Michelle Wu and City Councilor Lydia Edwards Call for Pedestrian Safety Improvements at Dangerous East Boston Intersection

 Michelle Wu and City Councilor Lydia Edwards Call for Pedestrian Safety Improvements at Dangerous East Boston Intersection

Michelle Wu

Boston, MA— City Councilor Michelle Wu and Lydia Edwards today joined pedestrian safety advocates and residents to call attention to needed safety improvements and upgrades to alleviate traffic congestion at Eagle Square in East Boston and across the city. Eagle Square is one of the most dangerous intersections in the neighborhood, and residents have called for critical infrastructure upgrades to eliminate traffic-related injuries and deaths and improve walkability and traffic flow.

Councilor Lydia Edwards

 “Safe streets should be the baseline that all our residents deserve across every neighborhood. The design of Eagle Square makes it one of the most dangerous intersections in the city, threatening the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike. We need immediate action on urgent pedestrian safety improvements and changes that calm traffic flow in support of a broader vision for a safer, more connected Boston,” said Michelle Wu.

 

"Since being a district city councilor, I have repeatedly heard about traffic concerns from pedestrians. Michelle understands more than anyone that we need to build a people-centered city that is focused on pedestrian safety. We need sidewalks, crosswalks, and intersections that accommodate all of us, especially our family and friends with disabilities,” said Councilor Lydia Edwards. 

 

“Pedestrian safety is an accessibility issue. It’s an equity issue and ultimately an issue of justice. As Bostonians  we pride ourselves on being a multi modal city when it comes to transportation. Unfortunately, just because we do it all - it  doesn’t mean we do it well. We need to turn our focus to address these concerns and ensure that we’re keeping pedestrians safe and ensuring that we’re  keeping people moving as they live, work, recreate and conduct business in our communities,” said Celeste Ribeiro Hewitt, Policy Subcommittee Lead, East Boston Transportation Justice  Coalition.

 

"In recent years, even as driving has become marginally safer, we have witnessed a growing epidemic in pedestrian injuries and deaths. Remarkably, 50% more people are killed walking than a decade ago. These victims are disproportionately young, old, poor, and people of color. Smart cities, taking the Vision Zero model seriously, have been making their streets safer through design. There is no reason why Boston can’t become a national leader in pedestrian and bike safety,” said Jeff Speck, city planner, author of Walkable City, and Michelle Wu supporter. 

 

East Boston is full of long, straight sections of roadway with nearly no traffic calming measures, such as speed bumps, flashing pedestrian lights or crosswalks. Despite ongoing advocacy from residents, East Boston has not yet been selected for the Neighborhood Slow Streets Program, a City of Boston initiative to help reduce speeds and improve street safety, after multiple attempts to apply by community groups. 

TAAF Releases Statement and Rapid Response Toolkit in Advance of COVID-19 Origins Report From the White House

TAAF Releases Statement and Rapid Response Toolkit in Advance of COVID-19 Origins Report From the White House 

Anti-Hate Toolkit Launched to Protect AAPI Communities and 

Highlight Proactive Measures for Addressing Hate

WASHINGTON, DC, August 24, 2021 — The Asian American Foundation ("TAAF"), a convener, incubator, and funder for the Asian American and Pacific Islander ("AAPI") communities, today shared a statement and launched its Anti-Hate Rapid Response Toolkit (the “Toolkit”) in advance of the Biden administration’s COVID-19 origins report (the “Report”).

The White House is expected to release this week the findings of a 90-day review on the origins of COVID-19. The Report is likely to include information from the Intelligence Community and the National Labs that could bring us closer to determining the origins of the virus. The White House Report arrives on the heels of the August 3 report on the origins of COVID-19 from the ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Michael McCaul.

TAAF is deeply concerned that the debate over the origins of the pandemic — and some of the rhetoric driving the debate — could further fan the flames of anti-AAPI hate. Sonal Shah, President of TAAF, released the following statement in response to the Report’s release:

“Regardless of the findings of the White House report or any other, we cannot let the public health crisis continue to give way to a crisis of hate in AAPI communities. TAAF appreciates the Biden administration’s willingness to be as thoughtful as possible with the release of its forthcoming report, as it is incumbent on every public official at every level to understand that AAPI communities continue to be blamed and targeted for the pandemic. TAAF refuses to stand by as our communities are consistently attacked at alarming rates, and so we are putting the full weight of our nascent organization behind providing meaningful solutions for combating hate.”

