至孝篤親公所公佈陳毓璇告別式安排

 

哈佛大學台灣學生會歲末聯歡校長錄影來賀 會長換屆

波士頓經文處科技組組長謝水龍(前排中)，僑教中心主任潘昭榮(第二排右五)都來參加哈佛台灣同學的歲末聚會。(哈佛台灣學生會提供)

 

哈佛大學校長Lawrence Bacow錄影祝賀哈佛台灣學生新年快樂。(哈佛台灣學生會提供)

       (Boston Orange周菊子整理報導) 哈佛大學台灣學生會 (HTSA)12月12日歲末聚會，選舉會長，近50人享用關愛大姊們烹製的美味蔬食，觀看哈佛大學校長Lawrence Bacow親自錄製的祝賀視頻，直呼太特別了。

               

哈佛台灣學生會會長蕭育舜(左起)送紀念品感謝蕭蕙菁，甯靜佳熱心協助。
(哈佛台灣學生會提供)

哈佛大學台灣學生會現任會長蕭育舜透露，去年3月，哈佛校長夫婦感染疫情，他代表學生會持續表達關懷，和校長夫婦通信，建立起感情。12月初時，鑒於學生會將換屆，他主動和校長聯繫，促成一行6人的拜會。晤談時間原本預定半小時，但或許是事前交給校長辦公室的社團理念及活動簡報，以及參加拜會者的個人簡介做得很完善，校長和他及2名副會長徐祥，唐一平，執行秘書張家睿，在費正清中心做訪問學者的會員代表曾勤博，以及社團指導教授David Chang等人，竟然談了45分鐘，讓他們深為能向這位曾當面拜會中國總書記習近平的校長介紹台灣，感到無比興奮。

                 12日哈佛台灣學生會的歲末聚會，哈佛校長Lawrence Bacow也原定親自出席的，後來雖因事務過於繁忙，無法撥冗，但親自錄製了長約2

哈佛台灣學生會會長蕭育舜(前排左起)和學生會幹部及指導教授拜會校長Lawrence
 Bacow夫婦。(哈佛台灣學生會提供)

分半鐘的視頻，表示很高興有機會和學生會幹部晤面，鼓勵同學持續和學校互動，祝福新的一年快樂。

             當天共有40多名同學出席，嘉賓包括經文處科技組組長謝水龍，波士頓僑教中心主任潘昭榮，勒星頓中文學校校長康麗雪。熱心的蕭惠菁和甯靜佳還精心烹製了多樣蔬食，藉以鼓勵同學響應吃素，環保，愛地球。

熱心師姐做的小紅莓瑪芬。(哈佛台灣學生會提供)

             蕭育舜在會中宣佈，地球及行星科學系博士班第3年的唐一平當選為下任會長。他說過去一年來，新冠病毒疫情漸緩，學生會的活動也從上半年的線上，轉為下半年的實體見面，讓人很是開心。他強調，每一年的活動能成功舉辦，都要歸功於可靠的幹部，他很感謝唐一平，徐祥，張家睿，以及資訊長周紀寧、財務長趙予辰、春酒活動總召張程閎、副召王愷、5*5白話文活動總召謝郁俐與前會長許祐湉、台語桌活動總召李典章、送舊活動總召崔相德、新生說明會總召廖柔謙與謝旻珈、新生手冊總編輯陳書凡等所有人的協助，哈佛台灣學生會才得以發光發熱。(更新版)

CITY OF BOSTON ANNOUNCES COMPREHENSIVE EFFORTS TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS AT MASS. AVE. AND MELNEA CASS BLVD.

CITY OF BOSTON ANNOUNCES COMPREHENSIVE EFFORTS TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS AT MASS. AVE. AND MELNEA CASS BLVD. Boston sets date of January 12 to connect remaining residents with services, prevent further encampments

 

