Baker-Polito Administration Awards Additional $13.5 Million for COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Efforts

 Baker-Polito Administration Awards Additional $13.5 Million for COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Efforts

 

Funding builds on ongoing efforts to increase awareness and access to vaccines in communities hardest hit by the pandemic

 

BOSTON (January 13, 2022) – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced $13.5 million to support community organizations working in the cities and towns hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the Massachusetts Vaccine Equity Initiative to increase awareness, acceptance and access to the COVID-19 vaccine. These latest grants are part of the Administration’s investment of more than $46.5 million to address vaccine hesitancy.

 

With these funds, community organizations continue the work of reducing barriers to vaccine access and promoting primary vaccines and boosters for communities and populations most disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

 

“These trusted community-based organizations and leaders know their communities and neighborhoods best,” said Acting Department of Public Health Commissioner Margret Cooke. “These organizations expand and amplify the efforts of our Vaccine Equity Initiative by helping address the immediate and long-term health equity needs in priority communities – needs that have been exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.” 

 

The $13.5 million includes:

 

• $10.65 million to launch the Massachusetts Community Health Workers for Resilient Communities (MA CRC) program. Ten organizations in nine priority communities have been awarded three-year grants to support community health workers in clinical care settings and support local boards of health in increasing COVID-19 vaccination efforts. 

 

• $2.2 million has been awarded through June 2022 to extend current outreach and education funding to 45 community- and faith-based organizations, including Tribal and Indigenous People-serving organizations. These organizations will continue hosting and promoting vaccine clinics in the 20 Massachusetts communities most impacted by COVID-19. Funded organizations will also engage families and children to support pediatric vaccinations.

 

• $675,000 has been awarded to 9 community organizations to support a new COVID-19 vaccine equity program to support the unique needs of rural communities. 

The grants are the result of three major funding awards from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to the Commonwealth, building on the state’s investment to increase vaccine awareness and acceptance in communities hardest hit by COVID-19.

 

 

Award Recipients:

 

Massachusetts Community Health Workers for Resilient Communities (MA CRC) (CHW) $10.65M ($3.55M per year for 3 years) 

• Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program
• Whittier Street Health Center
• Brockton Neighborhood Health Center
• MGH Chelsea HealthCare Center
• Cambridge Health Alliance - Everett Care Center
• Cambridge Health Alliance - Malden Care Center
• Cambridge Health Alliance - Revere Care Center
• Lowell Community Health Center 
• Baystate Health and Caring Health Center 
• Family Health Center of Worcester

 

Rural Vaccine Program                                                                                                                                            $675,000 (funded organizations will receive $75,000 each) 

• Berkshire Regional Planning Commission
• CHNA 9 (North Central)
• CHNA 9 (East Quabbin)
• Island Health
• Northern Berkshire Community Coalition
• North Quabbin Community Coalition
• Outer Cape Community Solutions
• Southern Berkshire Rural Health Network
• Town of Ware

 

Vaccine Community Access Partners (HRiA) $2,105,754                                                                                                                                     Grant size: $35,000 - $50,000 per organization

• African Community Education Program
• Asian American Civic Association
• Asian Women for Health
• Association Ministerial Evangelical de Lawrence
• Association of Islamic Charitable Project
• Autism Sprinter
• Black Springfield COVID-19 Coalition (Springfield Partners for Community Action)
• Black Boston COVID Coalition
• Brockton Area Multi Services, Inc.
• Building Audacity, Inc.
• Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell, Inc.
• Catholic Social Services of Fall River, Inc.
• Centro Communitario de Trabajadores (TIPSO)
• Chelsea Black Community, Inc.
• La Colaborativa
• CHICA Project, Inc.
• Community Economic Development Center
• Disability Policy Consortium
• The Everett Haitian Community Center
• Greater Lowell Health Alliance
• GreenRoots
• Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe, Plymouth (TIPSO)
• Immigrants Assistance Center
• International Institute of New England, Inc.
• JAHAN Women and Youth Intercultural
• Massachusetts Council of Churches
• New American Association of Massachusetts
• New Life Community Empowerment Center
• New North Citizens’ Council, Inc.
• Ohketeau Cultural Center (TIPSO)
• One Holyoke CDC
• Pinnacle Partnership Corp
• Pioneer Valley Project
• Randolph Community Partnership
• Somali Parents Advocacy Center for Education (SPACE)
• Southeast Asian Coalition of Central MA
• Spanish American Center
• The Boston Project Ministries
• The Center for Hope and Healing
• The Joint Committee for Children’s Health Care
• The Latino Health Insurance Program
• The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
• Who’s Got Morale
• Worcester Interfaith
• YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts

