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星期五, 4月 26, 2024
波士頓市長吳弭慶祝麥特潘青年及家庭中心重新開幕
APIAVote推出紀念性亞美選民參與2024選舉週期活動
APIAVote Launches Monumental Asian-American Voter Engagement Effort for 2024 Election Cycle
More Than $5 Million Effort Includes GOTV Activations, Presidential Town Hall, Voter Fact Sheets, Voter Surveys, Campus Partnerships, and a Youth Ambassador Program
WASHINGTON, DC — Following the record-breaking turnout of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters in the 2020 elections, APIAVote is launching its most ambitious voter engagement and education campaign for the 2024 election cycle. Partnering with 60 organizations across 30 states, APIAVote aims to sustain and build upon growing civic participation in AAPI communities through a multi-layered strategy, including a multi-lingual direct mail campaign targeting 1.5 million AAPI households in key states, targeted phone and text banking, digital ads, a voter protection hotline, a presidential town hall, and on-the-ground GOTV efforts, among other activities and initiatives.
“Asian Americans have been the fastest growing group of eligible voters in the U.S. over the past two decades, growing by 15 percent in the last four years alone, and Asian Americans have turned out in record numbers in every federal election since 2016,” said Christine Chen, Executive Director and Co-Founder of APIAVote. “This is all despite a historic lack of engagement by political campaigns and parties. In a year when voters across the board appear more disaffected and disillusioned than ever, our focus at APIAVote is to show that AAPI voters remain engaged in the democratic process and that political candidates and parties should never take them for granted.”
Through generous support from donors including the Yield Fund, the Wallace H, Coulter Foundation, and Open Society Foundations, APIAVote is planning to spend more than $5 million during the 2024 election season, including $3 million in subgrants to local partner organizations’ civic engagement programs.
Among the activities and initiatives APIAVote has planned during the 2024 election are:
· Operating a dedicated, multi-lingual AAPI voter protection hotline (888-API-VOTE)
· A multi-lingual voter education video series will cover voting rights and registration procedures tailored to AAPI voters across 30 states via several local partner organizations
·
Strategic multilingual digital ad campaigns to
reinforce the importance of voting
·
A multilingual direct mail campaign targeting 1.5
million AAPI households in collaboration with partners in key states
·
Recruit and train student ambassadors from 50 college
campuses nationwide to serve as APIAVote’s 2024 Youth Ambassadors and implement
on-campus voter engagement programs
·
Recently released AAPI Voter State Fact Sheets,
which offer insights into voter engagement indicators for all 50 states and the
District of Columbia
·
Expanding APIAVote’s capacity to monitor and analyze
disinformation trends as they pertain to voting rights, elections, democracy,
anti-Asian hate, and harmful narratives about or originating from within the
AAPI community
APIAVote will also
convene a National AAPI Leadership Summit from July 11-12 and host its Presidential Town Hall in
Philadelphia on July 13, providing a crucial forum for engagement. Timed to the
Summit and Presidential Town Hall, APIAVote will also release its
biannual Asian American Voter Survey —
the oldest and longest running pre-election survey that reveals key elections
issues that matter most to Asian American voters including priority issues,
political leanings, voting preferences and favorability scores on
candidates.
APIAVote’s Norman Y. Mineta Leadership Institute (NYMLI) will also work with partners across the country to host trainings to equip community organizers with the skills and knowledge to drive impactful voter engagement and education initiatives. Focusing mainly on nonprofit staff, community leaders and volunteers, NYMLI is dedicated to engaging AAPI communities in successful electoral campaigns. The Institute hosts highly localized trainings to ensure that voting laws in each state are accounted for in order to share best practices and strategies specific to each locale.
APIAVote Executive Director Christine Chen has been a champion for the empowerment of AAPI communities from the start of her career and has taken on organizing and leadership roles with organizations like Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) while also offering expert consulting and guidance services through Strategic Alliances USA — a firm built on her broad and deep pool of relationships and skills in the AAPI community and in government. Chen is the foremost expert on the important role the AAPI community plays in today’s political landscape. She currently serves on the Kennedy Center Community Advisory Board and the Center for Asian American Media and is also a member of the Election Assistance and Policy (EAP) Standing Committee at the American Political Science Association.