BOSTON - Wednesday, December 15, 2021 - Today, Mayor Michelle Wu and senior advisors announced an updated timeline and key steps to transform the area around Mass. Ave. and Melnea Cass Boulevard with a citywide plan to connect residents experiencing homelessness and substance use with needed housing and services. Following a December survey of all individuals living in tents in the area to identify housing and medical needs, the city set a deadline of January 12th to connect those unsheltered individuals with appropriate services and will ensure the area remains clear of encampments following that date.  The City’s emergency response goals are to help individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health issues and substance use disorders transition from living in unsafe encampments to living indoors in a safe and supportive environment while receiving medical care; and to promote safety in the area surrounding Mass Ave and Melnea Cass Boulevard.  Dozens of low-threshold supportive housing placements are currently available or slated to come online within weeks, including at: ·    The EnVision Hotel, a 41-bed low-threshold, congregate transitional housing program operated by Victory Programs serving as an intermediate step between homelessness and permanent housing; ·    Shattuck Hospital Campus will host two temporary housing programs and one treatment program. The Cottage Community will provide temporary, low-threshold transitional housing and wrap-around services for up to 30 people in collaboration with the MA Executive Office of Health and Human Services and operated by Commonwealth Care Alliance and Eliot Human Services. Also at the Shattuck, Bay Cove Human Services will open 17 new beds for women to provide acute substance use treatment and connections to the next level of care. Pine Street Inn will open low-threshold shelter beds for up to 30 men with housing case management and medical care. ·    Roundhouse Hotel, a temporary site administered by Boston Medical Center that can house up to 60 individuals. They will have 24/7 staff and case management, with stabilization services to support recovery and transition into permanent housing. The Roundhouse will have intensive medical offerings to help individuals address mental health and substance use needs, as well as connect to long-term and evidence-based treatment. In addition to these sites, the City will aim to lower barriers to beds at existing city-owned shelters and explore additional low-threshold options across the city. Mayor Wu has previously announced that her administration would aim to open at least 200 low-threshold beds across the city. These efforts, led by Senior Advisor Dr. Monica Bharel, Boston Public Health Commission Executive Director Dr. Bisola Ojikutu and Housing Chief Sheila Dillon are based on a public health, harm reduction and equity-focused approach. The City’s goals are to connect residents with supportive housing and remove encampments from the neighborhood. Any tents that remain after January 12th will be responded to with the City’s existing encampment protocol, carried out by the Boston Public Health Commission, Boston Police Department, Inspectional Services Department, and Department of Public Works, including notice and storage of belongings. The City will maintain an ongoing presence, including outreach and street cleaning so that further encampments do not develop.  “With these actions, our goal is to bring residents out of the cold and into supportive housing, to change the status quo in this area and citywide,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Our team is taking every possible action to alleviate the humanitarian crisis at Mass Ave and Melnea Cass Boulevard and keep this area clear of encampments moving forward. I thank the cross-departmental team of public health, housing, public safety, and public works professionals who have rallied to put this plan into action.”  “We are working to transform the way we care for individuals experiencing homelessnes with substance use disorder and mental health issues through a public health and equity lens,” said Special Advisor Dr. Monica Bharel. “This transformation will minimize the barriers to accessing housing and treatment. To that end, we have launched an emergent effort to bring online low threshold and transitional housing options where individuals will have access to appropriate treatment and a path to recovery and healing.” “The Boston Police Department is fully committed to partnering with our city’s public health and housing agencies to assist the individuals living in the Mass and Cass area with their transition to supportive housing and to keeping this area clear of encampments moving forward,” said Acting Commissioner Gregory Long. “I thank the officers that work in the Mass and Cass area for their ongoing efforts to ensure that individuals suffering from substance use disorder and mental health challenges have access to the safe housing and services they need.” “The situation at Mass and Cass is a public health and humanitarian crisis that encompasses chronic homelessness, mental health, and substance use disorders. That’s why we’re taking a public health-oriented approach to respond to this crisis. We are working every day to address the barriers faced by each person living in these encampments and to connect them with the medical care, substance use treatment and housing that they need,” said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu. "The Public Works Department continues to utilize every resource at our disposal to keep the streets and sidewalks around Mass Ave. and Melnea Cass Boulevard clean and sanitary," stated Public Works Superintendent of Streets, Mike Brohel. "As the City of Boston takes a more comprehensive approach to transform the area, we look forward to working in partnership with our fellow city agencies, community groups and business owners to deliver essential city services that assist our most vulnerable populations." “The City, working with many area non-profit organizations, will continue to work with individuals living on the street to secure them safe and supportive low-threshold shelter and housing,” said Sheila Dillon, Chief of Housing. “These placements will allow individuals to receive and accept the services they need to stabilize their lives and plan for the future. The City will work on strengthening the connections and coordination between treatment and housing as it continues to address this issue.”   Every day, the City works to connect people in the Mass Ave and Melnea Cass Boulevard area to housing, treatment, and other supports across the city and region. The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) Recovery Services offers services that encompass the continuum of care including education, overdose prevention and naloxone distribution, street outreach, day-time low-threshold spaces, drop-in access to care services for treatment, transitional and long-term residential programming, outpatient services, youth substance use prevention and a peer recovery center. The Recovery Services Street Outreach team serves an average of 300 people daily through the Engagement Center and street outreach routes in the area of Mass Ave and Melnea Cass Boulevard. Every day, they place an average of 10 people in residential treatment programs across the state and respond to around 5 overdoses. BPHC Homeless Services also oversees a variety of programs that address complex needs associated with homelessness, such as emergency shelter, health and behavioral health services, job readiness and training, substance use treatment, recovery support, and housing services.

