Baker-Polito Administration Awards $2 Million to Support New Early College Pilot Programs

 Baker-Polito Administration Awards $2 Million to Support New Early College Pilot Programs

University of Massachusetts receives grant to launch new statewide Early College program with online classes

 

BOSTON  –– The Baker-Polito Administration today awarded more than $2 million to high schools and colleges, including the University of Massachusetts, that are developing new early college pilot programs aimed at significantly increasing the number of underrepresented students taking college courses while still in high school.
 
“Early College programs provide students with an invaluable learning experience that supports their successful future in and out of the classroom,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “We are pleased that UMass will now be among the higher education institution partners, and we are grateful for their commitment to expanding access to college courses for high school students across the Commonwealth.”
 
“Students from every community in the Commonwealth will now have even more opportunities to build a bridge to college through these innovative new models,” Lt. Governor Karyn Polito said. “Congratulations to each of the grant recipients for proposing ways in which we can make Early College opportunities more widely available.”
 
“We’re proud to make these grants available to programs who are thinking critically about how to expand access to college courses for more high school students,” said Education Secretary James Peyser. “All students, and particularly those who have been historically underrepresented in higher education, deserve the opportunity to prepare for postsecondary education. These early college models will help more students have this opportunity.”  
 
"These grants will accelerate innovation, build capacity, and strengthen quality in early college programs across Massachusetts,” said UMass President Marty Meehan. “UMass is grateful for the confidence that the Baker-Polito Administration is showing in our initiatives on the South Coast and in the Merrimack Valley.  With our colleagues at UMass Dartmouth and UMass Lowell, we look forward to working with our partner high schools to open new higher education pathways for their students."
 
The University of Massachusetts (UMass) received $940,000 to launch its first early college program and support seven partnerships with high schools surrounding its Dartmouth and Lowell campuses. Known as Commonwealth Collegiate Academy, UMass will offer live course instruction delivered remotely by its faculty to students in multiple high schools during the school day. High school instructors will partner with their UMass colleagues to provide face-to-face support for labs, discussion sections and team-based projects. UMass anticipates receiving official designation status from the state in the future, and these startup early college programs will be able to request additional state funding next year to work toward their designations.
 
Since its launch in 2017, the Baker-Polito Administration has undertaken a statewide effort to expand Early College to substantially increase the number of high school students who take college courses and earn credits at no cost before they graduate high school. The Fiscal Year 2023 budget signed by the Governor included a significant increase to Early College funding to bring the total annual investment to more than $19 million. 

Currently, there are approximately 5,400 students enrolled in Early College courses at 50 high schools across the Commonwealth. The Executive Office of Education anticipates that approximately 8,700 students will be enrolled in Early College programs by the 2024-2025 school year. About half of the Commonwealth’s Gateway Cities have Early College programs at their high schools, and nearly 60 percent of students enrolled in Early College come from low-income backgrounds.

Students who participate in Early College programs enroll in college at significantly higher rates than their high school peers, and it boosts college completion rates for low-income, minority and first-generation college students. In 2019, approximately 76 percent of Early College students enrolled in college after graduation compared to 55 percent of their peers who did not participate in Early College.
 
The following applicants received grants:

• Boston Public Schools partnered with Roxbury Community College - $120,000
• Brockton Public Schools partnered with Massasoit Community College and UMass Dartmouth - $200,000 - Brockton High School is partnering with Massasoit Community College and UMass Dartmouth to launch a district-wide Early College program that enrolls several hundred students. The program will begin recruiting middle school students and provide college coursework and support to high school students in the district.  
• Digital Ready partnering with Revere Public Schools and Boston Public Schools - $120,000
• Franklin County Public Schools partnered with Greenfield Community College - $200,000- Franklin County Public Schools and Greenfield Community College are partnering to develop a rural delivery model pilot of Early College. The college will launch a pilot this fall with Mohawk Trail Regional High School.  
• South Shore Consortium partnered with King Philip Public School District - $100,000
• Lynn Public Schools partnered with North Shore Community College - $200,000 - Lynn Public Schools is working with North Shore Community College to open an on-campus Early College high school this fall starting with a 9th grade class.
• Merrimack College - $120,000
• University of Massachusetts President’s Office with Billerica, Brockton, Dracut, Fall River, Methuen, New Bedford, and Taunton public schools- $940,000

AG HEALEY SECURES NEARLY $3 MILLION IN PENALTIES AND BACK WAGES WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN FISCAL YEAR 2022

 AG HEALEY SECURES NEARLY $3 MILLION IN PENALTIES AND BACK WAGES WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN FISCAL YEAR 2022

AG’s Fair Labor Division Cited 100 Construction Companies for Violating State Labor Laws, Securing Restitution for More Than 850 Workers

 

BOSTON — As part of an ongoing initiative to combat wage theft in the construction industry, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today that her office issued 216 citations against 100 construction companies for violating the state’s wage and hour and prevailing wage laws over fiscal year 2022. As a result of these enforcement actions, more than 853 workers will receive more than $1.7 million in back pay and the companies will pay over $1.1 million in fines.