波士頓市長吳弭提醒民眾1/15起 進餐館等室內場所需出示疫苗證明 (中文視頻)

 

麻州文化協會撥款150萬元給72個以青少年為對象的項目

Mass Cultural Council Awards more than $1.5M to Programs Serving Massachusetts Youth

BOSTON – Mass Cultural Council today announces that grants totaling $1,584,000 have been awarded to 72 programs in communities across the Commonwealth that focus on infusing youth development with creative experiences in the arts, humanities, and sciences.   “The importance of Creative Youth Development programming at this time in history cannot be overstated,” said Michael J. Bobbitt, Executive Director, Mass Cultural Council. “These programs not only foster creativity in young people, but they also provide supports – for mental health, promoting racial justice, and food insecurity. As a child, I found solace and comfort in the arts when stress, struggle, and anger surfaced in my life. I am pleased Mass Cultural Council is able to continue to invest in these important programs at a time when young people need them the most.”   Creative Youth Development programs foster creative expression while supporting core social and emotional skills, engaging young people of all ages as empowered agents in their own lives. As a practice, Creative Youth Development draws from a belief that culture plays a major role in the growth of creative, productive, and independent-minded citizens and thriving communities.   Mass Cultural Council’s YouthReach initiative is the longest continually running support program for Creative Youth Development (CYD) work in the United States. With this latest round of funding, YouthReach has invested more than $15 million into more than 100 Massachusetts organizations in its 27-year history. Each of the 72 grantees will receive $22,000 in this round to support their work, including: Berkshire Pulse, Great Barrington - to provide dance, world music and performing arts instruction after school and during summer breaks for at-risk youth in Southern Berkshire County. Elevated Thought Foundation, Lawrence - for youth to examine societal issues and explore new ideas through discussion and debate, poetry, organizing, and the use of various visual art mediums. New Bedford Whaling Museum, New Bedford - to provide 18 low-income, academically motivated high school students with resources and experiences to deepen community engagement, promote personal and professional development, and cultivate college and career readiness. A complete funding list and project descriptions for the FY22 YouthReach grantees is available online.                       A key pillar of the Agency’s Strategic Plan is Empowering a Creative Generation. YouthReach accomplishes this goal by providing targeted resources and training to increase the depth and quality of creative learning for young people and advancing the Agency’s national leadership role in Creative Youth Development through advocacy, field building, and partnerships.                  Mass Cultural Council will hold its next Creative Youth Development Community Meeting on January 27 at 3:30pm. This virtual open meeting offers a space for those working in the field of Creative Youth Development to connect, problem-solve, and spotlight best practices in a rapidly changing environment.