昆士市華裔男子走私人口從娼判入獄5年

 QUINCY MAN PLEADS GUILTY, SENTENCED TO STATE PRISON FOR TRAFFICKING WOMEN FOR SEX AT ALLSTON BROTHEL 

BOSTON – A Quincy man has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to state prison for trafficking numerous women for sex at a residential brothel in Allston, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

            Three days into his trial, Geekin Ng, 63, of Quincy, pleaded guilty last week to one count each of Trafficking Persons for Sexual Servitude, Deriving Support from Prostitution, Maintaining a House of Prostitution, Keeping a House of Ill Fame, and Money Laundering. Following the plea, Judge Michael Doolin sentenced Ng to five years and a day in state prison.

            “This sentence holds the defendant accountable for exploiting numerous women for sex for his own profit,” AG Healey said. “Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises in the world, and my office is committed to aggressively going after traffickers and providing victims with the support and services they need.”

Ng was arrested and indicted on the charges in 2018 following an investigation by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s Office and the Boston Police Department.

Ng ran a residential brothel in Allston, which was set up as a front for human trafficking. At the brothel, Ng offered sexual activity between women and buyers in exchange for a fee. He delivered food and other supplies to the brothel and advertised sexual services to buyers. Ng received the majority of the profits from these sexual encounters and used the money to fuel the criminal enterprise.

AG Healey has a dedicated Human Trafficking Division that focuses on policy, prevention and prosecution and includes a team of specialized prosecutors, victim advocates and Massachusetts State Police troopers who handle high impact, multi-jurisdictional human trafficking investigations and prosecutions across the state. Through the Human Trafficking Division, the AG’s Office has charged more than 65 individuals in connection with human trafficking since the law was passed.

In 2019, AG Healey announced she was creating the Commonwealth’s Anti-Trafficking Task Force with a $1.7 million three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The task force – which is co-led by the AG’s Human Trafficking Division, the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Division, and the AG’s Victim Witness Services Division – uses a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to combat labor and sex trafficking.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief of the AG’s Human Trafficking Division Jennifer Snook and Assistant Attorney General Canan Yesilcimen, with assistance from Victim Services Deputy Division Chief Rebecca Quigley, Victim Witness Advocate Victoria Rossi, and Paralegal Sindhu Kadhiresan, as well Forensic Digital Media Analyst Paul Melaragni, and Senior Digital Evidence Analyst James McCoy. The investigation was handled by the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, the AG’s Digital Evidence Lab, and the Boston Police Department’s Human Trafficking and Special Investigation Units and officers from District 14. 

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES NEW, LOWER COMMUNITY CHOICE ELECTRICITY RATES

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES NEW, LOWER COMMUNITY CHOICE ELECTRICITY RATES As general electricity prices rise, Community Choice Electricity offers affordable and renewable energy to Boston’s residents and businesses

 

