波士頓市長聖誕列車訂12/3 開進華埠

(Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 今年 (2023) 的聖誕列車之旅，行程排定，將在12月2日(週六)、3日(週日)分別到16個社區，和民眾同歡。抵達波士頓華埠的時間，預定為12月3日下午3點。             這趟進社區為聖誕樹點燈的慶祝活動，由美國銀行贊助，市景（CityView）列車旅遊支持。聖誕老人將伴隨吳弭市長進入波士頓市各個社區，點亮聖誕樹。             查察吳弭市長的聖誕列車行程，可關注波士頓市府體育及旅遊辦公室的推特帳號@VisitBostonCity ，或上網訪問 boston.gov/visiting-boston。 MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES 2023 ENCHANTED TROLLEY TOUR Enchanted Trolley Tour continues festive tradition of lighting holiday trees and spreading joy throughout neighborhoods

BOSTON - Thursday, November 16, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the schedule for this year's Enchanted Trolley Tour, a Boston holiday tradition of lighting trees throughout the city to spread joy. This year, the Mayor’s Enchanted Trolley Tour will take place on Saturday, December 2 and Sunday, December 3, in neighborhoods throughout Boston. This event is presented by Bank of America with a special thanks to CityView Trolley Tours and includes visits with Santa, Mayor Wu, Office of Neighborhood Services staff, tree lightings, and more. "This time of the year is the perfect time for community to come together and celebrate, and I encourage Boston residents across our neighborhoods to join us as we kick off the holiday season with our annual Enchanted Trolley Tour,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m grateful to our partners for their valuable support for Boston to continue this treasured tradition and opportunity to connect with constituents." The 2023 Mayor’s Enchanted Trolley Tour schedule is as follows:  Saturday, December 2, 2023 11:00 a.m. - Hastings Lot, West Roxbury  12:00 p.m. - Wolcott Square, Readville 1:00 p.m. - Mattapan Square 2:00 p.m. - Hyde Square, Jamaica Plain  3:00 p.m. - J.P. Monument, Jamaica Plain 3:45 p.m. - Brigham Circle, Mission Hill 4:30 p.m. - Bolling Building, Roxbury 5:45 p.m. - Blackstone Square, South End 6:45 p.m. - Oak Square, Brighton  Sunday, December 3, 2023 12:00 p.m. - Codman Square, Dorchester 1:00 p.m. - Adams Corner, Dorchester 2:00 p.m. - M Street Park, South Boston 3:00 p.m. - Beach Street and Harrison Ave, Chinatown 4:00 p.m. - Paul Revere Mall, North End 5:00 p.m. - Winthrop Square (the Training Field), Charlestown 6:15 p.m. - Maverick Square, East Boston “The Enchanted Trolley Tour is more than just an event; it expresses the joy of the holiday season and brings people together from every neighborhood of the city in a spirit of good cheer. Bank of America is proud to join Mayor Wu and the City of Boston in celebrating the magic of the holidays by supporting the 2023 Enchanted Trolley Tour and Tree Lightings,” said Miceal Chamberlain, President, Bank of America Massachusetts. The Mayor’s Enchanted Trolley Tour is now in its 27th year. Residents are encouraged to join in the free tradition to unite with community members of all ages and to embrace the holiday season.  “The Enchanted Trolley Tour brings families countless memories and happiness,” said Miguel Vargas, Executive Director of East Boston Main Streets. “See you on December 3 for our stop on the annual trolley tour with Mayor Michelle Wu.” Follow the Mayor’s Office of Tourism, Sports, and Entertainment on social media @VisitBostonCity and visit boston.gov/visiting-boston to learn about more free, family-friendly events happening in the City of Boston.

