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LYSOA co-executive directors and co-founder Antonio Gutierrez, right, and Teresa DiGregorio, second from right, present the 2026 Above & Beyond Award to the McCarriston Family, from left, Skylar, Peter, and Mary. (Spenser Hasak) Purchase this photo

LYSOA honors Lynn natives

Briana Alvarez

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LYNN — The Lynn Youth Street Outreach Advocacy (LYSOA) hosted its 6th annual gala, awarding the McCarriston Family and Stacy Bryant-Brown. 

“This isn’t a babysitting thing, this isn’t an ‘I’m gonna carry you’,” Antonio Gutierrez, co-founder of the LYSOA, stated, “No, it’s holding (people) accountable and teaching them and continuously showing up.” 

Gutierrez shared that LYSOA wanted to present a second award for someone hands-on with the youth, more specifically, the young people that the organization works with. Not only hands-on, but their communication and understanding also gave children hope. 

This year, Gutierrez and LYSOA presented the Champion of Youth Development Recognition Award to Stacy Bryant-Brown. 

“To be recognized by an organization that does the real hard work in our community means more to me than I can fully put into words,” Brown said as she accepted the award. 

“When I began my journey as a juvenile court officer, I didn’t fully understand how much those young people would change me,” Brown said. “I thought I was here to guide them. But in many ways, they gave me purpose. They gave me perspective.”

Brown shared that speaking up never came naturally for her, but it was sitting across from a young person who feels unheard or misunderstood, that the fear of speaking up changes. She always saw a child’s potential being buried under pain and trauma. 

“…You realize silence is not an option,” Brown stated. “Working alongside youth from my own community, listening to them, encouraging them, and advocating for them as if they were my own.” 

She added, “To the youth of Lynn, your past does not define you.”

Teresa DiGregorio, Executive Director of LYSOA, presented the Above and Beyond Award to the McCarriston Family.

 “…this year, we are honoring a family who not only has shown support for their community, but, without them, LYOSA would not have a drop-in center,” she said. 

She shared that she had met the family in 2011, when they helped organize an assembly with actor Louis Gossett Jr., who came to Lynn to speak to the youth. The family helped LYSOA raise money in honor of their son, who died. DiGregorio noted that the memory of their son lived through the organization. 

“They believe in not only the community that they live in, but they’re from Lynn, and they believe in the community that they grew up in,” DiGregorio stated. 

Peter McCarriston opened his remarks by introducing himself, his wife Mary, and their granddaughter Skyler, before sharing a lighthearted story about how they ended up at the event. He framed their dynamic as a “95-5 rule,” explaining that when asked to help with a project, Mary takes on nearly all the work.

According to McCarriston, Mary spends “two weeks, day and night, night and day, around the clock” preparing materials, while he jokingly contributes very little. 

He described how she once called out to him, “Lover Boy… would you like to take me down to the sewer to drop these baskets off?” prompting him to finally step in after decades together, noting, “after 50 years, I got the answer.”

He recounted driving her to deliver the baskets, only to realize she expected him to carry them inside as well. Laughing at himself, he said, “Mary, I love to bring the baskets in,” emphasizing the imbalance in their contributions. 

Summing up the “95-5 rule,” he added that Mary “works tirelessly for two weeks putting the program together,” while he simply “gets off the couch” and drives.

Despite the humor, McCarriston underscored his admiration for his wife’s determination and work ethic, noting that when she commits to something, “just get out of the way.” 

“Fifteen years ago, we met, and I saw that there was something with this couple and what they wanted to do for the kids,” Mary McCarriston stated. “…Tonight we would like to honor Antonio and Theresa, this is from all of us in this room.” 

The McCarristons then gifted DiGregorio and Gutierrez Red Sox hats, even though, funnily enough, Gutierrez only wears New York Yankees hats. 

“We appreciate you guys, and we love you guys,” she said. “And if it wasn’t for you, none of us would be here today.”

 

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