星期二, 10月 21, 2025

大波士頓中華文化中心開放日 社團豐盛、節目精彩

右起,韓蓮芳,GBCCA會長趙寧,副會長吳德惠,陳玉瑛,吳宇懷,
嚴安莉,梁慧玲等人,再開放日會長接待賓客。(周菊子攝)
         (Boston Orange 周菊子麻州牛頓市報導)大波士頓中華文化協會(GBCCA)日前在牛頓市的二層樓自置會所,舉辦2025開放日,邀請新朋舊友欣賞212段表演,20多個社團的攤位展示,認識這已有60年悠久歷史的華人社團,資源多豐富,為新年度做準備。
華心中文學校的陳瑞虹(左)和蕭雲(前右)歡迎到訪賓客。(周菊子攝)
GBCCA辦公室經理高紅燕(左二)表演腰鼓舞。(周菊子攝)

      這是大波士頓郊區歷史最悠久的華人社團,緣起於1956年時一群華人聚會,建立起友誼,接著1959年,為子女教育,文化傳承,他們在牛頓市創辦了麻州第一所中文學校,之後才在1963年正式成立為社團。

介紹父子遊戲,藝術探險,有氧舞蹈的攤位。(吳德惠提供)
      大波士頓中華文化協會現任會長趙寧,韓蓮芳夫婦,候任會長吳德惠,幹部志工吳宇懷,陳玉瑛,嚴安莉,梁慧玲,曾任會長的陳瑞虹,葛幼梅,蕭雲,紐英崙青少年中文夏令營Christopher Chiu等許多人,這天全都駐守在會場,迎迓人群到訪,忙著解說,介紹。波士頓僑教中心主任高家富也特地趕到會場參觀致意。

余心樂農莊創辦人郭延鐸(左起)向吳宇懷、嚴安莉姐說農莊產品。(周菊子攝)

          來到現場的人,都拿到一份開放日社團簡介,列有文協麾下的各個社團,以及負責人和聯絡方式,包括華心中文學校陳瑞虹,華心藝術學校陳瑞虹/王淑玲,扯鈴隊Jason Wang/ Daniel Huang,武安武藝學館章德鄰/林欣怡,紐英崙青少年中文夏令營Christopher Chiu/Gabe Sater,國樂團楊信宜,青少年國樂團閻露,雲鶴社龍俐麗,卡拉OK楊哲修,GBCCAA合唱團徐宗玲,知音舞韻王麗文,太極班蘇錫民,健身腰鼓楊曉蓓,胡雲平太極班,尊巴舞班張越麒,張歡武術班,林老師二胡課林湛濤,向日葵藝術坊馬琳琳,波士頓揚琴和鼓隊黃秀儀,街舞工作室姜斯雯,Sam’s武術工作室,徐莉瑜伽健身班。

      在開放日現場擺攤的還有余心樂農場創辦人郭延鐸展示走地雞蛋,猴頭菇,本季第一批雞肉。李紹寧和李嘉心父子檔介紹朋友為亞裔創辦的父子營,每月聚會一次,幫助亞裔父子在輕鬆的遊戲氣氛中建立父子感情(Alvinlee3050@yahoo.com)。

      會場也以GBCCA辦公室經理高紅燕整理製作的精美幻燈片,介紹GBCCA的所有社團。

紐英崙青少年中文夏令營團員為新年度招生。(周菊子攝)
       吳萍萍則擔起主持表演節目重任,展示大波士頓中華文化協會麾下各種社團,包括波士頓健身腰鼓隊表演腰鼓舞“紅紅的日子”,武安武藝學館和張歡老師武術班各自示範武術,徐莉老師尊巴與瑜珈班表演拉丁舞,林湛濤老師二胡課示範二胡演奏,GBCCA扯鈴隊表演,楊曉華表演秧歌舞“大東北:我的家鄉”。卡拉OK俱樂部有楊哲修,吳萍萍,張揚明,李國富,朱碧玉等人演唱等。
吳萍萍為表演節目當主持。(周菊子攝)
GBCCA國樂團指揮陳志新(左三)帶著團員排練。(周菊子攝)