“Our Fair Labor Division works hard to advocate for construction workers across Massachusetts who are often vulnerable to wage theft and other forms of exploitation on the job,” said AG Healey. “Through continued enforcement, outreach, and education, we are committed to ensuring a fair working environment in the construction industry and a level playing field for responsible employers.”

The violations in these cases, handled by the AG’s Fair Labor Division, include the failure to pay wages in a timely manner, to pay overtime, and to furnish records for inspection, as well as retaliation. For work performed on public construction projects, violations include failure to pay the prevailing wage, to submit true and accurate certified payroll records, and to register and pay apprentices appropriately.

Some of the 2022 enforcement actions include citations against the following construction companies:

• Rochester Bituminous Products, Inc., and its owners, President, Thomas Russo, Manager, Albert Todesca, and Treasurer, Michael P. Todesca, were issued 25 citations totaling more than $1.2 million in restitution and penalties for prevailing wage violations and failing to submit certified payroll records. The violations occurred on various public projects, including projects for the City of Boston, Town of Mattapoisett, Boston Water & Sewer Commission, as well as Abington, Bridgewater, Canton, Plymouth, Sharon, and Weymouth.
• Superior Carpentry, Inc., and its President, Fernando Barroso, and Vice President, Felipe Drumond, were issued five citations for over $540,000 in restitution and penalties for failure to pay prevailing wages and for submittal of false payroll records to awarding authorities on public projects at the Middleborough and Westport police stations.
• Railworks Track Systems, Inc., will pay more than $220,000 in restitution and penalties for failing to pay the proper overtime rate to workers, failing to properly account for different hourly rates of pay earned by employees during the same work week, and failing to submit true and accurate payroll records for work performed on public works projects in Hyannis, Falmouth. Framingham, Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox, Pittsfield, Sheffield, and Stockbridge.  
• Gonza Construction Inc. was issued five citations totaling $143,000 in restitution and penalties for prevailing wage, record-keeping, earned sick time, and paystub violations on a public project in Stoughton.

In partnership with government agencies, worker advocacy groups, and labor unions, the AG’s Fair Labor Division raises awareness about workers' rights and employer responsibilities under the law. It has prioritized outreach and education across Massachusetts through trainings in which workers can learn more about their rights under Massachusetts wage and hour laws, including earned sick time, breaks and how and when they should be paid. Additionally, the Fair Labor Division has worked with other governmental agencies, including the Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Labor Standards, to update materials and provide guidance to awarding authorities and contractors in order to ensure compliance with prevailing wage and construction bid laws.

The Fair Labor Division’s Bid Unit, which is responsible for investigating and enforcing the competitive bidding laws that govern contracts for public construction projects in Massachusetts, resolved 210 bid protests in 2022. The Bid Unit ensures transparency and fairness in the bidding and granting of public construction contracts.

Next month, the AG’s Office will issue its seventh annual Labor Day Report on its efforts to address wage theft and other forms of worker exploitation. The report will highlight the restitution and penalties ordered against employers and proactive initiatives undertaken by the office on behalf of working people in Massachusetts.

AG Healey’s Fair Labor Division is responsible for enforcing state laws regulating the payment of wages, including prevailing wage, minimum wage, earned sick time and overtime laws, as well as the competitive bidding laws that govern contracts for public works construction. Workers who believe their rights have been violated in their workplace are encouraged to file a complaint at www.mass.gov/ago/wagetheft.

For information about the state’s wage and hour laws, workers may call the Office’s Fair Labor Hotline at 617-727-3465 or go to the Attorney General’s new Workplace Rights website www.mass.gov/ago/fairlabor for materials in multiple languages.