堅持防疫需打疫苗戴口罩 波士頓市長吳弭家門外出現抗議群

           (Boston Orange 整理編譯) 波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 當初競選時，已在社交媒體貼文上經常收到歧視、仇恨的留言，當選市長，宣佈市府員工必須打疫苗後，抗議者的喧囂，竟然從波士頓市府大樓甚至推進到了她家門口外。

             波士頓環球報1月12日的一篇報導形容，一大早7點剛過，就有5人頂著嚴寒天氣，拿著「大聲公」來到羅森岱爾 (Roslindale)，大喊「早安，早安」的兒歌。一名有2個小孩，身為母親的慢跑者經過，對他們說，「你在吵醒她的小孩」，「你想要抗議，可以去市政府大樓」。

               這5人中有1人是聲稱州政府規定讓她失去工作的獄政工作人員Melissa George，1人是經波士頓警察局內部事務組調查後，目前停職，自稱因組織「波士頓第一線工作人員團結 (Boston First Responders United)」反對接種疫苗規定，遭到報復的Shana Cottone。

                    Shana Cottone拿著的標語牌寫著，「同性戀等 (LGBT) 第一線工作人員反對強迫的醫藥」。她說，抗議者來到市長家門外是因為波士頓市政府關閉了，這是他們最後的辦法。她說她自已反對規定是因為她的宗教信仰，但她拒絕說明。她反對政府干預個人的醫療護理決定，即使是為了保護公眾的健康。她說，「誰是政府，可以來告訴我，我沒有死的權利」。

                    這幾名抗議者喊著，「吳市長，我們也不想吵你的鄰居，但是你拿走了我的工作」。他們也說，疫苗並不能防止新冠病毒的散佈，尤其是具高度傳染性的奧米克戎變種。

                 一名羅森岱爾居民Nolan 說，「這是讓人無法接受的行為」。

             吳弭在本週早前的一次訪談中表示，她盡量不把這些抗議個人化，認為抗議聲浪更大主要源自整個世界對新冠病毒相關訊息的不信任。她說，「看到國家那麼分裂，人們的情緒被牽引進仇恨言論，實在讓人難過」。

             抗議者逼近到家門口，近年似已成為政治人物都難免面對的夢靨。麻州州長查理貝克 (Charlie Baker) 從2020年起，就接二連三的有抗議者為了住宅，氣候變化，毒品危機等等各種議題，跑到他家門外抗議。去年9月甚至有8人抗議得過頭而被警方以擅闖私人物業的理由逮捕。

        在新罕布夏州 (NH) ，州長 Chris Sununu 去年也因為他家院子外面開始出現攜帶武器的反對戴口罩規定抗議者，取消了原定在戶外舉行的就職典禮。

            去年10月，推動聯邦氣候變化法案的活躍份子，就划到西維琴尼亞州參議員Joe Manchin的船屋去，也有人一路追他追到碼頭。學生活躍份子把亞歷桑納州參議員Kysten Sinema圍堵在公共廁所內。

           共和黨籍的麻州眾議員Steven Howitt表示，「每個人都認為，如果你是一名民選人員，你有沒有隱私權」，但他認為政客及其家人應有權得到合理的保護，去年他遞交法案，禁止示威者踏進任何民選官員家100碼之內。

OVER A DOZEN MORE MASSACHUSETTS OFFICIALS BACK SONIA CHANG-DÍAZ FOR GOVERNOR

OVER A DOZEN MORE MASSACHUSETTS OFFICIALS BACK SONIA CHANG-DÍAZ FOR GOVERNOR 

BOSTON, MA - State Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz announced 13 new endorsements from state and local officials in her campaign for Massachusetts Governor today. The new endorsers join a growing group of elected leaders and progressive organizations who are throwing their weight behind Chang-Díaz’s candidacy.

These 13 new endorsers bring her campaign to 50 endorsements from elected officials, including state lawmakers, city councilors, and school committee members hailing from across the state. Chang-Díaz has also earned the endorsements of the national progressive group People’s Action and statewide grassroots organization Neighbor to Neighbor, which has thousands of members in chapters across the state.

“Fifty elected officials and progressive organizations are backing Sonia because she’s building strong partnerships with local leaders across the state,” said Joshua Wolfsun, Chang-Díaz’s Acting Campaign Manager. “Sonia’s taken on — and won — tough fights throughout her whole career, and she knows that to win real change, the next governor of Massachusetts can’t take any Bay Staters for granted. That’s why she’s building a coalition in every community across the Commonwealth.”