         國樂社除了在表演環節做說明之外,這天還有指揮陳志新帶著樂團在小教室排練,房間裡擠滿了人。

扯鈴表演。(周菊子攝)
          迄今走過62年的大波士頓中華文化協會,曾經有過許多輝煌時刻。記載在該會網站上的就有1972年創辦勒星頓中文學校,成立合唱團,1979年應波士頓兒童博物館之邀,聯合創辦波士頓龍舟節,1981年取得非牟利組織免稅資格,1982年創辦全是福(Chelmsford)中文學校,1984年成立中國音樂社,1986年創辦紐英崙青少年夏令營,1991年邀得美國首位華裔部長趙小蘭為籌建會址的募款會主講人,1993年買下位於牛頓市的現有會址,成為大波士頓地區極少數擁有自置會址的社團之一。同年華心中文學校在會址開張。1984年大波士頓中華文化協會開始參加波士頓第一夜的年度演出。2000年,該會主席葛幼梅獲得牛頓市傑出婦女獎,該會也因推廣多元文化獲得牛頓市長獎,2003年開始為波士頓第一夜製作生肖花燈,2009年龍俐麗獲麻州無名英雄獎。

GBCCA網站上的資訊,只記錄到2009年。

            GBCCA的下個大活動,將是明年1月年會。查詢GBCCA437 Cherry Street, West Newton, MA p2465)詳情,可上網gbcca.org,或gbcca.boston@gmail.com, 617-332-0377(訂正,補充版)
張揚明代表卡啦OK隊演唱。(周菊子攝)
華心中文學校以紙板佈告介紹學校概況。(周菊子攝)
GBCCA麾下社團介紹。(周菊子攝)
右起,葛幼梅,韓蓮芳和陳嘉美在攤位前準備迎接賓客。(吳宇懷提供)
每一段表演都有不少人欣賞。(吳德惠提供)
波士頓僑教中心主任特地來訪,GBCCA會長趙寧,副會長吳德惠。(吳宇懷提供)
波士頓僑教中心主任高家富(右)探訪余心樂農莊攤位。(吳宇懷提供)
父子遊戲攤位。(吳德惠提供)
世紀中文學校董事長李娜(左)探問華新中文學校創辦人陳瑞虹。(吳德惠提供)
陳瑞虹(右起)、蕭雲親自上陣解說華心中文學校。(吳德惠提供

MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS’ FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM EARNS NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR FRESH, NUTRITIOUS, LOCALLY SOURCED SCHOOL MEALS

MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS’ FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM EARNS NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR FRESH, NUTRITIOUS, LOCALLY SOURCED SCHOOL MEALS


“Silver Status” award from the Center for Good Food Purchasing demonstrates progress made during 2023-2024 school year in adopting Good Food Purchasing practices

BOSTON – Tuesday, October 21, 2025 – Mayor Michelle Wu and Superintendent Mary Skipper today announced that Boston Public Schools’ (BPS) Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) has earned Good Food Leader: Silver status from the Center for Good Food Purchasing. This designation positions Boston Public Schools as a national leader in providing students with fresh, nutritious, and locally sourced school meals. The Center for Good Food Purchasing (the Center) is a national nonprofit organization that manages the Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP), a framework used by public institutions to shift their food buying to support local economies, environmental sustainability, a valued workforce, animal welfare, and nutrition. BPS’ Silver status as a Good Food Leader was based on the Center’s independent assessment of BPS food purchasing practices for the 2023-2024 school year, following the baseline assessment of the 2019-2020 school year, published in 2023.


“No student should ever face barriers when it comes to accessing nutritious food. The recognition of our Boston Public Schools as a Good Food Leader reaffirms our commitment to ensuring every young person has the resources they need to thrive,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Thanks to Superintendent Skipper, City departments, and our community partners, we’re proud to deliver thousands of fresh, healthy meals for our students every day.”


"Boston Public Schools is reimagining school meals by providing freshly prepared nutritious food that supports our students' focus in the classroom while also ensuring it reflects the diverse cultures and communities of our students," said Superintendent Mary Skipper. "Earning Silver Status affirms the progress being made and that these efforts are having a meaningful impact on our school communities. By investing in local partnerships and expanding scratch cooking across our schools, we are ensuring that every student has access to high-quality meals that provide the nourishment they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.”


"Boston Public Schools commitment to providing fresh, nutritious, and locally sourced meals is a shining example of how we can prioritize the health and well-being of our students while supporting local economies,” said City Councilor Henry Santana. “I am proud to see BPS earning Silver Status and leading the way in reimagining school nutrition for a healthier, more equitable Boston."