波士頓市長匯報橘線停駛第一天搭乘巴士經驗

 

MAYOR WU AND BOSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT DEDICATE WALKER PLAYGROUND BASKETBALL COURTS IN MEMORY OF MEDINA DIXON

MAYOR WU AND BOSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT DEDICATE WALKER PLAYGROUND BASKETBALL COURTS IN MEMORY OF MEDINA DIXON

BOSTON - Saturday, August 20, 2022 - Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston Parks Commissioner Ryan Woods joined members of the Dixon family and local coaches and players on August 20 for the dedication of the basketball courts at Walker Playground in Mattapan in honor of the late Medina Dixon. “There are heroic acts happening every day in our city, there are leaders who emerge and become inspirations and role models that reshape the history for generations to come – and Ms. Medina Dixon really set the standard. This is a tribute to as much Medina Dixon as it is to the family and the legacy that they continue to represent,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “We’re very grateful to the Parks Department and so many for making sure that her legacy will always and forever be here as a platform for other young people to build their dreams on top of as well.” At 6’ 3”, Medina Dixon was Mattapan and Dorchester’s pride, a powerhouse who learned the game in the same park at 550 Norfolk Street where the courts now named after her are located. These are the first basketball courts in the City of Boston park system to be named after a woman. “Medina Dixon was the best female basketball player to ever come out of New England,” noted Alfreda Harris, longtime community activist in Roxbury and beyond and one of Boston’s most successful basketball coaches. “It was an honor for me to have coached her and been a part of her life.” Harris mentored the 15-year-old Dixon at the Shelburne Community Center after hearing about her outplaying the neighborhood boys in Mattapan. By the time she transferred from West Roxbury High to Cambridge Rindge & Latin, Medina Dixon was the top female high school player in the US. Dixon’s level of play was so advanced that the school actually considered having her play on the boys’ team but she preferred to play in the girls’ league where she broke records and mentored other players.  She began her college career at South Carolina in 1981 then transferred to Old Dominion for her last three seasons where she was an NCAA champion and brought back the gold at the FIBA World Championship and the bronze at both the 1991 Pan American Games in Cuba and the 1992 summer Olympics in Barcelona where she led the US “Dream Team” in scoring. With limited opportunities in the US, Medina played professionally for ten years in Italy, Russia, and Japan and met her future wife, Yoyo. After she moved on to professional play, Medina Dixon’s number 13 was retired by Old Dominion and her number 44 was retired by Cambridge where she is in the school’s Hall of Fame. Medina Dixon continued to inspire fans, coaches, and fellow players until her untimely death from pancreatic cancer in November of 2021. She was 59.   On June 30, Mayor Wu unveiled more than $1.7 million in additional park improvements at Walker Playground. The renovations included upgrading the field, enhancing all entrances including formerly non-ADA compliant entrances, repaving pathways including a walking loop around the field, adding a drinking fountain, solar benches, and lighting along the walking loop and throughout the park, repairing the shelter roof, and adding a police call box.   For more information, please contact the Boston Parks and Recreation Department at (617) 635-4505. Stay up to date with news, events, and improvements in Boston parks by signing up for our email list at bit.ly/Get-Parks-Emails and following our social channels @bostonparksdept on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

波士頓中國象棋大賽8月21日下午決賽

 

傅聰鋼琴協奏曲比賽 8人晉級半決賽 8/20下午一點在NEC威廉斯廳比高下

 

              (Boston Orange) 中華表演藝術基金會舉辦的傅聰鋼琴協奏曲比賽，8名入圍半決賽者，訂8月20日下午1點至6點，在新英格蘭音樂學院Williams廳，以獨奏和演奏貝多芬鋼琴協奏曲第五號第七十三號作品 (皇帝)一比高下。

              這8名半決賽入圍者，分別為來自美國，20歲的Lucas Amory，27歲的Sahun Sam Hong； 來自台灣，30歲的陳涵，26歲的葛伯偉，來自中國，22歲的程柏淵，23歲的倪楠，20歲的石以德，25歲的王鴻禎。

              半決賽及決賽的評審將有Bruce Brubaker教授，Richard Dyer，HaeSun Paik教授，Channing Yu。

              比賽活動公開，入場免費，主辦單位建議捐款10元，並請6歲以下兒童不要入場。

              查詢詳情可上網http://www.chineseperformingarts.net/contents/summer/2022/0820/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1sJQQOz1HzJ8NsNJUNA_b4OyM0-C5bdB3PTBwn_Ia_QMPiMSmSs-d8pfw。