BOSTON - Wednesday, December 15, 2021- Today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced new, lower electricity rates through Boston’s Community Choice Electricity (CCE) program, and encouraged all customers to choose CCE as their electricity supplier. The new CCE rates were effective in November 2021 and will be in effect until December 2023. All CCE rates will be lower than Eversource’s Basic Service Rate beginning on January 1, 2022, for a period of at least six months. Eversource is the local utility provider in Boston. The average Eversource Basic Service Residential Customer is expected to spend $27 per month more than a customer on the CCE Standard option. You can learn more about switching your electricity supplier here.  "Boston’s Community Choice Electricity program empowers residents and small businesses to save money and choose a greener future for our communities,” said Mayor Wu. “Signing up for this program will help speed the process of Boston becoming a 100% renewable energy city and provide a more affordable option this winter.” In 2017, then-Councilor Wu and Councilor Matt O’Malley authored legislation authorizing the City of Boston to adopt Community Choice Electricity, which was then unanimously approved by the City Council. Boston’s CCE program – the largest green municipal program in the Commonwealth – launched on February 1, 2021. Today’s announcement marks an important milestone for the program, with all three CCE rates costing less than Eversource Basic Service prices and utilizing more local, renewable energy sources. This step signals the Wu administration’s commitment to making Boston a Green New Deal city that is affordable, accessible, and sustainable for all residents.   The Community Choice Electricity program uses the City’s collective buying power to provide affordable, renewable electricity to Boston’s residents and businesses at a competitive rate. CCE has three options for electricity supply: Optional Basic, Standard, and Optional Green 100. These packages include between 18% and 100% local, renewable energy, and residents are able to choose which electricity rate and renewable energy portfolio works best for them. Eversource continues to serve as the utility delivering electricity to CCE customers, and Eversource also handles customer billing and service, grid maintenance, and power outages.

Lydia Edwards以壓倒性票數贏麻州參議員補選 1月將真除

Lydia Edwards 9月時在瑞維爾宣佈參加麻州參議員補選。(周菊子攝，檔案照片)

             (Boston Orange 整理編譯) 轄區包括波士頓華埠的麻州參議員補選初選，14日晚10點多結果揭曉，毫不出人意料之外的，現任波士頓市議員Lydia Edwards以壓倒性票數獲勝。

            由於這場選舉並無共和黨員參選，1月11日的大選，Lydia Edwards應同額當選無誤。估計2022年的州級選舉，她也會繼續贏得選舉。

根據非正式結果，Lydia Edwards贏得8,149票，比D’Ambrosio的5,413票，差距大約20%。她不但在人口19,000，將近5年前把賓加利送進參議會的Winthrop，以得票數1189，大贏對手的873張票，還在波士頓市民主黨籍選民投出的 6,117票中，贏得77%的支持率。在瑞維爾市(Revere)D’Ambrosio得3,172票，Lydai Edwards 得961票。

聯邦參議員Elizabeth Warren和波士頓市長吳弭，市議員Kenzie Bok，
Ed Flynn等人支持Lydia Edwards。(周菊子攝，檔案照片)

             這場參議員補選是因為原本在位的第一薩福克及米斗塞 (First Suffolk and Middlesex)區參議員賓加利(Joe Boncore)，9月辭職轉任麻州生物科技協會 (MassBio)執行長，席位出缺。這也是這一席位從2007年以來的第3次辦理補選。

             民主黨的2名參選人，一人是41歲，住在東波士頓，倡議可負擔住宅，公共交通免費的波士頓市現任市議員Lydai Edwards，一人是25歲的義大利移民後裔，現任的瑞維爾(Revere)學校委員會委員，Anthony D’Ambrosio 。

Lydia Edwards (左起)和波士頓市長吳弭，麻州眾議員Aaron Michlewitz一起參加北端聖誕
大遊行。(周菊子攝，檔案照片)

           儘管Lydai Edwards一直強調 Wintrop和Revere一帶，Anthony D’Ambrosio的支持力度非常強，但在不少政治觀察家看來，從Lydia Edwards參選以來，波士頓市議會幾乎所有議員都站台支持，然後她的曾經議員好友吳弭當選波士頓市長，所有吳弭曾經發動的支持者，也全都站了出來支持Lydai Edwards，包括聯邦參議員Elizabeth Warren，Ed Markey，聯邦眾議員Ayanna Pressley，麻州總檢察長Maura Healey，麻州眾議員Aaron Michlewitz，Adrian C. Madaro，薩福克郡治安官Steve Tompkin，全都一而再，再而三的出席各場造勢活動，波士頓市議員Keniz Bok也在投票前三天，在她家裏為Lydia Edwards舉辦了一場造勢會，邀集民主黨選區黨委會支持者出外敲門拜票，再加上過去這一、二年來的「黑命貴」風潮，人們早已預測Lydia Edwards會當選。

