“Echoes of Liberty” Brings Rhode Island’s Icons to Life at Roger Williams Park Botanical Center for America250

“Echoes of Liberty” Brings Rhode Island’s Icons to Life at Roger Williams Park Botanical Center for America250  PROVIDENCE, RI – As the nation begins its journey toward the America250 centennial, a singular, immersive experience will bridge the gap between our storied past and our living present. On Saturday, March 7, from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM, TEN31 Productions will present “Echoes of Liberty,” a poignant one-day performance art installation hosted within the lush, glass-enclosed sanctuary of the Roger Williams Park Botanical Center.  This performance is made possible by grant funding of the Providence Tourism Council and support from the City of Providence and the Providence Parks Department.  In a striking juxtaposition of frozen time and fluid motion, five pivotal figures from Rhode Island’s history will emerge among the exotic flora. These are not static monuments, but Living Statues—performers transformed through meticulous costuming and makeup to embody the state’s enduring spirit of independence, innovation, and legacy.  A Convergence of Stillness and Soul  "Echoes of Liberty" invites visitors of all ages to wander through the Botanical Center’s tropical warmth, where the stillness of historical representation meets the vibrancy of contemporary performance. As guests move through the gardens, they will encounter figures representing the pillars of the Rhode Island narrative:  Religious Freedom & Independent Thought  Pursuit of Happiness & Immigration  The Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution  The Early Calls for American Independence   While these figures appear as statues, they are imbued with a quiet vitality. A subtle shift in posture, a lingering gaze, or a non-verbal interaction will bridge the centuries, offering a deeply personal connection to our collective heritage.  "The work of our foremothers and forefathers lives on; it is a living, breathing foundation, echoing the fight for freedom and equality," says Joe Pari of TEN31 Productions. "By placing these iconic Rhode Islanders within the vibrant, living environment of the Botanical Center in a place created by the people of Rhode Island, we are representing our ancestors as living architects of the freedom we still navigate today in this enduring 'lively experiment' in the pursuit of liberty as it is engraved on the Rhode Island Statehouse."  A Cultural Winter Escape  Thanks to the support of the Providence Tourism Council, this event is a premier tourist attraction and a "winter warm-up," inviting Rhode Islanders and visitors alike to trade the March chill for the invigorated atmosphere of the gardens. It is a rare opportunity to celebrate the America250 milestone through a lens that is uniquely Rhode Island—provocative, artistic, and fiercely independent.  Event Details:  What: Echoes of Liberty: A Living Art Installation  When: Saturday, March 7, 2026 | 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM  Where: Roger Williams Park Botanical Center, 1 Floral Ave, Providence, RI 02905 Admission: General Admission: $5  Child (6-12), Seniors (65+), & Military (w/ ID): $2  Child (under 6): FREE  Members and Providence Residents: FREE

亞裔企業賦能會首屆亞太裔資本峰會資訊豐富 麻州經濟長Eric Paley鼓勵人使用mass.gov/BFD

亞裔企業賦能會董事羅元旭（右起），主任石慶青，亞美基金共同創辦人
李保華，劍橋香港餐廳東主李伯豪等人出席會議，與出席者交流。（周菊子攝）

             (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓綜合報導)亞裔企業賦能會（Asian Business Empowerment Council）日前在薩福克大學（Suffolk）法學院舉辦首屆亞太裔資本峰會（AAPI Capital Summit），邀得麻州企業發展廳廳長Eric Paley、銀行及企業發展相關組織代表，試圖為亞裔企業經營者提供獲取資金，解除憂慮之道。

麻州企業發展廳廳長Eric Paley呼籲使用mass.gov/BFD。（周菊子攝）

薩福克大學Sawyer 商學院院長曾艾美（Amy Zeng）。（周菊子攝）

            根據亞裔企業賦能（ABEC），Mass Inc.，以及麻州州政府等機構所做的「在岩壤中生根：麻州亞裔企業現狀（Setting Roots in Rocky Soil: The State of AAPI-owned Businesses in Massachusetts）」，「不再隱形：2025 麻州亞太裔社區調查報告（No Longer Invisible: 2025 Massachusetts APIA Community Survey Report）」，「2025 麻州小企業第四波調查報告（2025 Massachusetts Small Business Survey (Wave 4)）」等調查報告，過去20年來，亞裔企業在麻州的增長率高達187%，居全州之冠，為麻州貢獻了40億美元薪資，但是亞裔經營企業有40%靠自己的儲蓄，24%依賴親友支持，有77%亞裔為取得資金是維持營運或擴大發展的最大障礙。