BPS serves more than 8 million meals per year, including breakfast, lunch, after school meals, and summer meals, across 123 school buildings. With a food budget of approximately $18 million, BPS’ Food and Nutrition Services is the largest school district purchaser of food in New England, allowing the City to improve the quality of school meals while also accelerating broader food system reform.


BPS’ significant improvement in the GFPP assessment since 2020––going from meeting targets in one of five value categories to four out of five––was made possible by a complete transformation of Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) operations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, BPS school kitchens were closed and most schools came to rely on pre-packaged vended meals. Since 2022, BPS has overhauled its meals program, and is now serving fresh meals cooked on-site in 107 school buildings. Today, 96% of meals are being made freshly in house by BPS kitchen staff. 


Based on its 2025 report, the Center for Good Food Purchasing awarded BPS its Silver status for many reasons, including:

  • Exceeding national benchmarks in nutrition and in serving students fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables
  • Reinvesting in communities by spending 18% of the food budget on locally sourced products
  • Investing in small- and mid-sized local suppliers and nurturing relationships with New England growers
  • Creating more appealing, culturally relevant menus based on BPS students’ preferences and diverse backgrounds, leading to increased participation in the school meals program and higher financial reimbursements from the U.S. Department of Agriculture enabling BPS’ continued reinvestment in its school meal programs
  • Reducing BPS’ carbon footprint by promoting plant-based entrees and eliminating plastic bottles 
  • Expanding opportunities for food access and community engagement, including  nutrition education, school gardens, grow towers, after-school suppers and summer meal programs


Sixteen school buildings do not have either the kitchen facilities or enough student demand to cook meals from scratch on-site, but through targeted renovations of the BPS Central Kitchen facility in Dorchester, FNS will soon begin cooking and packaging meals in-house and delivering to these locations. The Central Kitchen is expected to re-launch its food preparation operations by the end of 2025, gradually scaling up to produce 1,000 meals per day. Centralizing food production will also bring about substantial cost savings. 


“The recognition of Silver status is a testament to the incredible work of our school kitchen staff, food service professionals, and partners who have helped us reimagine what school meals can look like in Boston” said Eric Stevens, Interim Executive Director of Food and Nutrition Services, Boston Public Schools. “By bringing scratch cooking back to our schools and sourcing more nutritious, culturally diverse ingredients from local suppliers, we’re not only serving healthier meals — we’re also investing in our students, our workforce, and our local economy.” 


“Boston Public Schools is proving that large urban districts can be powerful drivers of food system change” said Simca Horwitz, Co-Director of Massachusetts Farm to School. “By prioritizing local sourcing and fresh, scratch-cooked meals, BPS is creating new market opportunities for regional farmers and food producers and showing what’s possible when schools commit to farm to school principles at scale for the benefit of their students.” 


In 2019, while serving on the Boston City Council, then-Councilor Wu authored and passed the Good Food Purchasing Ordinance, leading City departments to adopt Good Food Purchasing standards for their food procurement. The City’s Office of Food Justice (OFJ) leads the cross-departmental initiative to make healthy eating easier for Boston residents, keep public dollars invested in Boston, and reduce the environmental impact of the City’s food purchases.The Ordinance also formally adopts the goal of encouraging food vendors to invest in local minority, disabled, and/or women-owned businesses. BPS FNS is focused on growing its existing partnerships with minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs) and, alongside OFJ, forging alliances with major institutional buyers in Boston, like hospitals and universities to get healthier, values-based products with diverse suppliers all across the city.



To read the Center for Good Food Purchasing’s findings and for more background on the Good Food Purchasing Program, visit Boston Public School's webpage. Read the BPS Eats Strategic Plan here.

Coolidge Corner電影院執行長Katherine Tallman訂2026卸任

Longtime Coolidge Corner Theatre Executive Director & CEO 

Katherine Tallman to Step Down in 2026


Deputy Director Beth Gilligan Appointed to Succeed Tallman as Head of Legendary
Art House Cinema; Mark Anastasio Promoted to Artistic Director 


Mark Anastasio, Francis Ford Coppola, Katherine Tallman,
Beth Gilligan at the 2025 Coolidge Award
 (Photo from PR firm)
Brookline, Massachusetts (Tuesday, October 21, 2025) — Coolidge Corner Theatre, a premier nonprofit, six-screen American independent cinema renowned for its curated feature film and education programs, recently announced that after 12 years of transformative leadership, Executive Director & CEO Katherine Tallman will step down from the position in 2026, and will be succeeded at that time by Deputy Director Beth Gilligan. Longtime Coolidge Program Director Mark Anastasio has been promoted to Artistic Director. 


