Author: Abby DeRigo
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Marty Walsh and Tito Jackson meet for first debate
Mayor Marty Walsh and city councilor Tito Jackson, his challenger for the corner office, finally faced off in the first mayoral debate of the election. The overall topics were safety, economic development, education, and race and diversity. The debate was held in Hibernian Hall in Dudley Square, and the Wednesday night crowd often cheered,…
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Boston seeks consultant in push to end youth homelessness
Mayor Walsh attends the opening of a new transitional shelter run by Bridge Over Troubled Water, an organization that helps homeless youth. On Tuesday, Oct. 10, the City of Boston announced it is searching for a consultant to assist its efforts to end youth homelessness. The new consultant will be responsible for gathering data, assessing…
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Bridge Over Troubled Water Opens New Transitional Home for Homeless Youth
Photo by Alejandro Ramirez On Friday Sept. 22, Bridge Over Troubled Water opened a new expansion for a transitional home in Brighton in an effort to double the amount of housing it can offer to homeless young adults in Boston. The new house offers meals, in-house counseling and employment assistance among other services. “We don’t…
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Teachers out in force to protest Betsy DeVos at Harvard
When Education Secretary Betsy Devos came to the Kennedy School of Government last week, she faced protesters outside the school as well as inside. The crowd outside included members of the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance, a coalition of teachers, parents, students, and civil rights groups. They were out front with signs and amplifiers making it…
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Mass. Activists and Politicians React to Trump’s DACA Repeal
Update: As of Sept. 14, President Donald Trump and the Democratic party have worked closer towards a deal on DACA. Democratic leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi announced working on a deal with the President, though the President has both denied and confirmed reports of the deal. The details are murky, though it seems…
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Hate Speech Rally Gets Shut Down
Photo by Caitlin Russell Counter-protesters came out in force and far outnumbered the “alt-right” faithful who descended upon Boston for what they called a “Free Speech Rally,” which others saw as a transparent cover for a hate speech rally. The rally ended early as the bandstand from which the white nationalist speakers were supposed to…
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Bill Aims to Regulate Out-of-state Inmate Labor
The Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security heard testimony on Senate Bill 1279, An Act Protecting Inmate Safety and Expenditure of State Funds, on July 19 at the Massachusetts State House. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Michael Barrett (D-Lexington), would establish guidelines for shipping inmates out of state to perform labor. The bill…
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Protesters assemble for Speaker Ryan’s Lawrence New Balance factory tour
Protesters in front of the Lawrence Train Station, on the opposite corner of the New Balance Factory. All photos: Alejandro Ramirez. Around 100 protesters gathered in front of the Lawrence, MA train station to protest U S. House Speaker Paul Ryan’s tour of the nearby New Balance factory. Many held signs supporting Obamacare and calling…
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Boston City Council considers safe injection sites
The Boston City Council has been actively exploring and debating the possible implementation of medically supervised injection facilities — or safe injection sites — in Boston. The topic, first discussed by the City Council during their June 7 meeting, got a formal hearing on June 19 featuring several experts and stakeholders related to the opioid…
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City Officials and Activists Discuss Health and Fair Housing in Roxbury
BPHC Director Monica Valdes Lupi Residents of Roxbury, especially those living in subsidized housing, face greater health risks, including higher rates of asthma, diabetes and elevated blood lead levels, than many other Boston residents. These increased risks, according to the Boston Public health Commission, are linked to the quality and availability of housing in Boston.…