Greenway Conservancy Releases Request for Qualifications for 2023 Site-Specific Dance Series The Greenway Dance Series is presented by Amazon August 19, 2022 – Boston, MA – The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy today announced the request for qualifications process for a new site-specific dance series to debut in fall of 2023. The Greenway Conservancy is partnering with Boston-based choreographer/director Peter DiMuro on a major new dance project that will develop, present, and document four site-specific works by local choreographers of diverse ages, races, ethnicities, and dance genres. DiMuro will guide the cohort through a year-long development process that includes workshops with guest artists, peer critical response, rehearsal space, mentorship, public work-in-progress performances, and documentation. The Conservancy has presented dance projects through partnerships and commissions in the past, but this will be the first major commissioned series of dance performances on The Greenway. "As a child, I rode on the stacked highway that is now submerged below The Greenway, and as a young adult I witnessed the (seemingly endless!) Big Dig. Any grand interruption of space interrupts and reveals legacies and histories. Our work as site-based artists is to illuminate facets of this multiplicity, so present day viewers of the performance experience this space with a new view, new information, and a new perspective,” said Peter DiMuro, “My company and I are eager and grateful for the opportunity." The Conservancy has already selected DiMuro’s company, Public Displays of Motion, and Jean Appolon Expressions as part of the project’s development funding phase. They are now seeking two choreographers/companies to join the cohort through a Request for Qualifications. Each choreographer will select a portion of the 1.5-mile-long Greenway on which to base their work. Their 15-30 minute dance will respond to the context of the site, whether historical, social, anthropological, or environmental. All dances will be performed for the public over a series of weekends in September 2023, culminating in a final festival day of performance in early October 2023. The Request for Qualifications is due on September 14, 2022 and can be viewed on the Conservancy’s website. “This program aims to bring the power of dance directly to the public, through free, outdoor works immersed in their locations,” said Keelin Caldwell, Director of Programs and Community Engagement. “The Greenway Conservancy is thrilled to work with four choreographers and companies in creating a collaborative and immersive series of new performances.” This series is made possible by presenting sponsor Amazon, as well as additional enhancement funding from the Greenway Business Improvement District (BID) and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Greenway Dance series is funded exclusively through competitive grants and private sources. “Amazon is honored to continue to invest in Boston’s thriving local arts and culture programs, building a more inclusive and equitable arts community for all,” said Jerome Smith, Amazon’s Head of Community Engagement in New England. “There’s something so special about watching a live outdoor performance in the heart of our city. We look forward to enjoying the Greenway Dance Series with everyone next fall.” About The Greenway and the Greenway Conservancy The Greenway is a contemporary public park in the heart of Boston. The Greenway welcomes millions of visitors annually to gather, play, unwind, and explore. The Greenway Conservancy is the non-profit responsible for the management and care of The Greenway. The majority of the public park’s annual budget is generously provided by private sources. About Peter DiMuro For 30+ years, DiMuro has woven a career as a dancer, actor, choreographer, director, teacher, and facilitator of creativity. He was Artistic Director of Liz Lerman Dance Exchange 2003-2008, a White House Millennial Artist, and a Mayor of Boston/ProArts Arts Award recipient. His work has received support from the NEA, National Performance Network, the Mass Artists’ Foundation, Mass Cultural Council, and MetLife Foundation. DiMuro was a member of the inaugural cohort of the Mayor of Boston's Artist-in-Residence program in 2015, the recipient of an Arts Fuse Award in 2016, and the 2018 inaugural choreographer-in-residence at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. DiMuro is currently focused on physically embodying public art by creating dance in and for public spaces. His work creates platforms for the often invisible histories of our shared spaces, allowing the viewer to see and move through places differently. Public Displays of Motion is a dance company under the creative umbrella of DiMuro that develops and performs artistic works in dance and dance/theatre that translate the poetic and humane within everyday lives into performance; they will be one of the four companies involved in this project. About Amazon Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be the Earth’s most customer-centric company, Earth’s best employer, and Earth’s safest place to work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. About the Greenway Business Improvement District The Greenway BID is designed to contribute $1.5 million each year to support the maintenance, horticulture costs, and future enhancements of The Greenway. Properties that meet certain criteria within the BID boundaries pay a special assessment as part of their property taxes to support improvements that benefit property owners and the public alike. BID members also have opportunities to vote on enhancements and supplemental support along the entirety of The Greenway to create a more engaging and activated public realm. The Greenway BID plays an essential role in supporting an appealing, accessible, and vibrant experience in the BID district for all who visit The Greenway to gather, relax, unwind, and explore.

Greenway Conservancy Releases Request for Qualifications for 2023 Site-Specific Dance Series

The Greenway Dance Series is presented by Amazon

 August 19, 2022 – Boston, MA – The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy today announced the request for qualifications process for a new site-specific dance series to debut in fall of 2023.  

The Greenway Conservancy is partnering with Boston-based choreographer/director Peter DiMuro on a major new dance project that will develop, present, and document four site-specific works by local choreographers of diverse ages, races, ethnicities, and dance genres. DiMuro will guide the cohort through a year-long development process that includes workshops with guest artists, peer critical response, rehearsal space, mentorship, public work-in-progress performances, and documentation. The Conservancy has presented dance projects through partnerships and commissions in the past, but this will be the first major commissioned series of dance performances on The Greenway.  