             波士頓市長吳弭則稱許Lydia Edwards，說她有宏大理想，還有政績，展現出當政府真正關心人民時，可以做到許多事。

             14日的選舉結果，的確並不令人驚訝，Lydia Edwards順利當選，將成為麻州參議會現任議員中唯一的黑人議員，也是代表第一薩福克及米斗塞選區的首名有色女性議員。

             共有40人的麻州參議會，目前僅有2名有色女性議員，其中西班牙裔的陳翟蘇妮(Sonia Chang Diaz)已宣佈參選下屆麻州州長，將不參選連任。

             第一薩福克及米斗塞選區包括劍橋市，畢肯丘(Beacon Hill)，東波士頓，溫卓普(Winthrop)和瑞維爾(Revere)。2022選區重劃後，波士頓將佔更大比重。

             Lydia Edwards自己很激動，在東波士頓的Spinelli感謝支持者時說，”這簡直讓我不知所措，但當初和現在，我參選都是為了東波士頓人”。2016年時，她就參選過這一職位，在7名參選者中得票第4高，敗給賓加利後，轉而競選波士頓市議員，並成功當選，連任三屆迄今。賓加利的辭職給了她機會重新來過，還得償所願。

             在發表勝選感言時，Lydia Edwards一度停頓，眼中帶淚的擁抱她母親，說著「我為我是什麼人，如何來到現在這地步而驕傲」，「我非常感你們所有人」。

             和波士頓市長選舉的投票率只有28.9%類似，這場在波士頓市長選舉過後一個多月，距離聖誕節僅11天的選舉，選民出席投票率也很低。

             D’Ambrosio在瑞維爾(Revere)市長也支持的聲勢中，拿到這城市75%的選票，但該是選民的出席投票率，遠比他們預期為低。D’Ambrosio表示，那成了他們的最大障礙。

藝術波士頓宣佈有色藝術行政人員網 Yvonne Cain等10名新導師

 BIPOC BUSINESS AND CULTURAL LEADERS MENTOR

ARTS ADMINISTRATORS OF COLOR IN LATEST ROUND OF MATCHES DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN ARTS SECTOR

BOSTON -- December 14, 2021 -- The Network for Arts Administrators of Color (NAAC Boston), a program of ArtsBoston, announced today its new slate of ten regional BIPOC business and cultural leaders who will serve as sponsors and mentors to the group’s 2021 class of rising regional arts administrators.

NAAC Boston’s Sponsorship Program pairs mid-level arts administrators (4+ years of experience in the field) with executive-level business leaders who can guide the next stages of their careers. Its Mentorship Program provides professional development programs for junior- and entry-level arts administrators (1-3 years of experience) to accelerate their learning with support from mid-level BIPOC arts administrators.

Group leaders say NAAC Boston and its programs work to widen the leadership pipeline in Greater Boston’s arts and culture sector by highlighting opportunities for professional and personal growth in the field, and enhancing the visibility of professionals of color. 

Sponsors in this year’s program are: Yvonne Cain, Senior Vice President and Group Media Director of the global media firm MediaHub Worldwide; George “Chip” Greenidge, a Harvard Kennedy School Visiting Fellow and director of the networking organization Greatest Minds; Andrés Holder, Executive Director of Boston Children’s Chorus; José Nieto, Chief Strategy Officer for branding and marketing company ThinkArgus; and Ruth Mercado-Zizzo, Vice President of Programs and Equity for the education philanthropy nonprofit EdVestors.

Mentors for 2021 are: Central Square Theater Education Manager Kortney Adams; StageSource Program Manager Jazzmin Bonner; New England Conservatory Program Director Rodrigo Guerrero; New England Foundation for the Arts Senior Program Manager Meena Malik; and Broadway in Boston Marketing Manager Adriana Zuñiga.

The program’s sponsees are Maria Servellon (Northeastern University), Cameron Lane (Artists for Humanity), Leslie Condon (Pao Arts Center), Lani Asuncion (Digital Soup) and Kat Nakaji (Artlab at Harvard University). Program mentees are Jamison Cloud (MassArt), Noelle Villa (Harvard Museums of Science and Culture), Amy Chu (Massachusetts Cultural Council), Holly Dyer (Community Music Center of Boston) and Merlo Philiossaint (artist).