李雄愛（Irene Li）創辦有美美餐飲集團和Preshif。（周菊子攝）

            亞裔企業賦能還會發現，儘管亞裔企業已從傳統的餐飲、洗衣店，擴散進醫療保健與專業服務，但接受調查的亞裔僅約39%對美國有歸屬感，受語言障礙等因素影響，面對更多經營困難，僅16.7% 亞裔企業能成功取得傳統銀行貸款，亞裔微型企業仍然害怕和政府打交道，經常完全不知道，或最後才知道政府的支持、補助政策。

            亞裔企業賦能會是波士頓基金會（Boston Foundation）亞美基金（Asian American Fund）麾下組織，旨在為亞裔提供各種管道，資源，以創立企業，並拓展，擴張。這次針對亞裔企業的取得資金困難，首舉了辦屆亞太裔資本峰會。

亞裔企業賦能會（ABEC)主任石慶青。（周菊子攝）

「資本準備，明白而簡單」座談。（周菊子攝）

             這場資本峰會，有近百人出席，在麻州企業發展廳廳長Eric Paley之外，亞裔企業賦能會還請到薩福克大學Sawyer 商學院院長曾艾美（Amy Zeng），Preshift 及美美餐廳集團共同創辦人李雄愛（Irene Li），地方企業援助基金（Local Enterprise Assistance Fund）策略及發展部總經理暨財務長Amine Benali，Needham銀行小企業主管George Drugas做主旨演講，爐邊談話，專題分享，還安排東方銀行（Eastern Bank）副總裁Abby Nguyen-Burke主持「資本準備，明白而簡單（Capital Readiness, Plain & Simple）」座談，請地方企業援助基金的Amine Benali，美國小企業行政局的Kristi Haxhiaj，海灣殖民地發展公司（Bay Colony Development）的Laura T. Brown，大通銀行（JP Morgan Chase Bank）的Simon Zabrovskiy等人回答出席者提問。

美國小企業行政局(SBA)派出伍少武(Norman Eng)(右），Kristi Haxhiaj（中）
等3人出席會議。（周菊子攝）

            麻州企業發展廳廳長Eric Paley指出，許多移民創業者刻意避開政府關注，以至於錯失龐大的政府補助與貸款機會，麻州政府為此推出mass.gov/BFD門戶網站，企圖借助軟體系統的自動導航（Navigator）功能，為企業經營者提供一站式服務。

            薩福克大學Sawyer 商學院院長曾艾美表示，該校的企業中心也為小企業開辦了為期6周，每週六上午上課的訓練營（bootcamp），課程結束後，還提供8小時的個人諮詢，以及3個月的實習諮詢。該笑還伴有SEED這技術援助及策略諮詢服務。

Tomo 360市場行銷公司創辦人Susu Wong。（周菊子攝）

            美美餐飲集團共同創辦人李雄愛（Irene Li）在亞裔企業賦能會主任石慶青（QJ Shi）主持的爐邊談話中坦承表示，她家3兄妹從2012年創辦美美街邊廚房（Mei Mei Street Kitchen）的餐車，到現在的經營為餐館業及小企業提供技術支援公司Preshift，以及餃子直營工廠”美美“，她們也走過不少灣路。

地方企業援助基金（Local Enterprise Assistance Fund）策略及發展部總經理Amine Benali。

            李雄愛指出，家庭式經營往往是擴張的絆腳石，在創業的這條路上，她體會到透明化財務管理的重要性。她也提醒經營企業者要和社區發展，銀行等金融機構建立良好關係，才能在急需用錢時，更順利地取得資金。

            地方企業援助基金（Local Enterprise Assistance Fund）策略及發展部總經理暨財務長Amine Benali介紹該機構創立於1982年，是個由移民領導的社區發展金融機構，從2016年開始在低收入區域，為麻州內未得到足夠服務的企業提供融資，諮詢服務。