"As a child, I rode on the stacked highway that is now submerged below The Greenway, and as a young adult I witnessed the (seemingly endless!) Big Dig. Any grand interruption of space interrupts and reveals legacies and histories. Our work as site-based artists is to illuminate facets of this multiplicity, so present day viewers of the performance experience this space with a new view, new information, and a new perspective,” said Peter DiMuro, “My company and I are eager and grateful for the opportunity." 

The Conservancy has already selected DiMuro’s company, Public Displays of Motion, and Jean Appolon Expressions as part of the project’s development funding phase. They are now seeking two choreographers/companies to join the cohort through a Request for Qualifications. Each choreographer will select a portion of the 1.5-mile-long Greenway on which to base their work. Their 15-30 minute dance will respond to the context of the site, whether historical, social, anthropological, or environmental. All dances will be performed for the public over a series of weekends in September 2023, culminating in a final festival day of performance in early October 2023. The Request for Qualifications is due on September 14, 2022 and can be viewed on the Conservancy’s website.  

“This program aims to bring the power of dance directly to the public, through free, outdoor works immersed in their locations,” said Keelin Caldwell, Director of Programs and Community Engagement. “The Greenway Conservancy is thrilled to work with four choreographers and companies in creating a collaborative and immersive series of new performances.” 

This series is made possible by presenting sponsor Amazon, as well as additional enhancement funding from the Greenway Business Improvement District (BID) and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Greenway Dance series is funded exclusively through competitive grants and private sources. 

“Amazon is honored to continue to invest in Boston’s thriving local arts and culture programs, building a more inclusive and equitable arts community for all,” said Jerome Smith, Amazon’s Head of Community Engagement in New England. “There’s something so special about watching a live outdoor performance in the heart of our city. We look forward to enjoying the Greenway Dance Series with everyone next fall.” 

About The Greenway and the Greenway Conservancy

The Greenway is a contemporary public park in the heart of Boston. The Greenway welcomes millions of visitors annually to gather, play, unwind, and explore. The Greenway Conservancy is the non-profit responsible for the management and care of The Greenway. The majority of the public park’s annual budget is generously provided by private sources. 

About Peter DiMuro

For 30+ years, DiMuro has woven a career as a dancer, actor, choreographer, director, teacher, and facilitator of creativity. He was Artistic Director of Liz Lerman Dance Exchange 2003-2008, a White House Millennial Artist, and a Mayor of Boston/ProArts Arts Award recipient. His work has received support from the NEA, National Performance Network, the Mass Artists’ Foundation, Mass Cultural Council, and MetLife Foundation. DiMuro was a member of the inaugural cohort of the Mayor of Boston's Artist-in-Residence program in 2015, the recipient of an Arts Fuse Award in 2016, and the 2018 inaugural choreographer-in-residence at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. DiMuro is currently focused on physically embodying public art by creating dance in and for public spaces. His work creates platforms for the often invisible histories of our shared spaces, allowing the viewer to see and move through places differently. Public Displays of Motion is a dance company under the creative umbrella of DiMuro that develops and performs artistic works in dance and dance/theatre that translate the poetic and humane within everyday lives into performance; they will be one of the four companies involved in this project.  

About Amazon 

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be the Earth’s most customer-centric company, Earth’s best employer, and Earth’s safest place to work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. 

About the Greenway Business Improvement District

The Greenway BID is designed to contribute $1.5 million each year to support the maintenance, horticulture costs, and future enhancements of The Greenway. Properties that meet certain criteria within the BID boundaries pay a special assessment as part of their property taxes to support improvements that benefit property owners and the public alike. BID members also have opportunities to vote on enhancements and supplemental support along the entirety of The Greenway to create a more engaging and activated public realm. The Greenway BID plays an essential role in supporting an appealing, accessible, and vibrant experience in the BID district for all who visit The Greenway to gather, relax, unwind, and explore. 

Greenway Conservancy Releases Request for Qualifications for 2023 Site-Specific Dance Series

Greenway Conservancy Releases Request for Qualifications for 2023 Site-Specific Dance Series

The Greenway Dance Series is presented by Amazon

 August 19, 2022 – Boston, MA – The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy today announced the request for qualifications process for a new site-specific dance series to debut in fall of 2023. 

The Greenway Conservancy is partnering with Boston-based choreographer/director Peter DiMuro on a major new dance project that will develop, present, and document four site-specific works by local choreographers of diverse ages, races, ethnicities, and dance genres. DiMuro will guide the cohort through a year-long development process that includes workshops with guest artists, peer critical response, rehearsal space, mentorship, public work-in-progress performances, and documentation. The Conservancy has presented dance projects through partnerships and commissions in the past, but this will be the first major commissioned series of dance performances on The Greenway. 

