The Boys and Girls Club Family Center in the Mason Square and Bay Street neighborhoods of Springfield have long been a hive of activity. After school programs, sports teams, weekend trips, pre-school and teen events, you name it. But when COVID-19 hit, like so many other community centers, they had to shut their doors. Keshawn Dodds soon reemerged as a key resource for parents and families as the pandemic wore on. Now they’re looking forward to summer camps and resuming normal operations. Eric spoke with Keshawn about the Boys and Girls Clubs, COVID-19, and how he’s talking with young people about the Derek Chauvin trial and the fights for social justice and civil rights. We also caught up about his best-selling book series for young adults. This is that conversation.