Needham銀行小企業主管George Drugas。（周菊子攝）

            Amine Benali提醒企業經營者，想要成功創業，得為初創階段和經營階段準備資金。他解析了這2階段資金的可能來源，取得流程，列出該機構為人提供的決策支援服務。

ABEC首屆資本峰會有近百人參加。（周菊子攝）

            Needham銀行小企業主管George Drugas則解說了商業銀行再提供貸款之外，都為小企業做些什麼事，包括日常營運支援，更快取得營業收入，風險管理，提供數位工具及方便，建立關係等。企業逮款通常有企業信用額度，有期限貸款，商業房地產貸款，美國小企業局(SBA)貸款，以及企業信用卡等。他也勸小企業在找銀行貸款錢，先做自我檢查，問問自己要錢做什麼，如何還款，自己的計劃是什麼，有哪些地方可能出錯等等。他甚至還列出一張清單，讓人看看第一次和銀行接觸時的對話，大概會有些什麼內容。

            George Drugas還指出，銀行審核貸款，還有包括品德，能力，資本，抵押品，環境等的5C準則。

出席者提問。（周菊子攝）

            在「資本準備，明白而簡單」的座談中，講者們指出，許多亞裔企業申貸被拒，往往是因為個人帳戶和公司帳戶混用，以致帳目不清，做一份準確的年度財報和數位化的會計紀錄，並提交連續3年以上的紀錄，很重要。

            亞美基金共同創辦人李保華（Paul Lee），ABEC董事羅元旭，經營已逾70年的劍橋市香港餐廳東主李伯豪等人當天都在場，和出席者交流，鼓勵亞裔企業充分利用ABEC提供的資源，發展企業。

Needham銀行提供的參考。

            當天在現場擺攤，介紹各自為企業所提供服務的，還有美國小企業行政局，劍橋儲蓄銀行，大通銀行（JP Morgan），Needham銀行，Dorchester Bay 經濟發展公司等機構。

Needham銀行提供的參考。

「1975年唐人街波士頓校車接送計畫」攝影展將在華埠陳氏公園展至5/15

「1975年唐人街波士頓校車接送計畫」攝影系列展海報。
（綠路保護會提供）

        （Boston Orange）綠路保護協會（The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy）即日起至5月15日，在波士頓華埠陳毓禮、黃杏蓉公園（Chin Park）展出藝術家徐乙漾（Daphne Xu）和華埠土地信託會（CCLT）合作的「1975年唐人街波士頓校車接送計畫」攝影系列展。

展覽現場穿插佈置了1975 年事件僅存的幾張歷史照片，以及2025 年 7 月，華埠土地信推會邀請50年前曾參與為巴士載送上學事件抗議，協商，並向波士頓學校委員會提交了九項訴求清單的老師，學生，家長們重聚時，拍下的照片，藉由把同一批人 50 年前與如今的影像並列，行程具感染力的視覺對比與歷史感，也凸顯了校車接送計畫對波士頓華裔社區的深遠影響。

聯邦法官 W. Arthur Garrity Jr. 當年在「摩根訴亨尼根案（Morgan v. Hennigan）」中裁定，波士頓公立學校的種族隔離做法違憲，從而開始用巴士校車載送學生到其他社區上學的做法，但是華裔家庭擔心自己的小孩在波士頓公校用巴士送他們去白人佔多數的社區上學時，不夠安全，無法充分與人溝通，於是組織並發起了一場非常成功的罷課行動，逼使學校委員會回到談判桌，重新檢視他們的子女接受教育，得到安全保障的權利。

華埠土地信託會執行主任駱理德（Lydia Lowe）表示，今年正好是美國建國250週年，促使人們回顧，理解華埠歷史顯得更為重要。「1975年唐人街波士頓校車接送計畫」這攝影展，源自該會客正努力籌辦，見證了歷史，也彰顯移民勞工家庭生活重心的「移民歷史步道」多媒體公共藝術項目。

「移民歷史步道」計畫已製作出數個「透鏡像框（Lenticular photographs）」，讓觀看者在站在同一幅相框面前時，能夠因為腳步移動，看到不同照片，進而感受到歷史經時間流動出的變化。相框上還有二維碼（QR Code），讓觀看者藉掃描，連結到該計畫官網（www.immigranthistorytrail.com），看到更深入的故事，更多的影像，音頻片段。