波士頓市議會通過議長Ed Flynn 2 提案 要求警察局提槍枝年報 市府員工簽反霸凌法

           (Boston Orange 綜合編譯) 波士頓市議會議長愛德華費連 (Ed Flynn) 近日一連發表2份通告，告訴波士頓市民，波士頓市議會最近通過2項決議，一為要求波士頓警察局提交槍枝年報，一為反霸凌法。

                    波士頓市第2選區市議員暨市議會議長愛德華費連和第4選區市議員Brian Worrell提出的條例，針對波士頓市近年來每年有150到200宗槍擊案紀錄情況，要求波士頓市警察局繳交年度報告，說明沒收或上繳的槍枝有多少，以為市府制定打擊槍枝暴力政策提供資訊。

                這年度報告將包括來自波士頓市警察局，麻周警察，薩福克郡治安官辦公室，以及薩福克郡地方檢察官辦公室的資訊。每把槍枝的資訊將包括該槍枝是否涉及罪案，來自何方，之前在哪兒合法出售，在哪兒被沒收，查獲槍枝時的持槍人年齡等另外槍枝型號，若該槍枝登記在任何數據庫中，另需列出相關的持牌經濟。

             2022年時，波士頓警察局查獲900支槍，但在2021年的波士頓犯罪現場中被查獲的槍枝中，只有10%是在麻州購買的。今年稍早，波士頓市公共衛生局公佈了一份報告，顯示凶殺案竟是波士頓市1至17歲兒童及青少年的主要死因。波士頓市議會因此在13個月前，無異議通過了槍枝暴力形成公共衛生緊急狀況的條例。

             波士頓市議會通過的反霸凌法，也是由波士頓市議會議長Ed Flynn於今年5月提出，旨在強調為市民創造一個安全且健康的工作環境，防止工作場所霸凌。通過後，市議員及工作人員，實習生，義工都將簽署文件確認已閱讀、知曉這一條例。該文件將放進他們在波士頓市政府的人士資料夾內。

MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL MEMBERS OF PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING EXTERNAL OVERSIGHT BOARD

 MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL MEMBERS OF PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING EXTERNAL OVERSIGHT BOARD 

BOSTON - Thursday, November 16, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu announced the appointments of the inaugural nine members to serve on the Participatory Budgeting External Oversight Board. The board will work closely with the Office of Participatory Budgeting to establish and manage a participatory budgeting process that will be open to all Boston residents. The board will be made up of public finance experts, community leaders, current and former public sector employees, all of whom are Boston residents and will serve a two year term. 

“I’m excited to announce the members of our Participatory Budgeting External Oversight Board, who will shape Boston’s work to connect every resident to decision-making on our shared resources and budget investments,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I look forward to their leadership in this important civic engagement opportunity.”

“Participatory budgeting provides residents with a unique opportunity to engage directly in the important work of developing the City budget and allocating resources,” said Chief Financial Officer Ashley Groffenberger. “The inaugural Participatory Budgeting External Oversight Board will play a crucial role in developing this new process for direct participation for residents while also keeping the City’s overall fiscal health in mind.”

Working with the office, the external oversight board will assist in the creation of the policies and procedures for participatory budgeting to ensure an inclusive process. The board will also support and oversee the implementation of each participatory budgeting cycle, submitting selected project proposals to Mayor Wu consistent with the legal authority of the City for public spending. 

Participatory Budgeting External Oversight Board Members:

• Betsy Cowan Neptune, Executive Director, BUILD
• Carla Stovell, Real Estate Agent, EXIT Bayside Realty
• Carolline de Paula, Director of Adult Education, Jackson Mann Community School 
• Esther Chong Weathers, Associate Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at the Harvard Graduate School of Design
• Jarret Wright, Deputy Director of Corporate Security, Massachusetts Port Authority
• Jim Kennedy, Retired member of the Office of Budget Management, City of Boston
• Khalid Mustafa, Coaching Supervisor, Fathers’ Uplift
• Lisa Hy, Program Manager, Tufts Medical Center Community Benefits and Health Initiatives
• Marilyn Forman, Director of Community Organizing and Resident Engagement, Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation

Participatory budgeting in City spending will provide an official point of entry for residents to contribute to the city’s budget process. Through community partnerships and interdepartmental collaboration, the Office of Participatory Budgeting and External Oversight Board will facilitate yearly in-person and online public engagement. These efforts will help inform the City’s budget process and provide opportunities for the public to propose creative new ideas and solutions to address local needs.