TAAF has worked closely with the Biden administration and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (“CAPAC”) to raise awareness in advance about how the White House Report might be used to perpetuate anti-AAPI hate — which has been on the rise throughout the pandemic. The White House is also hosting a series of convenings with policy experts, TAAF grantees, local elected officials, and faith leaders who are working to better protect AAPI communities through policy solutions, solidarity, and allyship. 

In advance of the Report, TAAF launched a digital Anti-Hate Rapid Response Toolkit on Monday designed to equip the public, local officials, activists, and advocacy groups with culturally competent education and up-to-date safety resources for addressing anti-AAPI hate. TAAF moved quickly to build its Toolkit thanks to the input of several of its partners so that communities have access to the resources they might need to proactively address anti-AAPI sentiment in their communities or to respond to any incidents that may occur. TAAF continues to call on public officials to keep the safety of AAPI communities in mind as they investigate what led to the global health crisis. TAAF’s Toolkit provides victims of hate incidents and their allies with a comprehensive checklist of action items. It also includes guidance for individuals and community leaders to take action against anti-AAPI hate through engaging with public officials, the media, local law enforcement, and other key stakeholders. The toolkit is available on TAAF’s website. 

TAAF and Stop AAPI Hate also collaborated to create, “Documenting Anti-AAPI Hate Codebook”, a joint effort to standardize how anti-AAPI hate is described and recorded. The Codebook also launched Monday and offers standards and recommended best practices for community-based data collection of anti-AAPI hate incidents. This resource provides key definitions and seeks to build trust, transparency, and accountability for improving anti-AAPI hate data quality. The Codebook is available on the TAAF website. 

With DESE Finally Introducing Needed Universal Mask Mandate for Schools, Danielle Allen Continues to Press Mass Gov and DESE for Routine Process for Masking Advisories

 With DESE Finally Introducing Needed Universal Mask Mandate for Schools, Danielle Allen Continues to Press Mass Gov and DESE for Routine Process for Masking Advisories 

“The Governor’s office and DESE need to deliver effective coordination across the whole Commonwealth by equipping our schools with the knowledge, tools, and resources necessary to keep everyone safe”

Cambridge, MA -- With public schools across Massachusetts returning to school in a week and DESE belatedly bowing to the realities of the Delta variant with a universal mask mandate for schools, gubernatorial candidate Danielle Allen is calling on Governor Charlie Baker and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to improve process around safety measures for students, teachers, and school staff amid the continued COVID spikes by instituting a routine process of advisories linked to triggers of safety protocols. 

Danielle Allen spearheaded a multi-disciplinary, cross-sector COVID response team that led to the Biden-Harris Pandemic Testing Board, an interstate compact to build out COVID testing resources, and Covid Collaborative guidance on infection prevention and control in K-12 settings that has been disseminated nationally, including through the US Dept of Education. She worked with the Cambridge Public School District throughout the 2020-21 school year to achieve a successful return to healthy and safe in-person teaching and learning.

Two weeks ago, Allen called on Baker and DESE to develop and implement a system of COVID alerts and advisories, similar to weather advisories, to communicate the levels of risk operative in the state, our communities, and our schools as those levels rise and fall over time, which would then trigger safety protocols in schools. Allen also called on the Governor’s office to develop model municipal ordinances and policies, linked to the alert system, to support coherent consistent response across the Commonwealth. Those advisories would trigger universal mask mandates and other measures like increased frequency of testing.

Now, Allen has released the following statement regarding the safety of our students and school personnel this fall: 

“As our teachers and school staff continue to adapt their COVID response protocols in the best interests of our students and school personnel, the Governor’s office and DESE need to deliver effective coordination across the whole Commonwealth by equipping our schools with the knowledge, tools, and resources necessary to keep everyone safe,” said Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Danielle Allen. 

In addition to a mask mandate for everyone in school buildings, we continue to need

1. A routinized system of COVID advisories, similar to weather advisories, as I proposed earlier in August. These advisories would work to communicate the levels of risk operative in the state; when a COVID warning is in effect (as should currently be the case), school districts and other entities working with vulnerable populations would be mandated to require universal indoor masking and expected to implement other routine responses to the advisories to protect health and safety for all in the school community.

We also continue to need:

2. An expansion of the vaccine mandate for state employees in the executive branch to apply to public school personnel.

3. A Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) survey of all school buildings to assess ventilation, and further needs for upgrades.

4. Ongoing free provision of pooled, screening testing for all schools.

5. Ongoing provision of contact tracing for all schools.

6. Technical assistance on developing ongoing infection prevention and control, strengthening health teams in schools, and partnering with community health centers.