這一攝影展獲有梅隆基金會（Mellon Foundation）資助，是波士頓市長藝術文化辦公室「非紀念碑計畫（Un-monument initiative）」的一部分，旨在向1975 年為教育公平而組織起來，多半都是勞工階層移民的母親、學生和老師們致敬，表揚他們的努力與成功，塑造了早年華裔人士爭取權益的典範。

查詢相關活動細節，可上社交媒體@greenwaypublicart 以及 @chinatownclt。

波士頓市長吳弭這週末應邀赴德國參加慕尼黑安全會議

             (Boston Orange編譯) 2月13日至15日在德國舉行的2026年慕尼黑安全會議（Munich Security Conference），首次邀請美國市長參加，波士頓市長吳弭（Ｍichelle Wu）的風頭，這週末就吹到歐洲去了。

            這一會議共有600多名來自世界各地的領袖參加，包括美國國務卿盧比奧（Marc Rubio），中國外交部長王毅，波蘭總理澤蘭斯基等人。

吳弭市長應邀參加的是其中一場，安排在2月14日下午4點半，假慕尼黑巴伐利亞霍夫酒店（Hotel Bayerischer Hof）的 Dachgarten II 廳舉行週邊會議，，主題是「市長們的領導力與外交對話（Conversation on Leadership and Diplomacy with Mayors）」。

這是慕尼黑安全會議創辦60多年來，首次為市長舉辦的專場座談，由「國際地方領導人聯盟（Alliance for Local Leaders International）」主辦，並由其創辦人兼執行長尼娜·哈奇吉安（Nina Hachigian）大使主持。吳弭將和波蘭華沙市長拉法烏·特扎斯科夫斯基（Rafał Trzaskowski），還以視訊方式參加的烏克蘭基輔市長維塔利·克利欽科（Vitali Klitschko）座談在地緣政治盛行的國際局勢中，城市如何維護其民主韌性與安全。

2026的這場慕尼黑安全會議，美國派出了空前龐大的代表團，在國務卿魯比歐（Marco Rubio）之外，還有加州州長紐森（Gavin Newsom）、密西根州州長惠特梅爾（Gretchen Whitmer）以及多位參眾議員。吳弭是美國歷來第一位被邀出席這會議的市長。

吳弭在2024年5月應梵蒂岡邀請到羅馬參加氣候峰會，去年12月再應邀到加拿大Nova Scotia省砍聖誕樹，去年3月還因批評川普政府，被共和黨國會監管委員會傳喚到華府作證，為波士頓市保護非法移民和公共安全紀錄的庇護城市政策辯護，她在全美，甚至國際間的知名度暴漲。

去年她去加拿大時，波士頓前鋒報曾追查她的出差費用，指她不必要的帶了多名隨員出訪，花的公帑過多。這次吳弭的辦公室說，她只帶了2名隨從前往，而且費用都由邀請她出席的主辦方支付。

As Tax Season Begins, Senate Passes Bill to Grow the CPA Workforce

As Tax Season Begins, Senate Passes Bill to Grow the CPA Workforce 

Legislation Delivers Credit for On-the-Job Experience 

 

(BOSTON—2/12/2026) The Massachusetts Senate today unanimously passed legislation to help the certified public accountant (CPA) workforce grow and meet consumer demand while upholding its longtime professional standards. The bill updates the standards for certification as a certified public accountant to feature a balanced mix of on-the-job work experience and a college degree. 

 

In the process, the measure—S.2946, An Act relative to modernizing the pathway to becoming a certified public accountant—removes the outdated and costly requirement that CPAs currently complete even more college course credits than are required for a standard degree. 

 

“As tax season begins, families and small businesses rely on trusted accounting professionals who can help them file accurately and keep more of what they earn,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Two years ago, we passed the largest tax cut in more than 20 years. This year, the Senate is acting to ensure there are enough accountants to help people take full advantage of those tax savings. I am deeply grateful to Senator Cronin for his leadership as the sponsor of this bill, along with Chairs Rodrigues and Payano for their stewardship of this issue.” 