"As a child, I rode on the stacked highway that is now submerged below The Greenway, and as a young adult I witnessed the (seemingly endless!) Big Dig. Any grand interruption of space interrupts and reveals legacies and histories. Our work as site-based artists is to illuminate facets of this multiplicity, so present day viewers of the performance experience this space with a new view, new information, and a new perspective,” said Peter DiMuro, “My company and I are eager and grateful for the opportunity."

The Conservancy has already selected DiMuro’s company, Public Displays of Motion, and Jean Appolon Expressions as part of the project’s development funding phase. They are now seeking two choreographers/companies to join the cohort through a Request for Qualifications. Each choreographer will select a portion of the 1.5-mile-long Greenway on which to base their work. Their 15-30 minute dance will respond to the context of the site, whether historical, social, anthropological, or environmental. All dances will be performed for the public over a series of weekends in September 2023, culminating in a final festival day of performance in early October 2023. The Request for Qualifications is due on September 14, 2022 and can be viewed on the Conservancy’s website. 

“This program aims to bring the power of dance directly to the public, through free, outdoor works immersed in their locations,” said Keelin Caldwell, Director of Programs and Community Engagement. “The Greenway Conservancy is thrilled to work with four choreographers and companies in creating a collaborative and immersive series of new performances.”

This series is made possible by presenting sponsor Amazon, as well as additional enhancement funding from the Greenway Business Improvement District (BID) and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Greenway Dance series is funded exclusively through competitive grants and private sources.

 “Amazon is honored to continue to invest in Boston’s thriving local arts and culture programs, building a more inclusive and equitable arts community for all,” said Jerome Smith, Amazon’s Head of Community Engagement in New England. “There’s something so special about watching a live outdoor performance in the heart of our city. We look forward to enjoying the Greenway Dance Series with everyone next fall.”

AG HEALEY LEADS SUPREME COURT BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF COLORADO’S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAW

 AG HEALEY LEADS SUPREME COURT BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF COLORADO’S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAW

Case Involves Colorado Wedding Website Designer’s Intent to Refuse to Create Wedding Websites for LGBTQ+ Couples; States Defend Constitutionality of Public Accommodations Law

BOSTON – Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey today led a coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court defending the constitutionality of Colorado’s public accommodations law, arguing that a business owner’s religious beliefs do not give a business open to the public the right to discriminate against customers.

The brief was today filed in the case of 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, in which a website design business and its owner, looking to deny services to LGBTQ+ couples, claim Colorado’s public accommodations law violates the First Amendment’s protection for freedom of speech. The states’ brief is in support of the respondents, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and other Colorado civil rights enforcement officials, who are defending the constitutionality of Colorado’s public accommodations law.

“Businesses can’t use the First Amendment as a shield to allow them to deny services to a customer because of the customer’s religion, gender, race, or sexual orientation,” AG Healey said. “We are filing this brief to defend the rights of all Americans to be treated fairly and equally when they seek goods or services from a business open to the public.”

Colorado’s public accommodations law forbids a place of public accommodation from refusing to provide services to a customer because of their sexual orientation—as well as other protected characteristics like their race, sex, or religion—and prevents businesses from advertising their intention to refuse to provide service on such grounds. In July 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed a district court ruling in favor of the state. The website design business and its owner petitioned the Supreme Court to review the case.

The attorneys general state in the brief that they share strong interests in upholding laws to protect their residents and visitors from unlawful discrimination, including prohibitions on discrimination against historically disenfranchised groups in places of public accommodation – the restaurants, stores, and other businesses that are part of daily life in a free society. They further argue that if businesses open to the public can exempt themselves from these anti-discrimination laws based on personal objections to serving all customers, “many Americans would face exclusion from a host of everyday businesses or, at the very least, face the ever-present threat that any business owner could refuse to serve them when they walk in the door, simply because of their race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.” Nothing in the First Amendment, the brief argues, requires states to allow this kind of discrimination and the harms it would cause.

The brief describes the states’ long history of enacting laws that prohibit discrimination in commercial establishments. Today, according to the brief, 26 states’ laws forbid businesses from discriminating against customers on the basis of sexual orientation. Additionally, 23 states and the District of Columbia prohibit advertising that services will be denied to customers on the basis of a protected characteristic.

The brief argues that the courts have long recognized that the right to free speech is not infringed by laws that prohibit businesses from turning away customers based on their race or other protected characteristics. Such laws regulate only conduct, the brief argues, and leave businesses free to express whatever messages they wish through the products and services they choose to sell. Allowing private businesses to exempt themselves from nondiscrimination laws “on the basis of an ill-defined test based on ‘expression’ would dramatically undermine the states’ interests in eradicating discrimination and harms individuals and society at large.”