The Coolidge Corner Theatre Board of Directors, headed by David Rosenthal, voted unanimously on the succession plan. “The Coolidge Board is tremendously grateful to Kathy Tallman for her fearless leadership during this period of transformative growth for the Coolidge. Kathy has built an extraordinary organization and staff, and we now look forward to a bright future with her longtime Deputy Director Beth Gilligan at the helm. The Board is also thrilled to acknowledge Mark Anastasio’s many creative programming contributions over the years. Beth and Mark’s combined experience, passion for film, reputation in the industry, and dedication to our mission will result in a seamless transition and help chart a bold and exciting future for the Coolidge. All of us who love and support the Coolidge should be delighted that its management will remain in the hands of such experienced and creative leaders,” remarked Rosenthal.


Tallman was named Executive Director in 2013. During her tenure, and with an outstanding team, the Coolidge evolved from a beloved local art house cinema (founded in 1933, and established as a nonprofit in 1989) to a nationally recognized cultural and educational institution centered on film. Revenue increased to over $9 million in 2025, up from $3.3 million in 2014, and net assets increased to $28 million from $3.3 million in 2014. 


Tallman co-chaired the Campaign for the Coolidge, which raised $15 million to fund a 14,000 square-foot expansion adding more screens, a new lobby and upgraded public areas, expansion of educational programming in a dedicated space, and an endowment. 


With strong community support, Tallman led the Coolidge through a 14-month closure due to the COVID pandemic, and subsequent significant growth in curated programming and attendance. The Coolidge continues to attract record-setting attendance from a diverse audience even while the domestic film box office continues to struggle to return to 2019 levels.


Gilligan has a 16-year history with the Coolidge, where she currently serves as the Deputy Director. During her time at the Coolidge, she has served on the leadership team for the Capital Campaign; overseen the theatre’s successful national expansion of its Science on Screen® series (which, in partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, has awarded over $3 million in grants to 140 independent cinemas nationwide); developed and expanded programs such as Coolidge Education, Breakthrough Artist Award, PANORAMA, and the annual Film Trivia Night fundraiser; and developed partnerships with numerous cultural and community-based organizations. Prior to joining the Coolidge, Beth worked for several years for the Hamptons International Film Festival, where she oversaw marketing and development initiatives (including the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Film & Screenwriting Program) and later served as a Festival Consultant. Beth received a M.A. in film studies from the University of East Anglia (UK) and a B.A. in English Literature from Trinity College.


Anastasio joined the Coolidge in 2007 and has been involved in the curation of its programming for the last 18 years. In that time, he has created popular Coolidge signature programming such as Cinema Jukebox, Cult Classics, and After Midnite; forged partnerships with local organizations on unique outdoor film programs like Mount Auburn Cemetery Cinema and the Coolidge at the Greenway; expanded the theatre's repertory programming calendar, including retrospectives and genre explorations, with some programs like Projections and Animania recurring annually. Mark’s programming has been awarded by the Boston Society of Film Critics, including numerous Best Film Series and Best Rediscovery Awards, and has helped the Coolidge earn special commendations for the After Midnite series, 20 years of the Halloween Horror Marathon, continued audience engagement during the pandemic closure, and most recently, for the ambition of its series Schlock & Awe: The William Castle Experience, which lovingly replicated the maestro’s off-screen gimmicks designed to intensify the on-screen horror. 


Says Tallman, “Beth  has been a partner throughout my tenure at the Coolidge. Her strategic thinking and execution, film expertise and knowledge across all aspects of our business have been instrumental to our success. Mark’s creativity, programming, and showmanship have driven our stellar reputation, audience reach and growth.  Working with both of them and the Coolidge team has been a joy and I, along with the entire Coolidge community, can be confident of the Coolidge’s ongoing growth and success.”


“I am deeply honored by the Board’s confidence in me and immensely grateful to Kathy for her leadership and mentorship over the years. Together with Mark, I will work to ensure that the Coolidge remains—in the immortal words of filmmaker and Coolidge Award honoree Werner Herzog—a ‘brave fortress of cinema culture’, while continuing to embrace exciting opportunities for growth and partnership, ” said Gilligan.