 

“The demand for professional certified public accountants has grown exponentially over the past several years, and this legislation aims to meet that demand, by both upholding the professional standards for the industry, and also providing a streamlined process for entering the field,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “By combining real work experience with the higher education platform, more aspirants will now be able to join the ranks and meet a growing demand for people who would like to pursue this career.” 

 

The number of CPAs in the Commonwealth has been shrinking, according to public testimony received by the Legislature this session. The bill responds to the growing need in Massachusetts by allowing CPAs who are licensed in other states to practice in Massachusetts, provided that they meet local standards and pass the Uniform CPA Examination. 

 

“Massachusetts businesses, municipalities, and families all rely on trusted financial professionals, and right now the pipeline into the accounting profession is shrinking,” said Senator Pavel M. Payano (D-Lawrence), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. “This legislation opens practical pathways to licensure while preserving the high educational standards that define the CPA credential. By modernizing how qualified candidates enter the profession, we strengthen our workforce, support economic stability, and ensure the next generation of accountants can meet the needs of our communities.” 

 

“CPAs play an invaluable role in ensuring that Massachusetts remains a leader in industries across the country,” said Senator John J. Cronin (D-Fitchburg), lead sponsor of the legislation. “This legislation removes financial barriers to pursuing a career as a CPA, while maintaining the same rigorous academic and professional standards that have guided the profession for decades. I’m proud to see this initiative advance in the Senate and look forward to continuing to deliver sound policy to broaden career pathways for residents and increase our state's competitiveness.” 

 

Full details of the legislation are available in a fact sheet in the Senate’s press room. 

 

The Senate Committee on Ways and Means advanced the bill to the full Senate with a 16-0 vote on February 5, 2026, following approval of a previous version by the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure on November 13, 2025. All committee votes are posted on the Legislature’s website. 

 

The Senate passed the bill 37-0 and sent it to the House of Representatives for further review. 

Governor Healey Announces Massachusetts to Become First State to Deploy ChatGPT Across Executive Branch

Governor Healey Announces Massachusetts to Become First State to Deploy ChatGPT Across Executive Branch 

Administration is launching enterprise AI assistant for state workforce  

 
BOSTON – Today, Governor Maura Healey announced the launch of the ChatGPT-powered Artificial Intelligence (AI) Assistant for the state’s workforce, with the goal of making government work better and faster for people. The AI Assistant will be implemented as a phased approach across the executive branch and will provide a safe and secure environment that protects state data. Massachusetts will be the first state to adopt the technology for the entire executive branch, which includes nearly 40,000 state employees. 

“This is about making government faster, more efficient, and more effective for the people we serve,” said Governor Healey. “AI has the potential to transform how government works, which is why we’re excited to partner with OpenAI on this AI Assistant, which will ensure a safe and secure environment for employees and improve their ability to deliver better service to the people of Massachusetts. I’m grateful to Secretary Snyder and Secretary Paley for their innovative leadership on this and to the state workers who are eager to embrace this new technology.”  

“By making ChatGPT available to the state workforce, we are empowering our employees with a secure, governed tool that can enhance service delivery while maintaining the highest standards for data privacy, security, and thoughtful, transparent usage of AI,” said Secretary Snyder. “Our focus is not just adopting AI, but doing so in a way that reflects our values, and strengthens trust with the residents we serve.” 

 

“Massachusetts is showing what leadership looks like in the AI era,” said Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley. “As the first state to launch an enterprise AI assistant across state government, we’re embracing these powerful tools to strengthen our workforce and improve how the Commonwealth serves people. Our hope is that institutions across the state will make the same commitment – to support their talent, move faster, and ensure Massachusetts continues to lead in AI innovation.” 
 

“We’re excited to be working with Massachusetts and grateful to Governor Healey for her leadership in bringing ChatGPT to the state’s workforce,” said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. “Massachusetts is helping lead a broader shift across government to help public servants spend less of their time on paperwork and more of their time doing what led them to public service in the first place: serving the people of the Commonwealth.” 

Following a competitive procurement process, the state and OpenAI have agreed to a contract to deploy ChatGPT at scale across Massachusetts state government. The rollout will take a phased approach, starting with staff in the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (TSS). Additional secretariats and executive branch agencies will be onboarded over the coming months. In conjunction with the rollout, the state is offering a series of optional training programs designed to provide employees using the Enterprise AI Assistant with a baseline understanding on best practices and strategic use of the tool.  

