Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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ICE detains Nahant activist and single mother, protesters rally for her release
Photo: Steve Ahlquist. On Nov. 7, Immigration and Customs Enforcement took Siham Byah, a 40-year-old single mother from Nahant, Massachusetts, into custody. Byah faces a final deportation order after attending a check-in at an ICE office in Burlington, Massachusetts. Her 8-year-old son is currently in Department of Children and Families’ custody. According to a press…
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Family Counseling One Weapon For Fighting Opioid Scourge
After declaring the opioid crisis a public health emergency, many states, cities, towns and organizations are looking for ways to resolve it. Parenting Journey, a 35-year-old nonprofit organization based in Somerville, says the answer to the crisis is group therapy, particularly family therapy. Starting out as a group of clinicians and social workers in housing…
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The Hub, Housing and HQ2: What could Boston’s Amazon bid mean for housing in the city?
Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. Photo: Steve Jurvetson. On Oct. 20, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh released a formal proposal for Boston’s candidacy as the host city for Amazon’s second headquarters in North America. “As America’s city of revolutionary progress, Boston is the perfect fit for Amazon to build community, create opportunity and advance its world-changing mission,”…
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Book Review: The horror of ‘IT’ holds up
Pocket Books, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.; 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020; Published in 1986 and Republished in 2016. “It” a book by Stephen King, demanded to be republished because of its powerful horror, which is personified by a supernatural being that becomes Pennywise the Clown. It, the creature,…
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Boston Mayor Marty Walsh wins second term: a recap from both candidates election night watch parties
Walsh celebrates reelection. Photo: Rida Ashraf. An exuberant crowd of Mayor Marty Walsh supporters at Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel chanted “We are Boston, we are one” Tuesday night, following the announcement of the incumbent’s sweeping victory in the Boston elections. This will be Walsh’s second four-year-term as the Boston mayor. “Four years ago, my dream…
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Furnishing a House into a Home
On Saturday, Oct. 28, the nonprofit Furnishing Hope of Massachusetts cut the ribbon for its new location in Harvard Square, a bigger office than its previous location. Executive Director Suzy Palitz’s goal is to help families furnish their new house into a home. So in 2013 she started the nonprofit in Cambridge. Today Furnishing Hope…
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Racism as Usual at Sports Stadiums, College Campuses
Sometimes I find it truly amazing these days when people hear of racist actions or events and are shocked, as if these things are new to America or as if racism started yesterday. A couple of racist events happened this past week. A white college student in Connecticut did everything she could, including something weird…
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Boston Clergy Reignite MLK’s Poor People’s Campaign
As Americans all over the country eagerly await a real change, an enthusiastic crowd of people was heard chanting “No more! Poverty has to go!” outside Trinity Church on Thursday. The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, who is popularly known for his effective Moral Mondays movement, and the Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, have picked…
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Huge Mobile Home Park Co-op Deal Puts Residents in Charge
In a deal that is the largest of its kind, a group of 700 Halifax residents this week bought the mobile home park where they live for $27 million—and they’ll turn it into a co-op run by a nine person board. The deal at Halifax Estates was facilitated by specialists at the Cooperative Development Institute…
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Boston Public Library to offer homeless outreach program
A Pine Street Inn employee has been asked to take the lead on helping the homeless crowd that congregates in and around libraries across the city and has begun his role at the public library’s main branch in Copley. Bunch will help homeless patrons with any issues they may have, while others hired by the…
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