This more than $5
million effort from APIAVote is just the latest in the leading AAPI civic and
voter education nonprofit’s work to effectively engage the near 20 million
Asian Americans across the United States who have been historically neglected
and overlooked in mainstream political polling, campaign and party outreach
efforts and other key conversations in election coverage. APIAVote has
cultivated and amplified the rapidly-growing voter turnout and political
participation of AAPI communities since 2007, investing in their capacity and
infrastructure to mobilize voters. This investment, as well as proactively
training and resourcing community leaders across the country, paid off in the
2020 election cycle and Census.
MBTA總經理伍偉華發聲明 稱許RIDE兩家服務商提高司機薪資
Statement of MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng on the Recent Wage Increases Implemented by Veterans Transportation and National Express Transit
BOSTON – The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) released the following statement in response to two of its contracted suppliers, Veterans Transportation and National Express Transit, recently implementing wage increases for drivers. The RIDE plays a critical role in ensuring mobility for individuals with disabilities who are unable to use fixed-route transit services. The MBTA ranks among the nation's largest transportation agencies, and demand for paratransit service has grown along with our other transportation modes.
In 2023, The RIDE provided 1.5 million trips to MBTA customers with disabilities. This transportation is provided to customers who are unable to take MBTA fixed route service. Demand for paratransit service continues to increase and providers have been unable to staff to the levels necessary to deliver the quality service that customers deserve.
The statement from MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng is as follows:
“We applaud Veterans
Transportation and National Express Transit for their proactive efforts to
invest in their frontline employees. This positive step will help attract and
retain skilled drivers, leading to improved service reliability and on-time
performance for our RIDE customers. We want high-quality, accessible
transportation options for all members of our community. By offering
competitive wages, our contracted service providers are better positioned to
build and maintain a stable workforce of experienced drivers who deeply
understand our customers’ needs. We look forward to the positive impacts of
these wage increases and how they translate into operational improvements as we
continue collaborating with our valued service providers to deliver safe,
reliable, and efficient RIDE services that meet the evolving needs of our
customers. Our shared goal is to ensure that every RIDE customer can count on
dependable, timely transportation to help them stay connected to their
communities and live independently.”
麻州議會通過2024會計年度2億5100萬元補充預算 支援家庭庇護系統
MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE PASSES FY24 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET
Legislation funds emergency shelter system into 2025
BOSTON (4/25/2024)—Today, the Massachusetts Legislature passed a supplemental budget that funds the emergency shelter system for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2024 and provides a glide path into Fiscal Year 2025 while instituting reforms to ensure the integrity and financial stability of the program. The bill further extends certain COVID-era flexibilities, most notably allowing for permanent outdoor dining options and restaurants to sell cocktails to-go, as well as expanding nursing eligibility to graduate students and certain staff in assisted living facilities.
The bill includes
targeted funding to support families exiting the shelter system, puts
reasonable limitations on the length of time families can remain in the
program, creates a recurrent certification requirement to ensure program
participants are complying with eligibility requirements, and establishes a
commission to study the future of the shelter program.
“I’m proud that this legislation puts us on a responsible path forward without sacrificing our values of treating families with dignity and respect,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “This legislative action was warranted because of inaction at the federal level on a challenge of their own creation. Massachusetts has once again shown that we can work together to address complicated issues, as we have done today. I’m grateful to Chair Rodrigues for his work, my colleagues in the Senate for their thoughtfulness, and to Speaker Mariano and Chair Michlewitz for their partnership.”
