Eduardo Pagán, also known as Eddy, is a devoted father to his two daughters, Jay and Rose. Eddy became a father to Jaylin at 19 and Rose at 24. Despite the challenges of young parenthood, including overcoming homelessness, gang violence, limited access to education and employment, and overcoming social stigmatization- he dedicated himself to community work for the past decade. In 2021, Eddy returned to higher education to enhance his ability to serve as a change agent in his community. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Community Development and Planning.
While advancing his education, Eddy faced the personal challenge of fighting for custody of his daughters. In his third year at Clark University, he successfully gained custody, adding a deep personal triumph to his academic journey.
With over a decade of professional experience and personal insights, Eddy has dedicated his career to addressing critical societal issues, particularly gang violence among youth. In 2019, he earned the title of National Gang Specialist from the National Gang Crime Research Center (NGCR) in Chicago, Illinois. While at NGCR, Eddy focused on tracks including; Gang Counseling for K-12 Schools, Management Skills for Gang Members in Probation and Parole; he also received the Spirit Award for his significant contributions to combating gang violence.
Eddy has supported at-risk and proven-risk youth at Worcester East Middle School and North High School in Worcester, MA, through the Comprehensive Anti-Gang Strategies (CAGS) at Friendly House Neighborhood Center. He also assisted proven-risk young-adults involved in gang-crime through the Safe & Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) program at both Friendly House Neighborhood Center and the Worcester Youth Center. Eddy has numerous success stories working with youth, ranging from securing sub/unsubsidized housing for youth and finding long-term employment to promoting rehabilitation for addiction and serving as a liaison in criminal courts for youthful and adult offenders.
Due to his own challenges with his daughters, Eddy has focused on opening a new organization named WooSource with several business partners. WooSource— a play on words meaning “Worcester Resource”— focuses on providing services to men and their children. These services include individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, and nurturing fatherhood groups. Eddy and his partners have faced personal challenges and triumphs in affirming the value of fatherhood. Soon, WooSource will open a family center where fathers can access space for visitation with their children—whether through court orders or their own accord—and a space that provides case management. You can find his WooSource contact in the contact tab above.
Eddy invites you to explore his portfolio using the tabs above, which feature his Theory of Understanding, encompassing his Identity and Positionality, Theory of Social Inequality, and Theory of Change. Additionally, you will find his Praxis Thesis which focuses on restorative approaches among school-aged children. Eddy also included an updated resume, detailing his work over the past decade. Thank you for your interest.
Please feel free to connect with him via the contact tab.