BAKER-POLITO ADMINISTRATION AWARDS MORE THAN $1.2 MILLION IN DIRECT ACCESS TRAINING GRANTS

BAKER-POLITO ADMINISTRATION AWARDS MORE THAN $1.2 MILLION IN DIRECT ACCESS TRAINING GRANTS 

Grants awarded to organizations that provide training for Massachusetts businesses 

BOSTON, MA, OCTOBER 27 2016 – The Baker-Polito administration today awarded more than $1.28 million in grants to 12 training organizations that will work with Massachusetts businesses to improve their employees’ skills. 

The grants – known as the Direct Access Program - were created for smaller-scale training needs, and cover the entire cost of training for employees from Massachusetts businesses of all sizes. The grants make training slots available free of charge to businesses that are eligible for the Workforce Training Fund.

“Our administration is working hard to find innovative ways to help workers receive the training they need to advance their skills,” Governor Charlie Baker said. “These grants are a fantastic way to give workers new skills, while meeting the smaller-scale training needs of Massachusetts businesses.”

“Continued training and skill development is vital to our state’s continued economic success,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “These grants will help businesses and workers become more prosperous and competitive, improving the Commonwealth’s overall economy.”

The Workforce Training Fund aims to promote job growth, job retention, and increased opportunities and wages for workers by increasing business productivity and competitiveness for Massachusetts businesses.

“One of the things we hear from Massachusetts employers all the time is they need more skilled, trained workers,” Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ronald Walker, II said. “We encourage all businesses and training providers to look into this grant program. It makes a difference to both employers and employees.”

The businesses that send workers to training must pay their workers’ salaries during the training period.

Commonwealth Corporation – the quasi-state agency that oversees the Direct Access grants through the Workforce Training Fund – requires organizations that provide the training to demonstrate expertise and capacity in selected topics. Applicants were required to select one type of training to deliver, including:

•         PROCESS IMPROVEMENT & QUALITY ASSURANCE  - such as Lean Process, Continuous Improvement, Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, Kanban, 5-S, Six-Sigma, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Quality Management System (QMS), ISO, NADCAP, DOE, Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA), Statistical Process Controls (SPC), AS9100, HACCP, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)

•         PROFESSION/INDUSTRY SPECIFIC & TECHNICAL SKILLS  - such as Machining, Milling, PLC Programming, Blueprint Reading, Welding, Specific Technology Training, HR, Pharmacy, Clinical Skills, Financial Reporting, Food Safety Certification, CAD-CAM, Solidworks

•         NON-TECHNICAL PROFESSIONAL SKILLS  - such as Microsoft Office and other non-technical software, business writing, presentation skills, project management, Agile Methodology, Adobe Software

•         INTERPERSONAL / SOFT SKILLS  - such as team building, cultural awareness, communication skills, listening skills, problem solving, time management

•         ADULT BASIC EDUCATION  - basic reading (not including ESOL), basic writing (not  including ESOL), basic math

•         IT & SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATION  - such as information systems management, database management, IT systems administration, IT security management, customer relations management (CRM) systems administration

•         SALES & CUSTOMER SERVICE (not including sales force management)

•         ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (ESOL)

•         MANAGEMENT / SUPERVISORY / LEADERSHIP SKILLS - Management skills development, leadership development, management of sales Force, supervisory skills development, risk management, financial accountability

The following organizations were awarded grants:

Applicant	Total Granted	Course Topics
YMCA of Greater Boston - International Learning Center 18 Tremont Street, Suite 400, Boston, MA  02108	$50,408	ESOL
Cape Cod Community College 2240 Iyannough Road, West Barnstable MA 02668	$122,000	Interpersonal/Soft Skills
William von Achen dba Strategic Management Resources 28 Jefferson Road, Wellesley, MA 02481	$100,000	Interpersonal/Soft Skills
Employers Association of Northeast P.O. Box 1070, Agawam, MA 01001	$200,000	Leadership/Management/ Supervisory
Associated Industries of MA One Beacon Street; Boston, MA 02108	$100,000	Leadership/Management/Supervisory
Northern Essex Community College 360 Merrimack Street, Building # 9, Lawrence, MA 01843	$120,750	Leadership/Management/ Supervisory
Retailers Association of MA 18 Tremont St, Suite 810, Boston, MA, 02108	$106,500	Social Media Marketing, E-commerce
Quality Support Group 4 Essex Center Drive #3971 Peabody, MA 01960	$93,000	Process Improvement and Quality Assurance
Haley & Aldrich, Inc. 465 Medford St., Suite 2200 Boston, MA 02129	$106,500	Process Improvement and Quality Assurance
Imajine That 354 Merrimack Street, Lawrence, MA 01843	$113,750	Training for early childhood and out-of-school time educators
Mass Biotechnology Education Foundation 300 Technology Square Cambridge, MA 02139	$60,800	Project Management
MA Home Care Aide Council/Foundation 124 Watertown Street, Watertown, MA 02472	$112,500	Enhanced Care for Vulnerable Home Care Clients
TOTAL	$1,286,208