The rollout of ChatGPT will be within a walled-off, secure environment that protects state data and ensures that employee chat inputs do not train public AI models. Use of the tool is governed by terms and conditions set by the TSS Privacy Office, and regularly updated policies that govern the use and development of AI. While other states have launched limited pilot programs for ChatGPT, Massachusetts will be the first enterprise-wide deployment of the tool. 

More information on the tool, training and other Frequently Asked Questions can be found at mass.gov/ai. 

“The Human Resources Division is excited about this employee-focused resource,” said Melissa Pullin, Chief Human Resources Officer. “This partnership will be able to assist state employees in the course of their work and provides a cutting-edge tool to support the Commonwealth’s workforce.”  

“The AI revolution is only just beginning, and here in Massachusetts we are positioning ourselves to be at the forefront of this paradigm shifting technology,” said Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury), Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity. “This first-in-the-nation partnership will help state employees work more efficiently within an AI model that is specifically designed with privacy and security in mind – saving taxpayers money while maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information. I look forward to our continued partnership with EOTSS to identify new opportunities for AI-enabled technology.” 

The launch of the Enterprise AI Assistant builds on the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s broader strategy to position Massachusetts as a global leader in applied AI. Through the Massachusetts AI Hub, the Administration is coordinating state support for the AI ecosystem, expanding access to critical infrastructure like compute resources, deepening partnerships with industry and research institutions, and ensuring Massachusetts remains the place where AI is developed, tested, and turned into real-world solutions across sectors like life sciences, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and health care. 

川普限制39國移民簽證 麻州長幕僚受波及面臨失業困境

Valentina Amaro Bowser日前在州政府大樓內主持MA250相關會議。（檔案照，周菊子攝）

          （Boston Orange綜合報導）川普總統頒佈「限制與約束外國國民入境以保護美國安全」公告後，麻州不但於1月份出現「197 名合法移民對抗國土安全部」集體訟案，連麻州州長也有一名委內瑞拉籍幕僚受波及，刻正控告川普政府，訴請法官准她繼續工作。

            川普總統是在2025年12月16日時簽署了前述這份公告，從今年1月1日起生效後，美國國土安全局針對該公告點名的39國人民，開始“暫停並限制以下國籍人士的移民或非移民入境”。

            這些簽證包括了B-1、B-2（觀光/商務）、F（學生）、M（職業學生）與 J（交換訪問）非移民簽證。

            由於該公告還有USCIS 政策備忘錄（PM-602-0194）的配套規定，於是已在美國境內，來自前述39個人民的所有待決福利申請（Pending Benefit Requests），都被行政擱置（Hold）。備忘錄甚至還要求美國國土安全局重新審查從2021年1月20日起，已批准的案件。

            麻州州長室的多元文化媒體總監、委內瑞拉籍的鮑瑟（Valentina Amaro Bowser），就因為所持 H-1B 工作簽證將於2月14日達到六年法定上限，儘管她已和美國公民結婚，還在一年前就遞交了永久居留（綠卡）申請，但是美國公民及移民服務局（USCIS）卻以川普政府 2026 年初針對委內瑞拉等 39 個國家人民實施的暫停令，拒絕核准其案件。

            鮑瑟是在2013年時來美深造，2018年從愛默生學院畢業，2019年首度取得H-1B簽證，2023年加入奚莉州長的幕僚團隊，2024年11月和美國公民結婚，2025年1月遞交綠卡申請文件，2026年1月到USCIC面試時，移民官還說過程順利，沒想到後來竟收到通知，由於聯邦政府對39國人民的禁令，她的申請案擱置了。

            換言之，如果USCIS在2月14日時，還不批准鮑瑟的綠卡申請，她將喪失在美工作資格，也就失去了收入。

            鮑瑟的代表律師德拉戈（Anthony Drago Jr.）已向法院申請緊急動議，要求聯邦政府立即核發獨立的工作授權卡（EAD），讓她可以保住年薪 $94,738 美元的職位。麻州州長奚莉（Maura Healey）為支持屬下，已宣佈鮑瑟將從14日起放兩週無薪假，以等待法律裁決。

