GODDESS
Tara Vargas Wallace
Social Justice Activist and Nonprofit Leader
Tara Vargas Wallace is a dynamic community leader and social justice advocate based in Hyannis, Massachusetts. She is the Founder, CEO, and President of Amplify POC, Inc., a nonprofit she established in 2020 to champion racial equity, support POC-owned businesses, and bridge the racial wealth gap on Cape Cod.
Early Life & Journey
Born in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, Tara became a homeless single mother shortly after moving to Cape Cod with her young daughter. With critical support from Housing Assistance Corporation, she overcame this hardship and embarked on a 20‑year career serving individuals affected by housing & food insecurity, trauma, addiction, and domestic & sexual violence.
Career & Community Leadership
Over two decades of experience working with nonprofits such as Housing Assistance, Independence House, Homeless Prevention Council, and the Department of Transitional Assistance as a social worker.
Former Commissioner on the Cape Cod Commission on the Status of Women & Girl’s and also a graduate of INP with a certificate in Social Impact Management & Leadership.
Leads and collaborates with organizations like the Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition, the NAACP, the MLK Jr. Action Team, and served on the boards of Housing Assistance Corporation and CCYP.
Active board member of the People of Action and Pop Up Street Cape Cod.
Honors & Awards
2025 Alumni of the Year Award from Cape Cod Community College
Latino Excellence Award Honoree from the Massachusetts Black & Latino Legislative Caucus (2024)
Paul Harris Fellow recognition for leadership and service (2022)
Barnstable County Human Rights Advisory Commission’s “Unsung Hero Award” (2021)
Emerging Community Leader Award from CCYP (2020)
Cape & Plymouth Business Magazine’s “40 Under 40” (2020)
Community Advocacy Award from Eastern Bank (2022)
Advocacy & Impact
Delivered a powerful TEDxProvincetown talk in 2022 on five ways to close the racial wealth gap, including “wallet activism” and policy reform.
Featured on WCAI’s Morning Edition and other local media as a leading voice on racial and economic justice in the Cape Cod region.
Amplify POC Mission
Under Tara’s leadership, Amplify POC has:
Built a regional business directory and organized vendor events centering POC-owned enterprises.
Hosted workshops on entrepreneurship, financial empowerment, and systemic change.
Led civic engagement initiatives and supported policies aimed at closing racial equity gaps.
Tara Vargas Wallace’s inspiring journey—from overcoming homelessness to becoming a catalyst for justice and economic empowerment—embodies resilience, vision, and the transformative power of community. Her work continues to uplift and mobilize historically excluded voices while creating pathways toward a more equitable future.