“Ensuring that people exit the shelter system in a timely manner is crucial to the emergency assistance program’s long-term viability. This is the current reality due to the status of the migrant crisis, the lack of federal support, the number of people on the waitlist, and the revenue challenges facing Massachusetts,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “It’s also critical that we ensure that folks in the shelter system receive ample support aimed at helping them to successfully enter the workforce, which is exactly what this legislation does. I want to thank Chairman Michlewitz for working diligently to ensure that we take action to ease the strain being placed on the Commonwealth’s shelter system and on our communities, and I am grateful to all my colleagues in the House, and to Senate President Spilka and our partners in the Senate, for their collaboration throughout this process.”
“Negotiating the differences between our two respective bodies is never an easy task, but in the end, we were able to reach a compromise agreement on the Fiscal Year 2024 supplemental budget that ensures our collective response to the ongoing emergency assistance shelter crisis is responsible, humane, and sustainable,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues, (D-Westport) Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “This budget strikes an appropriate balance and establishes a fiscal glide path by providing sufficient resources to sustain support for the emergency shelter system into Fiscal Year 2025. It places families and children on a path to exiting the shelter system, and dedicates resources to support regional response efforts, assistance with rehousing, work authorization, workforce training, and English language learning. The agreement also creates a special commission to begin a more comprehensive conversation on the future of the shelter system. I’m pleased the supplemental budget has been approved, as we now turn our full attention to the Fiscal Year 2025 budget. I’m thankful to my fellow conferees, my Senate colleagues, and Senate President Spilka for her dedicated and compassionate leadership in these ever-changing times.”
“Since the beginning of the migrant crisis, we have attempted to uphold the Commonwealth’s right to shelter law while also being mindful of the long-term fiscal sustainability of the program. The reforms contained in this legislation will ensure that right to shelter is maintained by capping the length of stay. The bill also refocusing the emphasis on workforce development and job training so we can concentration on getting migrants the job skills they need while also enhancing the Commonwealth’s economic output,” said Representative Aaron Michlewitz, Chair of the House Committee on Ways & Means (D-Boston). “I would like to thank my colleagues in the Legislature for their work and support on this issue, specifically Speaker Mariano and my counterpart Senator Rodrigues.”
The legislation allocates $251 million for Fiscal Year 2024 shelter costs, which includes $10 million for approved workforce training programs; $10 million for a tax credit for companies that provide job training to Emergency Assistance (EA) participants; $3 million for family welcome centers; $1 million for supplemental staffing at emergency housing assistance program shelters, and $7 million for resettlement agencies and shelter providers to assist families with rehousing, work authorization, and English language learning.
Addressing the long-term needs of the shelter system, the supplemental budget additionally authorizes up to $175 million in funds from the transitional escrow fund to place the shelter system on a fiscally sustainable glide path into FY 2025.
The legislation requires the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) to create a rehousing plan and provide case management for all individuals in shelters to help them successfully exit the program, and requires recertification every 60 days for families to remain eligible. Beginning June 1, 2024, the total length of stay would be limited to nine months, at the end of which families would be eligible for up to two 90-day extensions.
Extensions would be based on circumstances that include employment or participation in a workforce training program, veteran status, imminent placement in housing, avoiding educational interruptions for children in public school, pregnancy or having recently given birth, diagnosed disability or medical condition, a single parent caring for disabled child or family member, a single parent without adequate childcare, and risk of harm due to domestic violence.
Families who face the end of their shelter time limit may be granted a hardship waiver from the Administration, and all families would need to be provided with 90 days' notice before terminating benefits.
To ensure the long-term sustainability of the shelter system, the legislation establishes a commission to study the future of the shelter program. It creates a tax credit for employers to provide workforce training to families in shelter and includes robust reporting to ensure close monitoring of how the administration is managing the shelter program.
The legislation also requires the Governor to seek federal approvals for a waiver from the federal Department of Homeland Security to permit expedited, temporary, and provisional work authorizations for newly arriving migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. These authorizations are key to creating pathways to work to ultimately alleviate the shelter capacity crisis.