            奚莉州長為此批評聯邦政府「剝奪麻州居民與州政府的聯繫」。她強調鮑瑟「做對了每一件事」，卻因國籍問題面臨生計威脅。

            川普政府原本簽發的是針對39國人民，實施入境限制的“旅行禁令”。鮑瑟的代表律師正在挑戰該禁令延伸出來，凍結已在美國境內這些國家人民的移民福利是否合法，而1月14日時，美國國務欽魯比歐（Marco Rubio）宣佈，為了防止公共負擔（public charge），將無限期暫停核發75國人民的移民簽證。

            這涵蓋了將近全球40%的75國，主要有阿富汗、阿爾巴尼亞、阿爾及利亞、安地卡及巴布達、亞美尼亞、亞塞拜然、巴哈馬、孟加拉、巴貝多、白俄羅斯、貝里斯、不丹、波士尼亞與赫塞哥維納、巴西、緬甸、柬埔寨、喀麥隆、維德角、哥倫比亞、象牙海岸、古巴、剛果民主共和國、多米尼克、埃及、厄利垂亞、衣索比亞、斐濟、甘比亞、喬治亞、迦納、格瑞那達、瓜地馬拉、幾內亞、海地、伊朗、伊拉克、牙買加、約旦、哈薩克、科索沃、科威特、吉爾吉斯、寮國、黎巴嫩、賴比瑞亞、利比亞、摩爾多瓦、蒙古、蒙特內哥羅、摩洛哥、尼泊爾、尼加拉瓜、尼日利亞、北馬其頓、巴基斯坦、剛果共和國、俄羅斯、盧安達、聖克里斯多福及尼維斯、聖露西亞、聖文森及格瑞那丁、塞內加爾、獅子山、索馬利亞、南蘇丹、蘇丹、敘利亞、坦尚尼亞、泰國、多哥、突尼西亞、烏干達、烏拉圭、烏茲別克、葉門。

麻州長Healey呼籲新罕布夏州長反對設立ICE羈押中心

Governor Healey Calls on Governor Ayotte to Oppose New ICE Detention Center in New Hampshire 

BOSTON – Today, Governor Maura Healey has issued the following statement opposing an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency detention center in Merrimack, New Hampshire: 

 

“This is outrageous and absolutely the wrong move for New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and our entire region. 

ICE is shooting people dead on the street. Mothers have been ripped from cars and separated from children. U.S. Citizens have been stopped, detained and even killed. Peaceful protestors have been assaulted. Parents are afraid to send kids to school, to go to church, to seek health care and report crimes. None of this makes people safer – it makes us all less safe. 

Now ICE wants to build a new 400-bed facility in Southern New Hampshire to supercharge their horrific deportation tactics in our communities. This will impact people in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and across our region. Enough is enough. 

We should be opposing ICE’s tactics, not allowing them to expand. We certainly should not be allowing ICE to build new human warehouses when they can’t be trusted to keep people safe and protect due process. I oppose this in the strongest possible terms, and I am demanding that Governor Ayotte do everything in her power to block a new ICE facility in Southern New Hampshire.” 

藝術愛默生今春以8場影片活動展現亞美經驗 5/16重映「愛，唐人街」

「愛，唐人街（Love, Chinatown）」導演Luckas Dong(右三）
和波士頓亞美電影節創辦人甄翠嬿（左起），影片主角余麗馨，觀眾
黃周麗桃、黃瑞瑜，以及BAAFF副執行長陳曉瑩等人去年在影片放映後合影。
（檔案照片，周菊子攝）

           (Boston Orange編譯整理) 「藝術愛默生（ArtsEmerson）」今春將藉「共有的故事（Shared Stories）」和「投射連結：華裔美人經驗（Projecting Connections: Chinese American Experiences）」這2個主題，在2月至5月間放映8部影片，探討身份認同、歷史、文化交流等議題，以及跨社區講述故事力量。