Discrimination against LGBTQ+ people is a severe and continuing problem. LGBTQ+ Americans are much more likely to be bullied, harassed, and attacked in hate crimes than their non-LGBTQ+ peers. According to the brief, this continuing discrimination harms the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ people, their families, and their communities, including increased rates of mental health disorders and suicide attempts, especially for LGBTQ+ youth.  

Today’s brief follows many other instances where AG Healey led coalitions in defending public accommodation laws in other states, including New York’s anti-discrimination law in July 2021 and in May 2022, Virginia’s law in August 2021, Minnesota’s law in March 2018, and Colorado’s law in October 2017 in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case.  And in Massachusetts in 2016, AG Healey worked closely with advocates, the business community, and transgender families to successfully garner support for the passage of an amendment to the Massachusetts’ Public Accommodations Law expressly protecting against discrimination on the basis of gender identity.

Joining AG Healey in today’s brief are the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

 

Handling the case for Massachusetts are Adam Cambier, Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division; Abigail Taylor, Chief of the Civil Rights Division; and State Solicitor Bessie Dewar.

麻州州長查理貝克簽署法案設女權歷史小徑

Governor Baker Signs Bill to Create Women’s Rights History Trail

WORCESTER – Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, joined by legislators, yesterday participated in a ceremonial bill signing of H. 4555, An Act relative to the creation of a women’s rights history trail. The Governor previously signed this bill into law in late May. It is now codified as Chapter 76 of the Acts of 2022. The legislation directs the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT), in conjunction with the Secretary of Transportation, to develop and implement a women’s rights history trail program that will include properties and sites that are associated with the fight for women’s rights and suffrage in the Commonwealth. The legislation establishes a women’s rights history trail task force to research, solicit public input, and make recommendations for sites, properties, and attractions to be included in the trail program, and calls for MOTT to create related educational materials and vacation itineraries. Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito were joined by bill sponsors Senator Joan Lovely (D-Salem) and Representative Hannah Kane (R-Shrewsbury) and several other members of the Legislature, including the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators, for the ceremonial bill signing at Mechanics Hall in Worcester. “I am pleased to sign this legislation that will help Massachusetts better honor and preserve the legacies of women throughout the Commonwealth’s history who have made our state a better place,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “I am deeply grateful for the work of so many legislators other partners who worked hard to pass this bill, and our administration looks forward to working with the new commission to make this history trail a reality.” “This bill is the product of significant work and collaboration by many key players and we are grateful to see it become law,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “The new Women’s Rights History Trail will cover important historical milestones and landmarks across the Commonwealth and will help our residents better understand these crucially important historical figures.” "This legislation adds to the important work the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism does educating residents and visitors about our unique state by creating a new avenue for exploring sites related to significant women throughout our history," said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. "With tourism playing a big role in Massachusetts' recovery from COVID-19, our cultural sector and local economies will benefit from this coordinated effort to increase visibility and access to historic sites in our communities." “With the creation of a Women’s Rights History Trail, Massachusetts is acting to memorialize the struggle for women’s rights in the Commonwealth,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano. “I want to thank my colleagues in the House and Senate, as well as Governor Baker, for working to ensure that the suffrage movement, and all that it achieved, will be celebrated through the highlighting of these landmarks.” "Women in Massachusetts have played a pivotal role at every step in the Commonwealth’s history, yet their contributions are too often overlooked," said Senate President Karen E. Spilka. "The Women's Rights History Trail will serve as a visible monument to the history of women—and the women's rights movement. Understanding this history gives us all a chance to reflect on where we have come from and what it means to leave a legacy that can uplift and inspire future generations. I am glad to see that this trail will give particular attention to the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of the women who have transformed Massachusetts. I would like to thank Senator Lovely and my colleagues in the Senate, as well as our partners in the House and Senate, for their work to make this a reality." “Our nation and our Commonwealth would not be what they are today, were it not for the contributions of women,” said Senator Joan B. Lovely. “Though as important as men to our country’s history, women have seldom received the recognition they rightly deserve. With this law, we stand to remove women from the annals of history and finally place them at the forefront. I would like to thank Senate President Karen Spilka, Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito, House Co-sponsors Representative Hannah Kane and former Representative Carolyn Dykema, Caucus Co-Chair Representative Pat Haddad and Executive Director Nora Bent, for ensuring that women’s history will continue to be preserved and advanced for generations to come.”  “This legislation creating the Women’s Rights History Trail ensures that the many women from our Commonwealth who contributed to the fabric of our nation and democracy are recognized, and that their accomplishments are preserved in our state’s history, so that their legacies may serve as inspiration for future generations of young women,” said Representative Hannah Kane. “I am proud to have been a sponsor of this legislation, helping to carry out my late colleague Rep. Gailanne Cariddi’s vision, and I look forward to serving as a member of the Women’s Rights History Trail Task Force.”

