyone is different and everyone is valid exactly as they are,” she said. “You don’t have to try to ‘act neurotypical’ in order to fit in. With my team, I am trying to change the stigma around differences.”
Broader connections
Through the ministerial association, Hollister has worked to connect local congregations with churches in Zimbabwe and South Africa, creating what she describes as “mutual learning” partnerships rather than traditional missions.
“People go back and forth,” she explained.
Her involvement with the League of Women Voters has intensified in recent years, with the organization growing to 90 members. She serves on the steering committee and has participated in demonstrations supporting democracy and veterans.
“We now have 90 members in the League as a result of recent political events,” she said. “Recently, political people are panicking. What can I do?”
The League’s nonpartisan approach appeals to Hollister, who appreciates the organization’s thorough research before taking positions on issues.
“It’s a very intellectual organization,” she said. “It really works on a comprehensive study of issues before we take a position.”
Brown sees her work as contributing to broader social change through individual empowerment.
“Being able to communicate is a fundamental aspect of life that most people take for granted,” Brown said. “During our speech therapy sessions, we support children of all ages to find their voice. Feeling heard from an early age is critical for building meaningful relationships and navigating experiences at home, school and in the community.”
For Hollister, her various causes connect through her religious convictions and the United Church of Christ’s emphasis on social activism.
Her advice to others seeking to get involved in their communities is straightforward: research what’s available.
“Read the Current, search out what’s in the town,” she said. “There are really interesting organizations, quite a few of them in this town.”
Brown offers similar encouragement for potential community activists.
“If you have an idea that you think could make a difference in your community, do it!” she said. “It might end up growing into something you never could have imagined.”
The 22nd annual Commonwealth Heroines celebration will take place Thursday, June 26, in the Gardner Auditorium at the State House.