Pandemic era policies made permanent in the legislation include allowing outdoor dining and craft-made mixed drinks to-go, allowing graduates and students in their last semester of nursing education programs to practice nursing, in accordance with guidance from the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing; and permitting remote reverse mortgage counseling. It extends for one year the ability of nurses employed by assisted living residences to provide skilled nursing care in accordance with valid medical orders, provided the nurse holds a valid license to provide such care.
星期四, 4月 25, 2024
Mass Leads Act proposes a new ten-year strategy to make Massachusetts the climate innovation hub for the world
Mass Leads Act proposes a new ten-year strategy to make Massachusetts the climate
innovation hub for the world
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In Devens, she was joined by Congresswoman Lori Trahan, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper, Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao, MassCEC CEO Emily Reichert and other industry leaders to celebrate the ribbon-cutting of Electric Hydrogen’s new gigafactory. Electric Hydrogen is a Massachusetts-based climatetech startup company that manufactures electrolyzers for green hydrogen production. They are designing electrolyzer systems to
decarbonize critical industries such as steel, ammonia fertilizer, aviation, maritime shipping, chemicals, and heavy-duty transportation that account for about 20% of global GHG emissions. The company recently won two major awards from the U.S. Department of Energy: a $46 million grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support the creation and deployment of American-made hydrogen and a Treasury tax credit for $18.3 million, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, for its electrolyzer manufacturing facility in Devens. Electric Hydrogen is also among 
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"Massachusetts is set to be a global leader in the climatetech, and both of these innovative and cutting-edge companties are excellent of examples of how we lead and what the climatetech industry means to our state,” said Governor Healey. “We believe in the mission of protecting our planet and our communities through innovative solutions, and we also believe in the opportunity this moment represents, to create great careers and drive our economy for generations to come. Our Mass
Leads Act will support innovative companies like Triton and Electric Hydrogen and make Massachusetts the climate innovation hub for the world.”
“Electric Hydrogen is a Massachusetts success story – and it’s one that’s going to have a tremendous impact across the United States and around the world. That’s why we secured $46 million in federal funding to boost the manufacturing of their high-capacity electrolyzers that will be essential in the creation of green hydrogen necessary to decarbonize heavy industries,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “I’m proud to work alongside Governor Healey and her administration to support the Commonwealth’s incredible climate technology companies and their talented workers. Together, we’re committed to making sure climate tech isn’t just manufactured in America, but that it’s made right here in Massachusetts.”
“We’re fortunate to have Massachusetts businesses dedicated to combatting climate change. Triton and Electric Hydrogen’s contributions are ensuring that we lead in the offshore wind industry and green hydrogen sectors,” said Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao. “Through our Mass Leads Act, we aim to support these companies and all others in Massachusetts in scaling towards greatness. Together as Team Massachusetts, we’re advancing our state’s competitiveness and
sustainability.”
“Decarbonizing heavy industries such as steel, aviation, and maritime shipping is critical to reducing our global greenhouse gas emissions. Electric Hydrogen’s innovation is moving us closer to tackling this challenge right here in Massachusetts,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “We have made New England the hub for the offshore wind industry, and Triton Anchor’s technology will help lower costs for cutting edge floating wind turbines. These two
companies represent Massachusetts’ thriving climatetech industry. Our Mass Leads Act will maintain our competitiveness as the industry grows globally.”
Both of these visits are part of the Governor’s Mass Leads Act Road Show during which she is traveling to communities across Massachusetts to highlight the ways in which her recently
proposed economic development bill will grow the state’s economy, support businesses and attract talent. The bill proposes a new ten-year, $1 billion strategy to make Massachusetts the climate innovation lab for the world, and includes a framework for capital, tax incentives, and operations.
“Our mission is to end fossil fuel use in heavy industry. We chose Devens for our first factory because of the incredible skilled workforce in Massachusetts and the environment Governor Healey, Representative Trahan, and the Congressional delegation are creating to help climate tech companies grow and create manufacturing jobs in Massachusetts,” said Raffi Garabedian, Electric Hydrogen Co-Founder and CEO.