BuildBPS Open House to Showcase Future of Boston Public Schools

Interactive, hands-on two-day event examines 10-year facilities and educational vision of BPS

BOSTON - Thursday, October 27, 2016 - This weekend, on Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Bruce Bolling Municipal Building, 2300 Washington Street in Roxbury, Boston Public Schools (BPS) will host the BuildBPS Open House focusing on the district's 10-year educational and facilities master plan. This event will have exhibits, activities, discussions, and more for community members seeking to learn about the long-term educational and facilities vision for the city's public schools.     "The Boston School Committee is excited to see our students and their families get involved with these exhibits, activities and discussions," said Boston School Committee Chairperson Michael O'Neill. "This event allows everyone from our community to weigh in and come together to share their opinions." The BuildBPS Open House marks the first time BPS has held an experiential event of this size for a major district-wide initiative.     "Innovation is key to the success of our students and for the growth of our schools," said BPS Superintendent Tommy Chang. "This open house allows our community to see the future of BPS and explore the various ways our growth will make our school system competitive in an advancing world."   In addition to Build BPS activities, the Open House will also host early voting on Saturday from 12:00-6:00 p.m. BuildBPS was launched on September 29, 2015 by Mayor Martin J. Walsh to provide a strategic framework for facilities investments, as well as align the Mayor's vision of fostering exemplary teaching in a world-class system of innovative, welcoming schools. Activities include: On Saturday and Sunday,hands-on challenges with LEGO Education North America and the Latino STEM Alliance, in which participants will be challenged using LEGO's robotics platform while engaging in classroom tools and learning how to code. Interactive Art and Play Activities with Reimagine Play: Reimagine Play, in collaboration with BPS, will feature interactive art and play activities using its newly designed play structures, including a giant slackline nest, LED stackable light cubes and a box art maze, as well as the classic geo-dome climber. Activities are designed to encourage movement and creative imagination. Attendees will have a chance to learn how to slackline, climb the structures, build mini geodesic domes and decorate the maze. Emerson Engagement Lab Hosts Student Activities: Emerson College's Engagement Lab will hold a workshop on "Emerging Citizens," its newest suite of digital and media literacy games. Each game encourages students to engage with culturally and politically relevant topics that affect their daily lives while focusing on a specific 21st century digital modality - hashtags, memes, and hyperlinking. The workshop will focus on how game-based interventions fit within the larger context of digital and media literacy discourse. Science Experiments and Activities with Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Stop by and hear from our partners at Vertex! There will be interactive lab experiments with pipettes, tubes, DNA origami - an activity that allows one to fold a piece of paper into a double helix and model the structure of DNA - and more with our community partner, Vertex. Discussions include: Equity and Excellence (Discussion): How does equity and excellence flourish in the same space? Understanding the Long-Term Financial Plan (Discussion): What financial choices must be made in Boston Public Schools to enable the rich academic offerings that Boston students deserve? What are the tradeoffs associated with each of these potential choices? Design Your Future: Footwear Industry Exploration (Discussion): How might BPS create pathways into industry that levels the playing field- particularly for students of color? Summer Jobs vs. Summer Careers (Discussion): How can BPS create a pathway with summer options that leads to more productive and better supported future career opportunities? Resilient City/Resilient Schools (Discussion): With race relations at the forefront of our national and local media- how do we interrupt this unrest and ensure that Boston is a leader in creating healing partnerships? STEAM Innovations (Discussion): How should BPS prepare its students to fully engage in opportunities that expose them to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts/Design and Math), and what are the innovations we might expect from those experiences? Youth Voice (Discussion): How can we amplify student voice in the design of the future of BPS? Why Innovation? (Discussion): How do we solve for who gets to innovate once we bring our schools into the future? The full BuildBPS Open House agenda is available on the Boston Public Schools website.

