Allston and Brighton have a reputation, and while District 9’s burgeoning art scene is a positive part of it, not all of the neighborhoods’ stereotypes are positive.

“Nobody lives there for more than four years,” “No families live there,” “All the venues are closing or shrinking,” “The colleges are taking over,” and the ever-popular, “The rats are getting bigger every year and I think they’re learning to paint graffiti.”

Not all those reputations are deserved, however. Between all the artists who stay in town, the core of families who do grow up here, and those who have lived their entire lives in the neighborhood, Allston-Brighton has a core of dedicated residents, both renters and homeowners, who are politically active and dedicated to keeping the community vibrant and thriving.

And a big part of that community was on display on Monday at the third annual Allston-Brighton Chamber of Commerce.

Longtime residents may not know that the Chamber was formed three years ago when the Brighton Board of Trade and the Allston Board of Trade – long fiercely independent organizations – decided to combine their powers and form the Chamber.

“Strength in numbers,” said member Tony D'Isidoro. “A decision was made a number of years ago that there was strength in numbers, and so they merged.”

“They have a combined history of something like 150 years,” said Chamber President and Harvard Ed Portal Assistant Director Ben Franco. “So this event really has been happening over 50 years now, albeit under a different name.”

Franco, who was also emceeing the annual dinner, said the idea was to highlight local businesses doing their part, distribute funds where they could, and award scholarships to the youth in Allston-Brighton. He said the crowd of about 100 was a testament to the work they’d been doing.

“We’re super happy with the attendance, and that it brought the Allston and Brighton communities together,” he said.

During the night, Franco awarded six Allston and Brighton youths with $1,000 scholarships a piece. The first three scholarships were named to honor local residents who contributed mightily to District 9. Adetoke Adeyeye won the Bill Margolin Scholarship. Bill worked with the West End House for more than 50 years supporting the community and youth. Franco said Bill was a friend to many in the room, and unfortunately passed last year.

Valina Jean Louis won the Max Lefkowicz scholarship, and Franco described Lefkowicz as a lifetime advocate for the community, working with Brighton High School Students and contributing to businesses through the Allston Board of Trade.

Residents Effie Bourke and Jurnee Dooley each won $1,000 also, along with Chris Stephenson, who came to the event with his family for his award of the Allston-Brighton Community of Commerce for Education. He said he will be using the funds for materials in his senior year at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY for his degree in mechanical engineering.

“It feels pretty great, $1,000 is definitely going to make a mark in my education,” he said. “Not so much in tuition, but in school supplies. Those have really racked up a pretty penny over the years.”

Chris’ brother Anthony came out to support his brother, too.

“I’m very appreciative that he has gotten this scholarship and I’m very happy about it,” he said.

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The night also featured many small business awards, which many say are a vital component of what makes the district so appealing. D’Isidoro also pointed to the business community’s recent accolades in The Boston Globe’s regional Best of Boston, which includes businesses all over the Greater Boston Metro area – https://gvimes.link/globelist

“We had a lot in different categories, and with the challenges that small businesses are facing, we seem to be holding our own,” he said.

“We have a lot of great stuff here in Allston and Brighton,” said Charlesview Executive Director Jo-Ann Barbour, who added that she came out to support one of the organization’s residents who won one of the scholarships.

Franco also presented all the business awards of the night. He said this year’s Community Contributor of the Year – an award honoring a business that has gone “above and beyond” in service to Allston and Brighton – was awarded to Brighton’s own “Road to the Right Track”. The Charles River Speedway won the Member Business of the Year Award; New Balance Development Group won the President’s Award; and Ann Faldeta was awarded the Chamber’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Business is business, but Allston and Brighton are known as hubs of art and creative spirit, both in the city and beyond.

Friends of Herter Park Executive Director DJ Talbot and Board Member Joy Arcolano said the group is getting ready to celebrate its tenth year next year, along with its growing to the point where it is starting to have permanent staff to help host its events along the Charles River. This 501-(c)(3) group’s goal is to enhance community spaces within Herter Park and promote them as cultural and recreational resources for the wellbeing of all.

“This is our community,” Talbot said. “This is all the businesses that support us and rely on us. We bring people to us and they bring people to us.”

Arcolano said she was a past president, now working as a Board member, and that before the Friends came along there were some performances. She performed several Shakespeare in the Park productions for instance – but with the Friends of Herter Park, the offerings have increased exponentially.

“I have performed there. My family and I settled in Watertown. And now my family has helped me set up for the Brown Box Theater Company. My family is also helping with the A Capella Fest and the huge blues and jazz festival, which just started as Thursday Night Jazz back in 2017 and is now the Charles River Jazz Festival.”

Arcolano added the arts and culture of Allston and Brighton were a big factor in her and her family staying around the neighborhood.

For more information on the Chamber, go to https://www.ab-coc.org