The office, created by an ordinance approved by the City Council in February 2023, will provide the structure necessary to enhance public engagement and direct involvement in the City’s budget. The purpose of the office is to further public engagement and direct democratic involvement, and to align with the City’s goals of achieving and embedding equity and inclusion into City practices, as well as building collective capacity on issues of racial and social justice. 

科技回家"合撰報告評估改善數位平等項目成果辦法

 Tech Goes Home Co-Authors Report Focused on Centering Community in Digital Equity Program Evaluation

Written in partnership with the Digital Equity Research Center, the new report provides clear recommendations for how to measure impact and improve outcomes for digital equity programs

BOSTON, November 16, 2023 -- Today, Tech Goes Home (TGH), a leading Massachusetts nonprofit committed to advancing digital equity, released a new white paper co-written with Dr. Colin Rhinesmith and Malana Krongelb of the Digital Equity Research Center at the Metropolitan New York Library Council. Supported by funding from the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, the report focuses on identifying a strong theory of change and evaluation framework for TGH, its community, and the larger digital equity field.

Utilizing participatory action research methods – engaging directly with TGH learners, instructors, and staff, as well as with representatives from peer organizations across the country – the report offers actionable recommendations not only for TGH, but for digital equity organizations and policymakers seeking to better understand the impact of digital equity efforts and leverage that understanding to improve outcomes for programs and program participants.

For digital equity organizations, key recommendations include: 

• Allocating time, money, and intentional effort to capture insights and expertise from community members; 

• Engaging evaluation participants in their native languages; and, 

• Working with funders to balance reporting requirements with participants’ privacy and self-defined measures of success. 

Policymakers play a critical role in supporting this work, and should prioritize: 

• Set aside funding that organizations can use to conduct evaluation; 

• Technical assistance on effective program evaluation; and, 

• Allowing government funding to be used to compensate community members for their expertise. 

“At Tech Goes Home – like at so many digital equity organizations nationwide – our primary focus is on supporting the learners, instructors, and communities we serve,” said Sangha Kang-Le, Advocacy Research Specialist at TGH, who co-authored the report. “But we also recognize the critical importance of having effective, inclusive frameworks for evaluating the impact of our work and translating those learnings into strategies that lead to safe, sustainable, affordable digital access for more people in Massachusetts. Our hope is that our research may provide a roadmap for other digital equity organizations and for policymakers invested in supporting this work.” 

“It was exciting to partner with Tech Goes Home on this project,” said Dr. Rhinesmith, Founder and Director of the Digital Equity Research Center and co-author of the report. “The opportunity to engage with TGH learners, instructors, and staff, along with organizations doing similar work across the country, yielded important insights into how to leverage participatory action research effectively, and provided clear action steps for digital equity organizations, partners, and policymakers. Investing in this type of research and sharing best practices is strengthening the delivery of digital equity programming and, ultimately, expanding opportunity for individuals, families, and communities across the country.” 

“Bridging the digital divide requires intentional investment in historically underserved communities so that everyone has the training and skills to engage in our digital world,” said Vilas Dhar, President of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation. “We are proud to support this research from Tech Goes Home and the Digital Equity Research Center, which provides clear, powerful recommendations for how digital equity programs can put community at the center of efforts to learn and improve the delivery of essential support for students, workers, and families in all of our communities.”

You can read the full report from Tech Goes Home and the Digital Equity Research Center here.  

波士頓教育基金為波市頓教育公平計畫募得10萬元

Boston Education Fund Raises Over $100,000 at Inaugural Fundraiser for EdQuity Boston Initiative

The event also provided an opportunity to celebrate the talented, diverse group of educators from across Boston who were honored as “BPS Educators of the Year” for 2023. 