State and Local Officials Recognize Newburyport Company During Massachusetts Manufacturing Month

State and Local Officials Recognize Newburyport Company During Massachusetts Manufacturing Month

Mark Richey Woodworking Inc. Recognized for Leadership in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

NEWBURYPORT – October 27, 2016 – State energy and environment officials today joined the Massachusetts Office of Technical Assistance (OTA) and other state and local leaders at an event to recognize the alternative energy and energy efficiency accomplishments of Mark Richey Woodworking Inc. (MRW) of Newburyport, MA. The event was held to coincide with October being named “Massachusetts Manufacturing Month” by the Baker-Polito Administration to honor the contributions of the manufacturing industry in Massachusetts.

“By understanding that long term cost savings will offset the installation and capital costs of equipment, Mark Richey Woodworking Inc. sets an example for how Massachusetts businesses can successfully incorporate energy efficiency and renewable energy into their business model,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton.“The Massachusetts Office of Technical Assistance works each day to help businesses make their operations more energy efficient as part of the Baker-Polito Administration’s commitment to supporting Massachusetts businesses and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

The event at MRW recognized the company for achieving its goal of 100 percent onsite renewable energy generation. MRW is now a net producer of electricity as a result of facility improvements and key management decisions made between 2005 and 2016. Additionally, MRW has implemented several alternative energy and renewable energy systems in their facility including a biomass boiler, 600 kW wind turbine and 500 kW solar array. The company specializes in producing high-end architectural millwork wood products for their corporate, institutional, and residential clients.

“Since OTA staff began working with Mark Richey, Greg Porfido, and Michael Ort in 2011, we have witnessed their dedication and commitment to reducing their contribution to climate change,” said Rich Bizzozero, Director of OTA. “We are thrilled to honor MRW for its environmental prowess during Massachusetts Manufacturing Month, and equally excited to showcase that 100 percent onsite renewable energy makes good business sense.”  

“Energy initiatives have been great for our business; we want to be a company that’s good for the environment,” said MRW Founder and President Mark Richey.

“Mark Richey Wordworking’s effort to improve the environment through the use of wind, solar and biomass is commendable,” said State Representative James Kelcourse (R-Amesbury). “Their concern for the well-being of future generations is something that we should all be proud of and work hard to practice ourselves.”

OTA provides Massachusetts businesses with free, non‐regulatory and confidential assistance with reducing their use of toxic chemicals, energy and water, and compliance with relevant environmental, health and safety regulations. To find out more about OTA’s services, visit their website.

南京大屠杀幸存者夏淑琴访美 将这场浩劫保存为世界记忆

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南京大屠杀幸存者夏淑琴访美  将这场浩劫保存为世界记忆

http://www.aacyf.org/?p=6556

南京大屠杀幸存者夏淑琴访美  将这场浩劫保存为世界记忆

87岁的南京大屠杀幸存者夏淑琴，10月23日应邀专程从中国到洛杉矶，向各界人士细述当年全家在南京遭受日本军队屠杀的惨烈过程，感谢当年在南京参与救援的美国人民。同时接受著名犹太裔导演斯皮尔伯格在南加州大学创办的SHOAH基金会承办的三维录影存证，希望将这场屠杀浩劫保存为世界记忆。

夏淑琴老人在现场回忆说，当年她才8岁，全家老老小小共13口人。“在1937年12月1的一天，家里突然闯入一伙日本人，父亲在开门时就被日本兵当场杀死。我们一家有5姐妹，最大的姐姐15岁，二姐1岁，我还有一个4岁的妹妹和一个1岁的妹妹。我的大姐被强奸，死在床上，我的二姐也被强奸死在桌子上，我被捅了3刺刀，一下就疼晕过去。醒来后，浑身是血，发现家里的人只有4岁的妹妹还活着，闹着要吃的，我看到妈妈抱着1 岁的妹妹死在桌子底下。”年仅8岁的夏淑琴就这样带着妹妹，靠一些锅巴和缸里的冷水在家里躲了10天，直到有外籍人士敲门，夏淑琴看到不是日本人才出来，随后得到国际救援机构的救助。