Chang-Díaz, who entered the Governor’s race in June, is known on Beacon Hill for her work passing major progressive reforms, including $1.5 billion in progressive education funding, criminal justice reform, and LGBTQ equal rights legislation. She was elected Massachusetts’ first Latina and Asian American State Senator in 2008.

The new slate of endorsers praised Chang-Díaz for her work on Beacon Hill to win progressive change with an eye towards equity and for her willingness to engage her campaign across the state.

“Sonia Chang-Díaz has the experience, vision, and political courage Massachusetts needs in our next governor,” said State Representative Marcos Devers of Lawrence. I’ve been proud to partner with her in the State House and the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus to tackle our state’s most pressing issues. Sonia didn’t wait around to take on hard fights like the Student Opportunity Act, and she’s not waiting around now—she’s putting in the work in communities across the state to earn people’s support and build a grassroots coalition.”

“I’m endorsing Sonia Chang-Díaz because she understands that there is a cost to inaction, and she has the progressive visions and plans to create a Massachusetts that works for each and every one of us,” said Medford City Councilor Justin Tseng. “She does her homework, she’s not afraid to speak truth to power, and she is the ally that communities like Medford need in the Governor’s office.”

“From her first days in the senate, Sonia has demonstrated over and over again a real commitment to urgently needed criminal law and social justice reform,” said Northampton City Councilor Marissa Elkins. “More importantly, she is effective - delivering tangible, progressive change with these and other priorities such as equity in housing, the cannabis industry, and education. Sonia is the partner Western Massachusetts and all of the Commonwealth needs in the corner office to bring transformative change to every community and meaningful results to every family.”

“Sonia Chang-Díaz fully embodies the authenticity and accountability we need in the next Governor of Massachusetts,” said Needham Select Board Member Marcus Nelson. “She has proven this time after time with her leadership on Criminal Justice Reform, the Promise Act, and her Green New Deal. Rather than wait for progress to happen by chance, she demands it. Chang-Díaz holds herself to the same high standards that she asks of her colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate, and consistently goes above and beyond for her constituents. Her genuine concern and care for the communities that make up our great Commonwealth, especially those among us that are often overlooked and underrepresented, is sure to unite Massachusetts and create a stronger ‘us.’”

"Our Commonwealth needs a governor who will match aspirations with actions to make Massachusetts’ progressive reputation a reality,” said Somerville City Councilor Willie Burnley, Jr. “Sonia Chang-Díaz has shown that by partnering with our movements for justice, she can do just that. With so many critical needs on the line for our communities, Sonia has earned my support by promising to stand with and use her power for our neighbors rather than to empower a status quo that isn’t working for working families."

The slate of new endorsers includes:

• Marcos Devers, State Representative, 16th Essex
• Kendra Lara, Boston City Councilor
• Thu Nguyen, Worcester City Councilor
• Jesse Gordon, Randolph City Councilor
• Dylan Clark, Barre Select Board Member
• Marissa Elkins, Northampton City Councilor
• Marcus Nelson, Needham Select Board Member
• Justin Tseng, Medford City Councilor
• Vivian Nguyen, Everett City Councilor
• Willie Burnley, Jr., Somerville City Councilor
• Charlotte Kelly, Somerville City Councilor
• Nick Lazzaro, Millbury School Committee Member
• Ilana Krepchin, Somerville School Committee Member

See all endorsements

Baker-Polito Administration Launches First-in-the-Nation Commission on Clean Heat

 Baker-Polito Administration Launches First-in-the-Nation Commission on Clean Heat

Commission Will Advise the Administration on Approaches to Reduce GHG Emissions in the Buildings Sector

 

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced that the members of Massachusetts’ first-in-the-nation Commission on Clean Heat were sworn in, helping to advance the Commonwealth’s ambitious goals to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions in the buildings sector. The Commission, which was created via Executive Order 596, held its first meeting on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, and over the next year will advise the Administration as it works to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050. The Commission membership, representing a wide range of backgrounds and expertise including affordable housing, energy efficient building design and construction, health care and real estate, will identify policies and strategies and recommend a framework to achieve emissions reductions that is well-balanced, affordable, and equitable.

