Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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An Interview with the AIDS Action Committee’s New Executive Director, Carl Sciortino
BOSTON, Mass.—After nine years representing the 34th Middlesex District as a state representative, Carl Sciortino of Medford left the legislature last month to join the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts as its executive director. He formally announced his resignation in March, effective as of April 7. In the legislature, Sciortino served on the Joint Committee…
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Mothers for Justice and Equality Takes on Gun Violence
ROXBURY, Mass.—On 2 September 2010, someone gunned down 18-year-old Eric Smith on Blue Hill Ave. in Roxbury. The very next day, Eric’s aunt, Monalisa Smith, vowed to the Boston Herald that “those who are out there committing these crimes will understand the devastation they’re causing.” While nearly four years have passed and police have yet…
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Boston Joins International Climate Leadership Group
BOSTON, Mass.— Mayor Martin Walsh recently announced that Boston will join the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), an invitation-only global network of cities working to prepare for and prevent climate change. He also announced the creation of the 2014 Climate Action Plan Steering Committee, which will direct and update Boston’s 2007 Climate Action Plan,…
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City Council Commission Addresses Issues Facing Black Men and Boys
BOSTON, Mass.—Boston’s city council saw two bills introduced for discussion this year about issues that concern black youth, both of which passed with ease this February. Councilors Michael Flaherty and Tito Jackson led the discussion with more than 60 black residents from all over the city during a hearing at Madison Park High School in…
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Infrastructure Inequality: The Battle to Fix the Long Island Bridge
Outside of Woods-Mullen Shelter, just down the street from Boston Medical Center, sits a large, cage-like structure. A fence runs down the middle, creating two chain-link hallways. On a windy Boston afternoon, people in hoodies, sweatpants, ball caps and shades gather there, some huddled together, others standing and talking or smoking, many clinging to the…
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Turkey Plays Chicken in Harvard Square
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—Although no one knows for sure how long it’s been there, whether a couple months or more, it appears that the Harvard Square turkey is there to stay. Miraculously still alive in an area notorious for bad driving, the turkey spends its days either walking causally the wrong way down Mass Ave. or posing…
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Climate Groups Press Governor Patrick for a Clean Fuel Standard
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—Dorian Williams, joined by fellow members of the Better Future Project and 350 Massachusetts, has been trying multiple times to get into Gov. Patrick’s office since last October. They only have one goal in mind: to encourage Gov. Patrick to cement his legacy as a climate champion and put Massachusetts on the right path…
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Sharewood Project Brings Healthcare to Low-Income Communities
MALDEN, Mass.—The Sharewood Project is a volunteer-run health clinic founded in 1997. Medical students and doctors from Tufts University Medical School and the Cambridge Health Alliance staff the program. Its clinic provides case managers every Tuesday evening to help people set up online health insurance accounts at the state Massachusetts Health Connector website and fill…
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Mayor Walsh Proposes Amendment to Housing Inspection Ordinance
BOSTON, Mass.—On Saturday, March 22, Mayor Martin Walsh announced a proposed amendment to the City of Boston’s Rental Housing Inspection Ordinance in an attempt to help renters live in safe and up-to-code homes. One of the main obstacles standing in the way of healthy housing in Boston is the cost landlords have to put toward…
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Night Goggles
When shadows you know step and shine on shadows you don’t, you might see what Vishnu once saw: The creation of all earth, of all life, a dream- bound together in joy and tears, the codas caught frozen in time and left for later, like an old high school yearbook boxed somewhere up in the…
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