With so much of the world unvaccinated, COVID variants and new waves will be an issue for the foreseeable future. With smart policy decisions and effective communication, Massachusetts can achieve ongoing pandemic resilience and set a leadership standard. Rather than force school districts, parents, educators, and students to make time sensitive, high-pressure decisions from scratch every few weeks, the Governor’s Office should proactively develop routine processes, in consultation with regional and municipal partners, DESE, and DPH, to keep students and school personnel safe, no matter where in the Commonwealth they go to school or work.

MAYOR JANEY CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING OF O'CONNOR WAY SENIOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH BOSTON

MAYOR JANEY CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING OF O'CONNOR WAY SENIOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH BOSTON New senior housing development provides 46 affordable housing units for seniors on donated Boston Housing Authority land

 

BOSTON - Wednesday, August 25, 2021 - Mayor Kim Janey, South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation, Caritas Communities and the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) celebrated the grand opening of the O'Connor Way Senior Housing Development today in South Boston. The project has brought 46 one-bedroom units of affordable housing to South Boston using formerly vacant Boston Housing Authority land and Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP) funds secured through the Boston Planning & Development Agency.                                                                                          "I’m delighted to welcome the new residents of O'Connor Way Senior Housing,” said Mayor Janey. “As Boston residents age, many want to continue living in the city they’ve known and loved for their entire lives. This new development has replaced an empty lot with beautiful, affordable homes for seniors in our South Boston neighborhood." O'Connor Way Senior Housing was built on BHA land that had been vacant for over 50 years. The development includes 24 units that are subsidized using federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and 22 units made deeply affordable through project-based vouchers administered by BHA.  "South Boston NDC is thrilled to have completed and occupied this affordable housing development for the elderly during this challenging time of the pandemic. Now, more than ever, we need to protect our most vulnerable residents and provide them with a safe place to live and thrive," said Donna Brown, executive director of South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation. " We appreciate the strong support from the City of Boston through the Boston Housing Authority and the Boston Planning & Development Agency, as well as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts." The $20.8 million project was funded in part through the Inclusionary Development Program (IDP) contributions from the 150 Seaport Boulevard and Pier 4 development projects built by Cronin Development and Tishman Speyer on the South Boston Waterfront, and financed by the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. Other funders include MassDevelopment, Rockland Trust Corp., TD Charitable Foundation and the Charles H. Farnsworth Trust. “Three years ago, it would have been difficult to imagine the beautiful community that is now standing here at O’Connor Way,” BHA Administrator Kate Bennett said. “Every unit in this new community represents a new opportunity for Boston residents to age in place with dignity and peace of mind. It is exciting to see such a creative idea come together and have such an immediate impact.” “Caritas Communities is proud to be a partner in creating this deeply affordable and accessible housing for low-income seniors,” said Karin Cassel Mitterando, executive director of Caritas Communities. “This project aligns with our mission to prevent homelessness through housing with support for extremely low-income people – because everyone deserves a safe place to call home.” The property includes a community room, a laundry room, management office, and a patio. The building is sustainable at a LEED Silver certifiable level.  The development has on-site property management and full-time resident support services from the South Boston Neighborhood House.

波士頓不分區市議員選舉17人角逐 華人前進會26日介紹

             (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 波士頓市的市級選舉，即將於9月14日辦理初選，有意投票者，必須在今(25)日以前完成選民登記。華人前進會為協助選民認識候選人，將於26日(週四)晚7點，在網上舉辦不分區市議員選舉說明會。

              9月2日晚7點，華人前進會還將舉辦選票樣本說明會，希望幫助選民進一步了解今年選舉的內容。

              波士頓市今年的選舉，因在位市長離任引發骨牌效應，市長及不分區議員席位依序共有8人，17人的這麼多人參選。

             市長部分，共有8人繳交了3000名波士頓居民的支持簽名，符合參選資格，其中4人為在位市議員，連帶影響了今年的不分區市議員，以及第4區和第7區的分區議員選舉格外熱鬧。

              由於身為不分區市議員的吳弭、第4區市議員的Andrea Campbell相繼於去年9月就宣佈了參選，不分區市議員Annissa Essaibi George和從第7區市議員，因身為市議會議長，在馬丁華殊(Martin Walsh)到華府當勞工部部長後，繼位為代市長的Kim Janey，也相繼於今年二，三月宣佈參選市長，波士頓市今年的市長選戰，雖然不像當年萬寧路(Tom Menino)宣佈不再競選連任後，共有12人跳入選戰的熱鬧，今年的市長選戰，可是打得時間頗長，而且市長候選人論壇場次超多，不過各候選人在普羅選民中的知名度，卻似乎仍然不夠高。

