Trusted Messengers On a chilly Sunday afternoon outside the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury, Rachael Williams greeted passersby with an offering of free masks, hand sanitizer and, if needed, baby food. The care packages served as an ice breaker so she could strike up a conversation with the person about getting vaccinated. âSometimes people get a little scared or apprehensive because they think that this vaccine was rolled out overnight,"Williams told GBH News. "But it wasnât. It went through the same proper channels. It has been vetted, and it is safe,â . Williams, a senior research coordinator at Massachusetts General Hospital who is African American, is considered a trusted messenger â a culturally competent person who volunteers to spread the word in communities less likely to get the vaccine.