“Triton Anchor is grateful for the support of the Governor and the Mass CEC”, said David Model, Managing Director of Triton Anchor and COO of Triton Systems. “We have a 30 year history of innovation in Massachusetts, but bringing large capital intensive projects like floating offshore wind to reality requires a level of financial and infrastructural support well beyond one company. We are excited to be part of the New Blue Economy, and Mas Leads will enable an entire ecosystem,
from State support to our partner organizations around the Commonwealth.”
“The Town of Chelmsford fully-supports Governor Healey’s strategic investments in climate technology,” said Chelmsford Town Manager Paul Cohen. “Triton Anchor’s innovate offshore mooring system research and development has provided quality jobs in the Town’s Route 129 economic corridor.”
Governor Healey is proposing a $1 billion, 10-year climatetech initiative to make Massachusetts the climate innovation lab for the world. The initiative would create jobs, support technology development and infrastructure to reduce emissions, and promote resilience locally. Massachusetts would be well positioned as a global leader in climatetech. The funds and programs would help companies start and scale in Massachusetts, creating well paying jobs across the state. The initiative has three core parts:
1. Capital Funding: The bill would provide significant capital resources to MassCEC for the first time. Bond authorizations can support research and development, innovation, manufacturing, commercialization, and the deployment of climatetech technologies, including
offshore wind, across Massachusetts.
2. Tax Incentives: The bill would authorize funding for tax incentives, which will help ensure the state is competitive in attracting and retaining these businesses. The initiative
proposes to establish a new Climatetech Tax Incentive Program to enable the state to invest in climatetech companies, expand employment opportunities and support research and development. The bill also seeks to continue implementation of the newly created Offshore Wind Tax Credit and proposes some strategic changes to further grow the program.
3. Operating Funding: This ten-year strategy underscores the critical importance of annual operating support through the state budget process for MassCEC, which is instrumental in
fostering the climatetech industry and training a clean energy workforce. Operating funds will enable MassCEC to deploy stable programming and initiatives to reach areas that capital programs and tax incentives aren’t able to reach. This includes workforce development initiatives, internships, strategic partnerships, and operations.