              共有13人的波士頓市議會，因前述緣故，一下子出缺4席。

              共有4席的波士頓市不分區市議員席位，出缺2席，包括另外2名競選連任的在位者，共有17人繳交了1500個支持者簽名，參加角逐。其中的James Reginald Colimon，Erin J. Murphy和Jonathan M. Spillane在紐英崙中華公所舉辦中秋節聯歡會時，都特地出席拜會，和選民見面。反倒是在位，要競選連任的2名不分區市議員，Julia Mejia和曾經與華埠關係很近的Michael F. Flaherty沒有出席。

              分區市議員部分，今年第1區的Lydia Marie Edwards，第2區的愛德華費林Ed Flynn)，第8區的Prescilla Kenzie Bok，因為都無對手，將同額當選。第4區有多達9人角逐，第7區也有8人角逐，其餘的第3，5，9區各有2或3名參選人。

              華人前進會早前寄發通訊給地方民眾，洋洋灑灑地強調9月14日及11月2日出席投票十分重要，希望有色人種社區團結，爭取平等。該通訊不單只列因了市長及不分區市議員候選人就華人前進會所提5及10個問題的回答，也提醒民眾在今年的11月大選時，選票上還會有一項詢問選民是否同意給波士頓市議員權力，參與制定市府年度預算的上公投問題。

              8月26日及9月2日的網路會議網址為，http://us02web.zoom.us/j/83543055678，會議ID是835 4305 5678，用手機可撥打16465588656，83543055678#US。

華人前進會籲關注選區重劃 提議市級選區也重劃

 

波士頓市選區

             (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 選區重劃對選出什麼樣的人來代表自己，可能有重大影響。華人前進會最近正連續舉辦教育性活動，解說美國政府的這一制度，希望地方民眾能進一步了解，積極為自己發聲。

              美國政府在每10年一次的人口普查之後，都會辦理選區重劃，旨在劃分聯邦及州層級的民意代表選區界線，以期每一選區內都有大約同等數目的人口。

                           目前麻州的聯邦議員席次為參議員2人(無選區)，聯邦眾議員9人，州政府有州參議員40人，州眾議員160人。在2022年2月，有意參選者遞交參選意願前，麻州政府理論上應在該日期前完成選區重劃，但麻州政府在4月，5月各開過一次選區重劃會議後，並未訂出完成選區重劃的議程時間表。

華人前進會主任陳玉珍在8月24日的「選區重劃社區會議」中指出，選區重劃本來的目的是確保每個人都獲得平等的政治代表權，但近年來，藉由gerrymandering，選區重劃已被政治團體用來把某些社區排除在政治權力之外，但這可藉由鼓勵更多人參與選區重劃，倡議社區團結來打破，因而華人前進會希望更多民眾關心選區重劃，參與並表達意見。

在8月4日的華埠居民會月例會中，陳玉珍還以普莉斯來(Ayanna Presley)當選為麻州第一個女性有色人種國會議員為例，指出那就是因為2010年人口普查，選區重劃後，麻州國會議員第七選區變成了少數族裔佔多數的選區。

根據2010年後的麻州國會選區的人口地理分析，麻州第七國會選區內西語裔人口21.9%，黑人24.4%，亞裔10.4%，而白人僅只40.46%。

 

華人前進會主任陳玉珍促民眾關注選區重劃。

           美國政府在談及選區重劃時，多半只談聯邦及州級政府，但選區重劃也可以有地方市鎮的選區重劃。陳玉珍在24日晚的會議中鼓勵居民考慮波士頓市內的選區重劃，包括華埠是否應該和南端區(South End)合併，或是和堡壘村，以及其他有許多華裔居住的老人屋聯合起來。

            陳玉珍還提供了一些人口統計數據的變化，供人參考，包括整個波士頓市的亞裔人口，2020年比2010年增加了38%，在南波士頓水前區的成長率高達312%，在洛士百利成長147%。若以人口數來看，多徹斯特增加了最多亞裔，增加了2723人，華埠的亞裔居民比率最高，有59.9%。

            陳玉珍指出，重劃華埠選區的關鍵問題是，華埠與南端相鄰，華埠和其他有色人種及移民的關連性，以及該如何劃選區界線，才能讓華人社區更有聲音。華人前進會將就相關問題繼續和地方民眾討論。