The Sponsorship and Mentorship Programs foster interaction between the executives and their paired administrators through one-on-one meetings and career counseling, professional development workshops and panel discussions, and networking events held by the NAAC organization. Administrator participants also receive access to learning resources and services in a program toolkit.

NAAC was founded in 2016 to bring together administrators of color for a networking event. In addition to providing BIPOC administrators with a way to identify other colleagues of color in their fields and create a sense of solidarity within the arts sector, the group’s momentum resulted in a move to formalize its work. An online directory was created which was quickly sought by grantmakers looking for new diverse voices to serve on review panels. A peer-supported listserv was created to share job listings and funding opportunities. In its first five years, the group grew to 425 members. 

NAAC Boston 2021 Sponsor Yvonne Cain (l.), who also serves as a Vice Chair of ArtsBoston’s Board of Directors, says she is familiar with the need to actively seek out BIPOC colleagues in an industry where few exist. She is widely known for her work in the advertising and branding industry, where she has increased representation in that sector.

“It is true in the arts, as in all other industries, that inclusion, representation and the raising of diverse voices makes the work better, deeper and more resonant,” Cain says. “I understand and support the need for projects like NAAC Boston and I’m personally committed to guiding young professionals on their path to leadership. ArtsBoston’s commitment to making real change toward racial equity in the arts is the reason I joined the board and why I became a sponsor in this program.”

Jazzmin Bonner (r.), Program Manager for StageSource and a Co-Producer for Plays in Place who has twice served as a mentor, says the arts sector needs programs like NAAC.  

“Being an arts administrator of color can be an isolating and challenging experience,” Bonner says. “We face particular challenges around culture, interpersonal communication and promotion that require a specific set of skills and awareness. This Mentor/Sponsor program is a great way to address those challenges with smart matches and deep sharing of knowledge and networks.”

ArtsBoston Executive Director Catherine Peterson says supporting NAAC Boston and giving it a home base was a natural outgrowth of its work. “The credit for making this program a vibrant resource to hundreds of workers in our industry goes to its founding members, its steering committee and ArtsBoston’s Deputy Director - Programs Ola Okinwumi. This is a group of people dedicated to making the arts more representative of the community where we all work and live,” Peterson says.  

Support for NAAC Boston comes from Bank of America, which was an early funder of the program. Ongoing funding comes from the Mass Cultural Council.  Additional funders include the Boston Cultural Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Gubernatorial Candidate Danielle Allen Releases New Book, “Democracy in the Time of Coronavirus,” Debuting at #1 in Health Policy New Releases

 Gubernatorial Candidate Danielle Allen Releases New Book, “Democracy in the Time of Coronavirus,” Debuting at #1 in Health Policy New Releases 

In one of the first retrospectives on the national covid response, Allen provides an invaluable playbook for meeting our current moment and a stirring reflection on the future of democracy itself.

Danielle Allen, leading political thinker and gubernatorial candidate, released a new book today titled “Democracy in the Time of Coronavirus,” which quickly became the number one new release in health policy on Amazon. In the book, Allen — who led a COVID response team that led to the Biden-Harris Pandemic Testing Board — offers up a critical look at the handling of the pandemic and calls for a reimagining of how America functions in times of crisis in one of the first retrospective publications on the subject.  Boston, MA --

The Covid pandemic has claimed close to a million lives in the US alone, and wreaked extensive economic havoc — an outcome that could have been avoided if the government had been prepared to undertake comprehensive, contextually-sensitive policies. Democracy in the Time of Coronavirus takes stock of what the pandemic has shown us about weaknesses in our democracy and what we can do about them. It also reflects on the policy work Allen did in responding to the Covid pandemic. The thinking in the book is foundational to Allen’s agenda in her run for governor of Massachusetts. 

Allen analyzes how and why the US response to COVID-19 fell short, and suggests what should be done to better prepare for the next pandemic. Allen also argues that as a society, we need to build a new social contract in order to restore civic strength. A part of that new social contract is about taking a fresh approach to the relations between states and the federal government. The book also emphasizes the need to renew our moral commitments to one another across American society.

