City councilor and congressional nominee Ayanna Pressley speaks at a rally against the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh on Monday. Photo: Kiera Murray. The week leading up to Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court of the United States started and ended with rallies protesting his appointment. On Monday, Oct. 1 hundreds of people gathered on…
At Rosie’s Place, a legal program helps vulnerable women navigate immigration, debt and everything in between
For over 40 years in Boston’s South End neighborhood, Rosie’s Place has opened its doors to homeless and impoverished women seeking assistance and safety. The bustling lobby rarely — if ever — slows down. A little past the front desk, the office of the legal assistance program has become increasingly in-demand and growing to meet…
With thousands more projected to live in Boston by 2030, city plans to add affordable housing changes
Census data from 2016 has Boston rethinking its housing goals for 2030, which is projected to see 59,000 more residents than anticipated. City officials released a revised version of their Imagine Boston 2030 plan that includes building an additional 16,000 units by 2030, upping the 2030 projected population of people in Boston from 709,000 by…
After the smoke has cleared: Following a weekend of displacement, Merrimack Valley families still await gas, reimbursement and a return to normalcy
The line outside the Lawrence Senior Center was dozens of people deep the Saturday after a series of gas leaks and fires displaced thousands of families in the Merrimack Valley. Photo: Alejandro Ramirez. Intro: Thursday night evacuation Around three in the afternoon on Thursday, Sept. 13, a detective at Yahaira Ramos’s home in the southern…
Workers rally in the Seaport prior to talks with Marriott hotels
Hotel workers and members of UNITE HERE Local 26 marched through the Seaport on Friday, September 21 to rally against Marriott-owned hotels in the area. The march of 100 plus workers was a continuation of a march held on Labor Day, where union members announced they would force a strike vote if contract negotiations did…
The Suboxone Withdrawal Diaries, Part 2
“Late last night and the night before, Tommyknockers, Tommyknockers, knocking at the door. I want to go out, don’t know if I can, ‘cause I’m so afraid of the Tommyknocker (dealers) man.” — The Tommyknockers, by Stephen King; a book, that helped me get through this. August 21 This is day 8 of my…
Massachusetts Housing Program is Finalist for $100,000 Prize
The Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance’s “Pay for Success” program is one of the top 10 finalists for the $100,000 Drucker Prize award. The Drucker Institute recognizes non-profit organizations at a national level. Peter Drucker helped create philosophical and practical base for contemporary business and established the institute that has awarded the prize over the…
Healthcare is a Human Right
By the time you read this, I will have had my second surgery to plant a fistula in my arm for my eventual dialysis treatment. But that is not what I want to talk about today. After all, I’m fine, and I’m reasonably healthy because I have been lucky. I have great healthcare, and I’m…
Bookstore Employing Youth Opens Its Doors, Warehouse in the South End
A new South End bookstore has been open for less than a week, but already has had an impact on formerly homeless youth and high school dropouts looking for opportunities to better themselves while gaining job skills. The More Than Words (MTW) Liberty Bookstore on East Berkeley Street had its debut on Monday, September 10th.…
Union members march in solidarity with hotel workers on September holiday
Photo: Jack Adams. Union workers took to the streets on Labor Day evening in support of hotel workers who are advocating for contract negotiations with Marriott employers. The workers picketed in front of The Westin Copley Place, Boston hotel entrance on Huntington Avenue and were joined by dozens of other union workers from different job…