BOSTON, November 16 – On Tuesday, the Boston Education Fund (BEDF) hosted the inaugural fundraiser for its EdQuity Boston initiative, a groundbreaking effort to combine philanthropic funding with participatory budgeting in support of the Boston Public Schools (BPS) system. More than 250 people attended the event, raising over $100,000 that will be invested back into BPS with the guidance of community members.   

Founded in 1984, BEDF serves as the fiscal sponsor 501c(3) and fundraising partner to BPS, helping to facilitate access to philanthropic funding and administer those resources to sustain and expand educational opportunities for students, educators, and families. BEDF manages upwards of $10 million annually in philanthropic funding for BPS, and the EdQuity Boston initiative represents an innovative approach to allocate specific funding through a participatory budgeting process, whereby members of the BPS community are engaged and empowered to help identify key priorities for funding. 

“At BEDF, our mission is to leverage philanthropic funding to advance equity and opportunity for everyone in the BPS system,” said Pamela Leins, Executive Director of BEDF. “The EdQuity Boston initiative is a natural evolution of the work that BEDF has done for decades and represents one of the first efforts nationwide to marry philanthropic funding with participatory budgeting in an education context. Through EdQuity Boston – and with the support of a visionary group of donors and funders – we’ll put the power in the hands of students, educators, family members, and residents to help identify the highest-impact investments that will benefit everyone in the BPS community.” 

Tuesday’s event – held at Grace by Nia in Boston’s Seaport neighborhood – was co-chaired by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and BPS Superintendent Mary Skipper. James “Jimmy” Hills, the host of Java with Jimmy, emceed the event, which featured a variety of auctions and raffles, as well as live entertainment from Mike Rollins and Lisa Bello.

Executive Director Leins also joined Superintendent Skipper, Boston Teachers Union President Jessica Tang, and Brianna Millor, Chief of Community Engagement for the City of Boston, to honor the 2023 Educators of the Year from the Boston Public Schools: 

• Tanisha Milton, Grade 8 History Teacher at TechBoston Academy; 

• Donald Neville, Grade 7 Math Teacher at Mildred Avenue K-8 School; 

• Sally Ng, K2 Teacher at East Boston Early Childhood Center; 

• Kelly Gallagher, Region 8 Social Worker; 

• Elizabeth Rymarczyk, Occupational Therapist, OSS Related Services at Beethoven Elementary; 

• Deborah Doherty, Nurse at Jeremiah Burke High School; and, 

• Sheila Santana, Paraprofessional at the Sarah Greenwood K-8 School.  

“We were so proud to honor the incredible educators who are the heartbeat of BPS,” said Leins, "and we’re grateful for our event sponsors – Rodman for Kids, Berkshire Bank, Liberty Mutual Insurance, and Northeastern University City and Community Engagement – without whom last night’s celebration would not have been possible. We look forward to continuing to work alongside city leaders, educators, students, families, and funders to expand educational equity and opportunity in Boston.”

You can learn more about BEDF’s work, including the EdQuity Boston initiative, by visiting https://www.bedf.org/. 

From L-R: Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper, Boston Teachers Union President Jessica Tang, and Boston Education Fund Executive Director Pamela Leins celebrated last night at Grace by Nia in Boston’s Seaport neighborhood. (Photo by Steve Osemwenkhae/Courtesy of BEDF)  

As part of the inaugural EdQuity Boston Making Connections Mixer, the 2023 Boston Public Schools Educators of the Year were honored. From L-R: Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper; Boston Education Fund Executive Director Pamela Leins; Brianna Millor, Chief of Community Engagement for the City of Boston; Nurse Deborah Doherty from Burke High School; Tanisha Milton from TechBoston Academy; Sheila Santana, a paraprofessional at the Greenwood K-8 School; Kelly Gallagher, Regional Social Worker; Sally Ng from East Boston EEC; Elizabeth Rymarczyk, Occupational Therapist, OSS Related Services at Beethoven Elementary; Boston Teachers Union President Jessica Tang. (Photo by Steve Osemwenkhae/Courtesy of BEDF)   