虽然时隔近80年， 夏淑琴讲述当年的浩劫仍难忘悲痛，数次落泪。夏家悲惨经历被当时南京红十字国际委员会主席约翰马吉用摄影机记录，著名的《拉贝日记》中也有这段记录。战后在审判日本战犯军事法庭上，夏淑琴一家遭遇曾作为证据采用。

夏淑琴说，她后来知道救他们的有美国人、德国人。她说，当时心里就在想，为什么这些外国人要救我们呢？她说，这次能有机会来美国，特别要对当年救助她们的美国人民表示感谢，并深深鞠躬。

据了解，在南京大屠杀期间，约有22名美国民众在南京，他们中有传教士、新闻记者、医生和护士等。他们不仅留下了珍贵的文章、图像和影像记录。同时也在南京设立国际安全区、鼓楼医院，保护和拯救了大批的南京平民。

美国记者率先向世界报道了南京大屠杀的真实情况。弗兰克·蒂尔曼·德丁在1937年12月18日的《纽约时报》头版新闻上，发表了《屠戮意味着占领南京———俘虏全部被杀》；耶茨·麦克丹尼尔在同一天的《芝加哥论坛报》上发表了《战地记者日记内描述的南京恐怖》。曾在鼓楼医院工作的美国外科医生威尔逊是南京大屠杀期间城内唯一的外科医生。

据美国纪念南京大屠杀联合会会长刘祥介绍，2015年10月9日，联合国教科文组织通过将南京大屠杀正式列入世界记忆名录。此次夏淑琴赴美见证南京大屠杀活动及行程，由洛杉矶南京浩劫期间美国英雄纪念馆、世界和平与人权教育基金理事会、美国南加州大学纳粹大屠杀基金会以及美国纪念南京大屠杀联合会等举办。

当天的活动，全场座无虚席，来自南加州多所大学的留学生们在现场担任义工。美国华人公共外交促进会会长任向东、北美职通车董事会主席刘方等表示，希望青年一代不要忘记民族的惨痛历史；美国民众在南京大屠杀期间对南京民众的救援，与飞虎队一样都是美中人民民间友好永恒的记忆。（AACY洛杉矶讯）

麻州總檢察官辦公室推出族裔正義及平等顧問委員會 30名委員無亞裔

AG HEALEY KICKS OFF HER OFFICE’S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON RACIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY

30-Member Council Will Strengthen the Office’s Efforts to Address Racial Bias and Disparities

BOSTON — Attorney General Maura Healey Monday kicked off a newAdvisory Council on Racial Justice and Equity to address persistent racial disparities and barriers for communities of color. 

“This Advisory Council will help me lead an office that confronts racism and structural disparities,” said AG Healey.  “Advancing equity and opportunity is a top priority for our office.”

            The advisory council will meet regularly throughout the year. Monday’s kickoff meeting was an opportunity for members to discuss issues ranging from criminal justice reform to fair health care disparities to lending and gun violence

The new council is made up of leaders and advocates from organizations across the state -  including the Union of Minority Neighborhoods, the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, the YWCA Springfield, the NAACP and MassVote - who will work directly with the AG’s Office to assist their efforts in directly engaging with these communities.

“I’m proud to serve on AG Healey’s Advisory Council Racial Justice and Equity,” said Monalisa Smith, the Executive Director of Mother’s for Justice and Equality. “I believe this is a big step in acknowledging and addressing the injustices that hinder our children from growing up in safe and nurturing environments.”

“I applaud Attorney General Healey and her staff for their powerful commitment to addressing the needs of people of color,” said Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, the Executive Director of the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice. “As a Latino lawyer working in the civil rights and racial justice movement, I know firsthand the unconscious bias that people of color face. I’m honored to be a part of this important effort and to help empower all people in Massachusetts.”

"I look forward to working with the Attorney General and my counterparts on the Advisory Council to fight for social justice and equality for all, and to advocate for those who feel they have no voice,” said Pat Yancey, President of the NAACP Worcester Chapter. 

For a link to the names and bios of all the advisory council members clickhere