 

 

MAYOR WU ATTENDS NEWLY-ELECTED MAYORS MEETING AT WHITE HOUSE

MAYOR WU ATTENDS NEWLY-ELECTED MAYORS MEETING AT WHITE HOUSE  Mayor Wu met with Cabinet Secretaries and senior White House advisors to discuss working with the Biden-Harris Administration on key issues

 

 

Mayor Wu and newly-elected mayors meet with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg

 

WASHINGTON, DC - Tuesday, December 14, 2021 - Mayor Michelle Wu today joined nine other mayors at the White House to build partnerships with the federal government and other major U.S. cities. At the gathering for newly-elected mayors, Mayor Wu met White House Cabinet Secretaries to share Boston’s interests in and partnership on key federal legislation, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and the Build Back Better Agenda (BBB). The three legislative frameworks aim to advance the country’s domestic infrastructure, transportation, and energy efficiency in the wake of the global pandemic. “Cities across the country are ready to show what’s possible with bold action and partnership,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m grateful to collaborate with dynamic mayors across the country and the Biden Administration to ensure Boston has the resources, policies, and community partnerships to be a city for everyone.” Mayor Wu met with Marcia Fudge, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development; Marty Walsh, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor and former Mayor of Boston; Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation; and Gina McCarthy, the White House National Climate Advisor. In addition, Mayor Wu met with Mitch Landrieu who President Biden has tasked with leading the implementation of the Infrastructure Law.  Also in attendance were newly-elected mayors from other major cities across the country, including Mayor-elect Eric Adams of New York, New York; Mayor-elect Andre Dickens of Atlanta, Georgia; Mayor-elect Bruce Harrell of Seattle, Washington; Mayor Jim Ross of Arlington, Texas; Mayor Tim Kelly of Chattanooga, Tennessee; Mayor-elect Justin Bibb of Cleveland, Ohio; Mayor-elect Aftab Pureval of Cincinnati, Ohio; Mayor-elect Daniel Rickenmann of Columbia, South Carolina; and Mayor-elect Ken Welch of St. Petersburg, Florida. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests in some of Boston’s highest priorities and potential projects, including funding to improve road safety, improve public transportation, and electrify school buses. Mayor Wu conveyed the City’s willingness to partner with the federal government to fund further projects in climate resilience and modernizing Boston’s transportation infrastructure. Boston will receive approximately $558 million in ARPA funds. Mayor Wu has made investing these funds in housing a top priority, as well as in transit, infrastructure, and climate resilience. Boston recently appropriated $8 million for an innovative program to make three bus lines free for a 2-year period, as previously announced by Mayor Wu. In addition, $115 million in ARPA funding is budgeted to make up for lost revenues through 2024; $81.5 million was previously appropriated for an Emergency Relief Package in July focused on public health, small businesses, arts organizations, tourism, food access and other health disparities.  More than $354 million remains to be allocated through a community-led process to serve the communities and families most affected by the public health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor Wu has identified housing as a top priority for these remaining funds, as well as creating new homeownership opportunities. Mayor Wu also shared how Boston is ready to partner with the federal government on the Build Back Better framework. Build Back Better has the potential to significantly support Boston’s work to be a Green New Deal city, including in meeting ambitious decarbonization goals, creating good-paying jobs in the emerging green economy, expanding the tree canopy, retrofitting aging buildings to be more energy efficient, and building resilient stormwater infrastructure to withstand more intense and frequent storms. As part of the ongoing partnership between Boston and Washington, D.C., earlier this month Mayor Wu met with U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm in Boston on the Secretary’s Build Back Better Tour. The Mayor and Secretary Granholm toured the Boston Arts Academy, a new building under construction that is designed to meet Boston’s carbon neutrality goals. Build Back Better expands on the City’s recent work toward sustainable growth. In Mayor Wu’s first week as Mayor, she signed a historic ordinance requiring Boston to divest from fossil fuel industries by the end of 2025.  Mayor Wu recently took steps to expand accessibility to public transportation, notably the 23, 28, and 29 MBTA bus routes. Mayor Wu filed an order to allocate $8 million in federal funds to eliminate fares, a motion that has since gotten approval from the Boston City Council. Additionally, last week Mayor Wu announced several new steps to reduce vehicle emissions by accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles and other low-emission transportation options in Boston. In October, the Boston City Council unanimously passed the Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance. This building performance standard helps put Boston on a path to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.