白禮頓樓慶感恩節 請吳弭市長頒獎表揚義工

波士頓市長吳弭和獲獎義工們合影。(周菊子攝)

               (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 中華耆英會白禮頓樓11月15日在天天自助餐廳享用美食，慶祝感恩節，邀波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 頒獎表揚18名義工，數十人歡聚一堂。

波士頓市長吳弭和獲獎義工們合影。(周菊子攝)

              中華耆英會白禮頓樓主任梅麗梨以國語、廣東話開場，感謝過去四年來，耆英們對該會的支持。她指出，自從新冠病毒疫情發生以來，耆英們已三、四年未舉辦大型慶祝活動，這天歡聚一堂，十分難得，耆英們都情緒高昂，就連創辦該會，年前獲得塔芙茨大學頒給榮譽博士學位的梅伍銀寬，都在該會科技顧問梅敬文陪同下出席，歡迎吳弭市長到會。

              梅伍銀寬也用英文及廣東話說，真的好久沒見，今天好高興，歡迎大家來到，祝福大家身體健康，玩得開心。

梅麗梨稱許吳弭市長是最美麗、最勤奮、最能幹的市長。
(周菊子攝)

              在梅麗梨的”最美麗、最勤奮、最能幹的市長”稱許中，波士頓市長吳弭先以中文，再以英文，向出席耆英們簡短致詞。她表示” 非常非常榮幸，能夠每一天和大家一起，幫助我們的家庭、幫助我們的城市，一起努力工作，然後希望大家，今年尤其是，大家一起慶祝的時候，有身體健康，再跟所有的家人再一起。很高興看到大家”。她也一一介紹了出席的市府工作人員，包括耆英局 (Commission of Age Strong) 局長Emily Shea，布萊頓 (Brighton) 聯絡員Frank Mendoza，華埠及皮革區聯絡員黃楚嵐等人。

梅麗梨介紹耆英局局長Emily Shea已經是耆英會的老朋友了。
(周菊子攝)

              吳弭市長接著應白禮頓樓主任之請，為中華耆英會的18名義工頒發表揚狀。這18人為為中華耆英會擔任義工長達20餘年的樂趙令瑜、教繪畫的劉曉勇，擅跳舞的陳文龍、以及周信本、呂玲、李盧蓮馨、李積秀、韓志彤、薛曼玲，薛國中，余咏宇，張麗冰，關德榮，關以民，譚潤金，袁沛林，Korhonen， A Cynthia等人。

耆英會創辦人梅伍銀寬(前中右)和市長吳弭(中)一起頒發表揚狀及紀念品給一中們。
(周菊子攝)

              耆英們這天還在司儀樂趙令瑜和余仲強介紹中，一一上場表演節目，包括呂玲和薛國忠帶領的音樂小組獻唱”感恩”、”上海灘”、”Beautiful Sunday”，楊澤瑞表演柔力球，梁小玲獻唱”橄欖樹”，葉英明、姚鎮鉅去獻唱粵劇”錦江詩侶”，薛國中唱彈”It’s Now or Never”，余咏宇博士帶綜藝組合唱”歡樂歌”，帶”粵講粵有普”學習班誦唱”靜夜思”，樂趙令瑜帶舞蹈組表演古典舞”雨巷佳人”，男高音韓志彤獻唱”今天是您的生日”。

梅麗梨(前右)請吳弭市長(前左)頒表揚狀。(周菊子攝)

吳弭市長和志工們合照。

吳弭市長和志工們合照。

吳弭市長和志工們合照。

葉英明、姚鎮鉅去獻唱粵劇”錦江詩侶”。

樂趙令瑜和余仲強擔任司儀。

表演合唱。

梁小玲獻唱橄欖樹。(周菊子攝)