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES CITY AWARDED GRANT BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TO EXPAND ACCESS TO APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS FOR BIPOC RESIDENTS

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES CITY AWARDED GRANT BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TO EXPAND ACCESS TO APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS FOR BIPOC RESIDENTS The grant will serve 484 residents through the creation and equitable expansion of pre-apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAP)

BOSTON - Friday, August 19, 2022 - Today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced that the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development (OWD), an affiliate of the Boston Planning & Development Agency,  was recently awarded $3 million from the US Department of Labor to create and expand equitable pre-apprenticeship pathways to Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAP), as well as Equity Partnerships.  A Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) is a proven model of apprenticeship that has been validated by the U.S. Department of Labor or the Massachusetts’ State Apprenticeship Agency. RAPs enable and energize more employers to participate, and provide them access to larger talent pools that have been trained for entry-level to management positions, thereby meeting industry demands and reducing unemployment rates in the region. Equity Partnerships are collaborations with community-based organizations and partners to ensure principles are integrated throughout the initiative. Principles include equity, job quality, support for high-quality programs, evidence-based approaches, intentional outreach to BIPOC residents and new innovations. The Greater Boston Equitable Apprenticeship Pathways grant will allow OWD and its partners to expand eight Massachusetts pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs over a four-year period. The project will aim to serve 484 participants in pre-apprenticeship programs, with a goal to place hundreds of participants into registered apprenticeships.     “This grant represents a step toward building strong pathways that will connect every resident and worker to opportunity,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “As we work to make Boston a city for everyone, expanding access to apprenticeship programs is critical to ensuring that our workforce represents all of our City’s diversity and reflects the expertise in our communities” The grant will serve BIPOC residents, women, individuals who self-identify as having disabilities, formerly incarcerated individuals, at-risk youth, court-involved young adults, veterans, unemployed and underrepresented individuals, and those with limited education or career skills. The target growth industries include: hospitality, construction, health care, and life sciences. The target occupations within those industries are housekeeper, room attendant houseman, bricklayer, electrician, elevator constructor, heat and frost insulator, ironworker, laborers operating engineer, painter and allied trades, pipefitter/plumber, roofer, sheet metal worker, sprinkler fitter, teamster, EMT, biomanufacturing technician, and clinical trial associate; the target starting wages for apprentices in these positions range from an average of $18-$27/hr, with wage and training progression. “The way we will reach Mayor Wu's vision of a Boston that is more equitable, vibrant, innovative, and resilient is by ensuring that every resident has access to career opportunities in sectors that will provide family-sustaining wages and benefits," said Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion.  "The awarding of this grant to the Office of Workforce Development is further evidence of the life-changing work the team and their partners are doing to build a more inclusive economy."   The project will partner with the following Equity Partners: BEST Hospitality Training Program, City of Boston EMS, Building Pathways, Inc., and MassBioEd’s Life Sciences Apprenticeship Program. These pre-apprenticeship programs will lead to quality RAPs in the following entities: UNITED HERE Local 26 Union Hotels, City of Boston EMS, North America’s Building Trades Union, and MassBioEd. Participants will get jobs at various companies and organizations, including but not limited to Boston Emergency Medical Services, Marriott Corporation, Omni Parker House, Suffolk Construction, Dimeo Construction Company and a range of life sciences companies.   "The MassBioEd Life Sciences Apprenticeship Program was designed for people who have the attitude and aptitude to excel in mid-skilled jobs in a life sciences company but lack a portal to entry. By offering accelerated, free education and paid on the job training, we are helping to expand and diversify the industry’s workforce,” said Karla Talanian, Senior Director of Life Sciences Apprenticeship Program.“Pre-apprenticeship programming will open doors for even more local residents by providing fundamental academic and professional skills in a contextualized format that will set them up for success in a Registered Apprenticeship Program, and to eventually become valuable contributors to the Massachusetts Life Sciences industry. MassBioEd is excited to be part of this innovative initiative." According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the Apprenticeship Building America (ABA) grant program builds on President Biden’s goals and priorities for a strong and equitable post-pandemic economic recovery by connecting Americans to good quality jobs, strengthening and modernizing the RAP system, increasing equity and accessibility in program delivery to apprentices, bringing the Registered Apprenticeship model to more industries, and improving RAP completion rates for under-represented populations and underserved communities. The Greater Boston Equitable Apprenticeship Pathways program is funded in full by the Employment and Training Administration office of the U.S. Department of Labor. Additional details are available upon request.