 

“This Commission brings together a diverse, experienced and thoughtful group of experts and stakeholders to help our Administration develop the policies and strategies we will need to meet the challenges associated with decarbonizing the buildings sector in Massachusetts,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The membership of the Commission on Clean Heat represents a variety of important perspectives that will be critical in the development of balanced, forward-thinking approaches to decarbonization that prioritize innovation, affordability, and equity as we make this transition.”

 

“We thank the new members of the Commission on Clean Heat for their willingness to take on this important work on behalf of the Commonwealth,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “As the Commission on Clean Heat begins this vital work, our Administration will also ensure ample opportunities for members of the public to fully participate and contribute in the process as we work to reduce emissions from heating fuels in a way that is both effective and affordable.”

 

Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Kathleen Theoharides has appointed EEA Undersecretary of Energy and Climate Solutions Judy Chang to serve as her designee and chair of the Commission, and its membership reflects a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds from outside stakeholders, including representatives from the fields of affordable housing, energy efficient building design and construction, healthcare, heating system design and technology, real estate, and heating fuel distribution.

 

“The Commission on Clean Heat will bring together stakeholders to take on our most pressing emissions reduction challenges in the building sector through a collaborative, inclusive approach,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. “Gathering these voices and perspectives from technical experts, the affordable housing community, business leaders, environmental organizations, and major industries in the Commonwealth, will enable our continued, nation-leading pursuit of the equitable, creative strategies we need to meet our ambitious climate targets.”

 

“This groundbreaking Commission begins its work with a membership that represents the diversity of voices required to identify recommendations to achieve the Commonwealth’s emission reduction, housing, and economic development goals,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. “We are grateful to the Commission members for investing the time necessary to do this important work and I look forward to the group’s recommendations.”

 

The Commission on Clean Heat is comprised of the following members:

 

Name:	Organization:
William Akley	President of Gas Business, Eversource
Lauren Baumann	Vice President, New Ecology
Kenan Bigby	Managing Director of Development, Trinity Financial
Harry Brett	UA Representative in New England, Plumbers and Gas Fitters UA Local 12
Alexander “Zan” Bross	Manager, Design & Construction, MassHousing
Andrew Brown	Assistant Project Manager, The HYM Investment Group
Emerson Clauss III	President, Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Massachusetts (HBRAMA)
Rebecca Davis	Chief Operating Officer, Massachusetts Competitive Partnership
Eric Dubin	Senior Director, Utilities and Performance Construction, Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC
Mike Duclos	Founder and Member of Board of Directors, Passive House New England
Madeline Fraser Cook	Director, Government Investments and Technical Assistance, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
Eugenia Gibbons	Independent Consultant
Dharik Mallapragada	Research Scientist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Energy Initiative
Cameron Peterson	Director of Clean Energy, Metropolitan Area Planning Council
Robert Rio	Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Counsel, Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM)
Kimberly Robinson	Executive Director, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
Dorothy Savarese	President and CEO, Cape Cod Five
Tamara Small	CEO, NAIOP Massachusetts
Charles Uglietto	President, Cubby Oil & Energy
Dennis Villanueva	Senior Manager, Energy and Sustainability, Mass General Brigham
Jolette Westbrook	Director and Senior Attorney, Energy Markets and Regulation, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)

 

The Commission on Clean Heat will meet regularly to work on developing policy recommendations, which are due to Governor Baker by Wednesday, November 30, 2022. The policies developed by the Commission will seek to sustainably reduce the use of heating fuels and minimize emissions from the building sector while ensuring costs and opportunities arising from such reductions are distributed equitably. The Commission on Clean Heat will also hold public stakeholder meetings throughout the year, with the first to be scheduled in March, 2022. Dates and times for the public stakeholder meetings, as well as additional opportunities for public input, will be announced on the Commission on Clean Heat  webpage.