For more information about the Mass Leads Act, visit the Economic Development Bill website.
逾百名支持巴勒斯坦在愛默生學院旁紮營抗議者被捕 移送法辦
(Boston Orange 編譯) 加薩的以巴衝突來到麻州，已從劍橋市的哈佛、MIT等院校延燒到波士頓市的愛默生學院 (Emerson College) ，還越演越烈，從學生對立，發展成波士頓警察局出動鎮暴警察，108名學生被捕，4名警察受傷。
愛默生學院支持巴勒斯坦的學生們，在學校位於波約斯頓街
(Boylston) 旁的小巷子 (2B Alley)紮營已3天了。波士頓警察局和消防局人員在4月23日時已經警告學生們，在巷弄紮營違反了市府條例規定，執法機關很快就會採取行動。到24日凌晨1點半時，波士頓警察踏進紮營區清除了帳篷，還要學生們離開，隨後逮捕了那些不願意離開人。
在衝突中，有108名學生被捕，4名警察受傷。
目擊事件的學生形容警察採取的是強制行動，還動用手銬的把學生架走。
愛默生學院校長Jay
Bernhardt為因應此事，加以處理，在一份聲明上宣佈了24日停課，強調支持社區成員的抗議權力，但也指出需要遵守州市政府的規定。
目前全美各地許多校園都出現支持巴勒斯坦人的抗議行動。哥倫比亞大學4月17日才出現過類似行動。麻州的麻省理工學院，塔芙茨大學，哈佛大學都發生過類似的抗議活動。
根據愛默生學生報 Berkeley
Beacon的報導，24日凌晨2點左右，7輛廂型警車開到波約斯頓街學生紮營區附近。沒多久，警察就開始逮捕人了。有人在現場拍到的照片顯示，警察們戴著頭盔，面罩，有些人甚至穿著作戰裝備。
愛默生學院大三學生Adam
Nuñez說，警察來到離運輸大樓 (Transportation bldg..) 幾英尺之遙的波約斯頓街巷弄時，他正好在紮營區前面。結果他被人從衣領抓起來，壓到一張桌子上，再摔到地上，然後被拖進運輸大樓。大約30分鐘後，他就被羈押進警察局，在那兒過了一碗。
另一名不願透露姓名的女學生說，她和同伴手臂牽手臂的在紮營區。警察把巷弄的兩端封鎖後，開始拆開人群，給她上了手銬。她覺得簡直就像在戰區一樣。
被羈押的學生們在大約早上7點被釋放後，聚集到了波士頓地方法院5樓的17號房間前。大約早上10點半，他們一小群一小群的被叫去和全國律師協會 (National
Lawyers Guild) 的律師Antonio Massa Viana商談。
Viana說，他不知道示威會面對什麼樣的罪名，不過其中有些人很可能被控以騷擾寧靜，其他人則會被控以”侵入”。他在法庭門外說，”我們得記得，這個國家是支持為正義發聲的，那是我們從人們年紀還很小時就教他們的，人們應該站出來，為他們認為是對的事發聲”。
他繼續說，”你有一群和平集會的學生，然後警察來了，把他們帶走。這代表美國最好的一面嗎”?
波士頓市長吳弭在出席其他活動，被問到此事時，她說:
“波士頓市是一個維護抗議權力對我們非常重要的城市，經常有許多抗議活動，卻從未發生過什麼事故”。她說，問題不在於示威，而是紮營造成的消防和安全危險。公眾通行權遭遇阻礙。
吳弭市長說，警察和學生們為此溝通有段時間了，而且非常清楚知道目標是什麼，不是逮捕，不是互動，而是確保公眾安全，疏通該區域的公眾通行權，確保移除了消防危險。
她也說，有關人員正在檢視驅散紮營警察們所穿戴的隨身相機。
波士頓市議會議長Ruthzee
Louijeune說，”任何針對和平抗議者的案件都應被駁回”。
美國民主社會主義者波士頓分會 (Boston DAS) 也向各界發聲明，譴責愛默生學院與有關單位同謀，譴責麻州州長和波士頓市長容許暴力鎮壓。
NECINA第18屆青少年創業營結業 3隊簡報公益創新兼備
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| 紐英崙中華資訊網路協會第18屆青少年創業營結業。承辦人李正敏 (右一)邀評審程瀚垠(右五起)，王振榕、賀東和學員合影。(周菊子攝) |
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| 第三期畢業學員Eric Ouyang現已自行創業，藉網路從紐約 和學弟、妹們分享經驗。 (周菊子攝) |
網協YES承辦人李正敏邀得YES第一期學員，從波士頓學院畢業，取得哈佛企管碩士學位，目前是Summit 夥伴公司投資 Principal 的程瀚垠，以及第三期學員，哈佛大學畢業，創辦Perci PBC，出任執行長，致力於解決房荒問題的'Eric Ouyang，為第18期YES的決賽當主講人，分享經驗，回答提問，鼓勵學員們有為者亦若是。
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| 第一期NECINA青少年創業營學員程瀚垠，這天既分享經驗， 也擔任評審。 (周菊子攝) |
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| 湯博凱、蔡林瑞、Kevin Wang的地方廢物處理公司 ”Phoenix Waste Revitalization”。(周菊子攝) |
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| David Guo和David Xiong以人工智能來協助藝術家的TitianX。(周菊子攝) |
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| 蔡嘉寧，胡双，張彥君組成的移動手臂桌助理 (Mobil Arm Table Assistant)。(周菊子攝) |
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| 第一屆畢業學員Eric Ouyang現已自行創業，藉網路從紐約 和學弟、妹們分享經驗。左為網協副會長徐劍。 (周菊子攝) |
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| 左起，王振榕、賀東、程瀚垠擔任評審。(周菊子攝) |
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| 學員們在活動結束後親自邀約學長程瀚垠(左) 為另一場活動當講者。(周菊子攝) |