Lukas Dong和余麗馨去年在活動現場回答觀眾提問。（檔案照片，周菊子攝）

在影片放映的同時，「藝術愛默生」將同步舉辦與電影製片，學者，藝術家和社區領袖對話等活動。其中一場活動，移至科學博物館舉行。

「投射連結：華裔美人經驗」系列，有4場活動。

梅雪嫻（右）和司徒玉貞（左）在影片放映會中敘舊。（檔案照片，周菊子攝）

2月6日是張致嘉（Jeff Chang）的專題講座和簽書會。開場前先放映阮鮑（譯音，Bao Nguyen）製作的紀錄片「若水（Be Water）」精華片段，接著再請2025年9月出版，入選該年度十大好書的「水鏡迴響：李小龍與亞裔美國人的誕生（Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee & the Making of Asian America）」一書作者張致嘉（Jeff Chang），藉由李小龍的一生，闡述亞裔在美國社會中如何有了新的定義。

3月7日下午3點，放映Jonah Ray Rodrigues執導，探討種族與代表性，展示「Chris Grace：飾演史嘉蕾·喬韓森（Chris Grace: As Scarlett Johansson）」這場舞台表演的紀錄片，藉由亞裔飾演西方最著名白人女演員Scarlett Johansson

黃國麟（左）和王英健（中）在「愛，中國城」放映會中不期而遇。
（檔案照片，周菊子攝）

，來反諷早年老萊塢用西方人來飾演亞裔的情況。

4月4日晚7點，和波士頓台灣影展協會（TFFB）合作，放映潘客印（Ke-yin Pan）執導，贏得第62屆金馬獎最佳改編劇本獎及最佳男配角獎，探討家族世代間關係的「我家的事（Family Matters）」一片。

5月16日下午3點，將放映曾在波士頓亞美電影節中放映，備受好評，由Lukas Dong執導，請出波士頓本地余麗馨為主角，藝術波士頓華埠歷史的紀錄片，「愛，唐人街（Love, Chinatown）」。同晚還將放映由黃亞倫執導的短片「鴻發樓（Hong Far Low）」。

「共有的故事」系列，共有3場放映會。

2月11日和新英格蘭日裔美國公民聯盟合作，已放映了中村正（Tadashi Nakamura）執導，展現藝術家Robert A. Nakamura 的生命歷程的「第三幕（Ｔhird Act）」。

3月6日放映蒲生由里子（Vuriko Gamo romer）執導，探討棒球如何跨越太平洋，成為每日文化連結的「鑽石外交（Diamond Diplomacy）」。

4月3日放映知名導演Raoul Peck的最新力作「奧威爾：2+2-5(Ｏrwell:2+2-5)」，引領觀眾反思喬治奧威爾預言在今日政治環境中的深遠意義。

特別放映會將是5月15日下午6點半，在波士頓科學博物館放映 Timour Gregory 與 Sasha Schneider 聯合執導，紀錄在「星際大戰」中飾演蘇魯（Sulu）的喬治·武井（George Takei）的傳奇一生，以及他發揮影響力，在流行文化中推動包容性的「把我傳送上去，蘇魯（Beam Me Up, Sulu）」，

購票可上網，ArtsEmerson.org ，或致電 617-824-8400。位於 559 Washington Street 的 Paramount Center 售票處，週四至週六提供現場服務。

MassDEP and DPH Joint Statement on the Trump Administration's Decision to Eliminate the Endangerment Finding

 

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and the Department of Public Health (DPH) release the following joint statement responding to the Trump Administration’s decision to eliminate the endangerment finding — the rule that says greenhouse gases are harmful to public health and the environment:

“By rolling back the endangerment finding, the Trump Administration is dismantling one of the most important tools we have to protect public health. We cannot ignore the simple fact that vehicle pollution is bad for people, bad for our environment and bad for our economy. Massachusetts communities are grappling with devastating floods, our farms are struggling with unpredictable weather, and our cities are burdened by scorching hot summers. Massachusetts has strong environmental protections, and we have made significant progress in improving our air quality. The Trump Administration’s decision will disrupt and challenge our progress to address climate change and protect our communities. Seniors, children, and those with asthma will bear the brunt of increased pollution. Here in Massachusetts, we remain committed to reducing asthma and improving air quality across the state. We will continue to follow science, fight for cleaner air, and make sure all Massachusetts residents are safe and healthy.”   Bonnie Heiple Commissioner of Environmental Protection Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD  Commissioner of Public Health