 

“Climate leadership over the next decade will require a fundamental transition in how we heat and cool our homes and buildings,” said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Patrick Woodcock. “While we move forward with accelerating the aggressive deployment of energy efficiency and heat pumps this first-in-the-nation commission on clean heat will identify the next generation of cost-effective and equitable policies that yield deep building sector decarbonization across the Commonwealth.”

 

In March 2021, Governor Baker signed nation-leading climate legislation that commits the Commonwealth to reducing emissions below 1990 levels by 50% by 2030, 75% by 2040, and to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050. The Commission on Clean Heat’s recommendations will aid the state in its efforts to meet these emissions targets. For more information on the Commission members, please visit the Commission on Clean Heat’s webpage.

 

The Executive Order signed by Governor Baker in September, 2021 also establishes an Interagency Building Decarbonization Task Force to support the work of the Commission. The Task Force will consist of subject-matter experts from across the Executive Branch, including the Department of Energy Resources and the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.

 

In October 2021, the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council unanimously voted to approve the 2022-2024 statewide Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plan. The plan represents a transformational shift of the Mass Save programs to better align with the Commonwealth’s ambitious climate requirements and focus on increasing participation in environmental justice communities across the state. In July, EEA Secretary Theoharides set ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals for the 2022-2024 Mass Save Plan. In aggregate, the investments made through the electric and gas plans in 2022-20224 will need to deliver 845,000 tons of emissions reduction towards our 2030 GHG limit. It is anticipated that Mass Save will achieve the GHG emission reduction goals by increasing the number of buildings retrofitted and weatherized each year, making significant investment in electrification of existing buildings to transition customers away from fossil fuels, reducing support for fossil-fuel heating incentives, phasing out LED light-bulb incentives, increasing equitable program investments in environmental justice communities and low-moderate income households, and increasing workforce development investments to expand diversity in the workforce. It’s estimated that this plan will provide an $13 billion in benefits to the Commonwealth. This plan was submitted to the DPU on November 1, 2021 and can be approved by the Department as early as January 31, 2022.

兒童新冠疫苗說明會 1/19 廣東話，1/20 普通話

 

波士頓市長吳弭指派 STEPHEN ALKINS 進學校委員會 一任4年

MAYOR WU APPOINTS STEPHEN ALKINS TO BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE

BOSTON - Wednesday, January 12, 2022 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the appointment of Dr. Stephen Alkins to the Boston School Committee, to serve a 4-year term. The Boston School Committee is the governing body of Boston Public Schools. “Dr. Alkins has dedicated his career to bringing about the systemic change that’s needed in this moment,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m excited for him to bring his vision and experience to the Boston School Committee. His commitment to inclusion and holistic understanding of education will benefit all BPS families, educators, and staff.” "On behalf of the Boston School Committee, I am pleased to welcome Dr. Alkins as our newest colleague, and thank him for his commitment to serving on this Committee," said Boston School Committee Chairperson, Jeri Robinson. "He has strong connections within the community, and a demonstrated passion for diversity, equity and inclusion and helping to dismantle systemic inequities so that students can continue to succeed. Dr. Alkins will be a great addition as we strive to ensure that the Boston School Committee represents the diversity of our schools and our city. I look forward to working alongside Dr. Alkins in service to the students, families, and educators of the Boston Public Schools."  "I am excited to welcome Dr. Alkins to the Boston School Committee and look forward to partnering with him and his fellow members on the important work ahead," said Superintendent Brenda Cassellius. "Our goal is consistency, transparency and ensuring that our students, families, and staff know where we are focusing our efforts. The School Committee plays a vital role in helping BPS set the vision by pushing us to continue improving our practices. Dr. Alkins’ experience within the community, as well as his ties to this work are going to add great value as we seek to manage the global pandemic and support students' learning and social emotional development." Stephen D. Alkins, Jr., Ph.D. is the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (and Belonging) Officer (DEIO) and Co-chair of the DEI Council at TERC, a STEM education research and development nonprofit organization. With his leadership, Stephen helps craft and implement the vision for DEIB at TERC through his collaboration on NSF STEM education grant development in multiple learning environments (informal and formal K-16 spaces). His role and responsibilities include recruitment and retention of a diverse research and infrastructure staff, internal policy review, development and analysis of inclusive educational opportunities and social programming, and establishment of collaborative partnerships to promote equity for all STEM learners. He also helps research teams employ critical DEIB frameworks (e.g. Decolonization, Critical Race Theory, Queer Theory, Social Capital Theory, etc.) to help dismantle systemic inequities within STEM education, support youth STEM identity development, and engage and include underrepresented/marginalized communities in authentic, collaborative research experiences. Finally, he is an accomplished scientist, college and high school educator, mentor, and national-performing Spoken Word/SLAM poet who uses art to diversify participation in and enhance understanding of STEM concepts.Stephen received his B.S. in Biology from Morehouse College and his Master’s and Ph.D. in Cellular Neuroscience from Brandeis University.     “I am excited to collaborate with diverse voices advocating and strategizing toward educational equity and empowering the valuable knowledge and input of the Boston community,” said Stephen Alkins. “This role necessitates us to face difficult questions and conflicts that center Boston's students, their families, and our community. Let's get to work."

The School Committee is responsible for: Defining the vision, mission, and goals of the Boston Public Schools; Establishing and monitoring the annual operating budget; Hiring, managing, and evaluating the Superintendent; and Setting and reviewing district policies and practices to support student achievement.   The School Committee meets approximately twice per month during the school year to adopt, review and modify policies and practices that support teaching, learning and improved student achievement. With the exception of executive sessions, Committee meetings are open to the public, feature public comment periods and are broadcast on Boston City TV. With Alkins’ appointment, Mayor Wu has one other vacancy to fill on the Boston School Committee. The term will run 4 years. Mayor Wu previously reappointed Lorena Lopera and Rafaela Polanco García to the Boston School Committee, to serve the remainder of terms that end on January 1, 2024.

勞工部推出公平聘僱新計畫

 

OFCCP and EEOC Launch Joint Hiring Initiative to Reimagine Equity (HIRE)

Today, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) launched a joint initiative to reimagine hiring practices in ways that advance equal employment opportunity and help provide workers access to good jobs.

The Hiring Initiative to Reimagine Equity (HIRE) is a multi-year collaborative effort that will engage a broad array of stakeholders to expand access to good jobs for workers from underrepresented communities and help address key hiring and recruiting challenges.

As our nation makes major investments in our infrastructure and recovery, HIRE will:

• Host convenings on organizational policy and practices to reimagine equity and expand opportunity in hiring.

• Identify strategies to remove unnecessary barriers to hiring, and to promote effective, job-related hiring and recruitment practices to cultivate a diverse pool of qualified workers.

• Promote equity in the use of tech-based hiring systems.

• Develop resources to promote adoption of innovative and evidence-based recruiting and hiring practices that advance equity.

OFCCP and EEOC will hold a virtual public roundtable on January 19, 2022, at 2pm ET to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and launch the initiative.

The fight for equal opportunity in the form of better jobs and higher wages played a critical role in Dr. King’s work. The roundtable, the first in a series of convenings, will focus on strategies for advancing racial equity and will bring together employers and worker organizations to understand how we can reimagine hiring practices in ways that advance equity and access to good jobs for underrepresented communities. As our nation rebuilds from the pandemic and adapts to a changing economy, the discussion will explore opportunities to connect and scale actionable solutions to advance equity in hiring.

Find out more about HIRE in the HIRE Fact Sheet. Event and registration information for the roundtable can be found here.

Click here to visit HIRE Landing Page