Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Despite Endorsement From Massachusetts Medical Society, Legislators Go Home For Summer Without Approving Supervised Injection Sites
Legislators folded at the chance to establish a supervised injection site pilot program within a bill, following the strong condemnation of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling at the end of this legislative session. The supervised injection facility (SIF) idea was approved for further study by the Senate Ways and Means…
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Boston receives federal grant to help homeless youth
On Tuesday, July 17, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that Boston will be one of 11 communities to receive a part of a $43 million dollar grant to help end youth homelessness. The announcement was made by HUD’s deputy assistant secretary for special needs Jemine Bryon. “Today, we further commit…
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Boston receives federal grant to help homeless youth
Mayor Walsh poses with members of the Bridge Over Troubled Waters community. Photo by author. On Tuesday, July 17, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that Boston will be one of 11 communities to receive a part of a $43 million dollar grant to help end youth homelessness. The announcement was made…
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Going For a Colonoscopy: Not Fun, But Definitely Important
Last week on Wednesday I took my wife, Mary Esther, for a colonoscopy. The prep is usually the worst part of the procedure and I lost weight watching my wife prepping for the eight days it took to get ready for the procedure. I swore to myself I would never go through that again and…
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Annual Vendor Cookout Coming to Cambridge
The Homeless Empowerment and Spare Change News will host its annual vendor cookout Saturday, Aug. 11 from 11a.m. to 3p.m. at Old Cambridge Baptist Church, located at 1151 Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge. If it rains Saturday, the cookout will go ahead as planned, inside the church building. HEP/Spare Change News is welcoming Mimi Bouchouar,…
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Boston passes living wage ordinance
Boston was one of the first cities in the United States to to pass a living wage ordinance to ensure that cleaning and maintenance workers and security officers in city buildings are paid a prevailing wage rate and have job protections. Mayor Martin Walsh filed a citywide proposal to update the current ordinance to include…
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Awakening
Over the last few years I have felt disconnected from the black community, not coming from them but me. It wasn’t on purpose, mind you. I wasn’t as young people call it these days “cooning;” that means Uncle Tom for you folks that aren’t up on street slang. I railed against everything that affects us,…
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Will the World Cup runneth over marginalized people?
Fans and passersby gathered under an easy-up in Pioneer Square to watch Argentina face off against — and lose to — underdog Croatia in the World Cup. Occidental Park vendors set up shop on the outskirts of their brick-and-mortar establishments, offering ways to get coffee and treats without breaking the sightline to the screen where…
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Separated Families Suffer Abuse in the United States
After three hours of paperwork, Katy Rodriguez from El Salvador, who was deported from the United States, finally exited the government’s immigration facilities together with her young son and embraced family members who were waiting outside. Rodríguez and her three-year-old son were reunited again on Jun. 28, just before she was sent back to her…
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Markey leads pro-choice groups in opposing Trump’s handpicked Supreme Court nominee
Pro-choice advocates and Senator Edward Markey organized a press conference at the Planned Parenthood health center in Boston to vocally state their strong opposition to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh is a D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals judge who President Donald Trump nominated as his second Supreme Court pick, following Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement…
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