Cheri Blauwet 當選波士頓體育會董事會主席

波士頓體育會提供。

(Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓體育會 (BAA) 11月15日宣佈，曾贏得2004、2005波士頓馬拉松賽冠軍的 Cheri Blauwet博士，當選為該會新任董事會主席，接替在位六年後卸任的Michael O’Leary。

            Cheri Blauwet博士還曾於2000年，在澳洲Sydney的奧運會上贏得100米銀牌，3枚銅牌，在2004年的雅典殘奧會上贏得一枚800米金牌，以及2枚銅牌。2016年獲選為大波士頓商會的十大傑出青年，並從2017年起擔任美國奧林匹克和殘奧會董事會的獨立董事。

            Cheri Blauwet博士不僅是體育競賽冠軍，還在醫學領域卓有成就，是史波丁復健網( Spaulding Rehabilitation Network)的醫學長，哈佛大學醫學院的物理醫學及復健副教授。

            她是殘疾和醫療公平上的先驅，以及變革推動者，特別關注推廣健康的體育及身體活動。

            波士頓體育會的董事會有11名董事，職責包括監管組織營運及提供方針。

B.A.A. Announces Dr. Cheri Blauwet as new Board Chair

Seven-time Paralympic medalist and two-time Boston Marathon Champion ready to take on leadership role with the Boston Athletic Association

BOSTON – Dr. Cheri Blauwet has been elected as the new Chair of the Board of Governors of the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.), succeeding Dr. Michael O’Leary, who has served as Chair for the last six years.

Dr. Blauwet has been a Board member since 2016 and is a marathon champion, winning the Boston Marathon women’s wheelchair division race in 2004 and 2005.

Dr. Blauwet said, “I am honored to have been appointed as the new Board Chair for the Boston Athletic Association. I want to thank Michael for his years of leadership that have put us on a path to further promote our mission and our vision. The B.A.A. is an organization that I have been part of for many years and one that is continuing to make progress in our mission to serve the community, particularly in our work to enhance opportunities for Para and Adaptive athletes. I am approaching this role with enthusiasm, ready to work along with my Board colleagues to support our organizational mission of promoting healthy lifestyles through sport.”

Dr. Blauwet competed in her first marathon in Japan in 2002, and two weeks later won the New York City Marathon, which she would win again the following year. She was also champion of the Los Angeles Marathon four times (2003, 2004, 2005, and 2008). Dr. Blauwet represented the United States at three Paralympic Games, winning a silver (100m) and three bronze medals (200m, 400m, 800m) at the Sydney Games in 2000; and a gold (800m) and two bronze medals (5,000m and marathon) at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens. In 2016 she was named one of Boston’s Ten Outstanding Young Leaders by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and has served as an independent director on the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Board of Directors since 2017.

Dr. Blauwet is not only an athletic champion but is a leader in the medical field. She serves as the Chief Medical Officer of the Spaulding Rehabilitation Network and is an Associate Professor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Blauwet is a pioneer and change agent in the field of disability and health equity, with a specific focus on sport and physical activity for health promotion and chronic disease prevention. Her input and experience have and will continue to be a valuable resource to the B.A.A.

Passing the baton to Dr. Blauwet is Dr. Michael O’Leary who has served as Board Chair since 2017. Dr. O’Leary will remain an active Board Member.

“I would like to congratulate Cheri on behalf of the Board and the entire organization,” said Dr. O’Leary. “I have enjoyed my time in this role, and it is a privilege to welcome Cheri into the position as Board Chair. Her athletic prowess and experience across many areas of the sporting world will serve us all well in delivering our goals as an organization.

“I would like to thank all the Board Members for their unwavering support they have shown me, and I know that will carry over to our new Chair.”

The B.A.A. Board of Governors consists of 11 elected members. The role of the Board is to provide guidance to the B.A.A. as well as oversee the business operations of the organization.