美國能源部擴大取消撥款行動 麻州Assend Elements痛失1.1億美元

             Boston Orange編譯)美國聯邦政府101日關門後,陸續取消項目撥款。麻州的Ascend Elements,原本獲得美國能源部(DOE)批給3.16 億美元,正在肯塔基州建設製造鋰離子電池所需關鍵礦物,產能足以供應25萬輛電動汽車,現將失去還未取得的1.1 億美元經費。

            Ascend Elements是一家獨樹一幟的美國本土公司,在美國境內完成回收電動汽車電池,並從中提煉礦物的過程,不像它的許多競爭者,必須把中間產品運往中國等其他地方精練。

Ascend Elements雖然表示計畫透過股權發行和債券等其他融資方式來自籌資金,以彌補損失的聯邦經費,並按計畫於 2026 年重啟被迫暫停的工廠建設,但這突如其來的資金中斷,以及該公司面對著因「市場變化」而取消的另一筆 1.64 億美元撥款,還有承包商索賠上億美元未付賬單的訴訟,都對該公司獨特,具戰略價值的本土電動車電池回收技術,增添了巨大的發展不確定性。

            能源部取消了總計超過 7 億美元的電池相關撥款,並計劃終止更多清潔能源專案。在101日聯邦政府關門後,能源部就宣佈了取消高達76億美元的項目經費,全美共有200多個能源開發專案受影響,Ascend Elements 的遭遇,反映了許多科研人員和商界領袖正普遍感到不安。

            根據能源部的終止撥款和潛在終止撥款名單,在麻州受影響的項目至少還有國家電網(National Grid)要在麻州的電網中增加分散式能源資源的5000萬元撥款,麻州大學Amherst分校的一筆360萬美元撥款,在Northampton設有站點的Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics公司的一筆107萬美元撥款,給Sublime SystemsHolyoke市建低碳水泥製造廠的8700萬美元。

            緬因州也有1000萬美元的安裝熱泵撥款,排進了潛在取消撥款名單。

            有相關報導稱,聯邦政府取消的76億美元清潔能源撥款,主要集中在支持民主黨候選人的藍州,包括麻州,康州,新罕布夏州和佛蒙特州,並針對電池製造,電網升級,清潔車輛製造等行業和相關學術研究。

星期一, 10月 20, 2025

Boston Welcomes the First-Ever Bronze Sculpture of Solomon Northup, Author of Twelve Years a Slave

 Boston Welcomes the First-Ever Bronze Sculpture of Solomon Northup, Author of Twelve Years a Slave

Exhibition of Hope Out of Darkness Runs October 20 – December 10 at the Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Center


BOSTON, MA — The first-ever bronze sculpture honoring Solomon Northup (1807–unknown)—the 19th-century abolitionist, freedom fighter, and author of Twelve Years a Slave—will arrive in Boston for public exhibition from October 20 through December 10, 2025.

 

An unveiling event is scheduled on the Rose Kennedy Greenway near the Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Pavilion (191W Atlantic Ave. Boston, MA 02110) on October 22, 2025 at 10am. A second welcome event with a book talk and screening is scheduled at the Loring Greenough House (12 South St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130) on October 26, 2025 at 6:30pm.

 

The sculpture, titled Hope Out of Darkness, is a temporary installation on view at the Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Center on Atlantic Avenue. Created by Wesley Wofford, FNSS, of North Carolina, the work was commissioned by the Solomon Northup Committee for Commemorative Works, an organization dedicated to advancing public art, historical recognition, and educational initiatives that honor Solomon Northup’s enduring legacy.

 

Presented in partnership with the North American Indian Center of Boston (NAICOB) and the Greenway Conservancy, the exhibition brings this monumental bronze work to Boston’s waterfront, inviting residents and visitors to reflect on history, resilience, and the enduring pursuit of justice.

 

Solomon Northup, born free in New York in 1807, was kidnapped and enslaved for twelve years before regaining his freedom in 1853. His autobiography, Twelve Years a Slave, remains a foundational American narrative of resilience and truth-telling, chronicling one of the most powerful firsthand accounts of slavery in U.S. history.

 

Hope Out of Darkness portrays Northup in a moment of emergence—rising from shadow into light—a visual embodiment of survival, truth, and liberation. The sculpture stands as both a work of contemporary art and a vessel of historical remembrance, connecting Northup’s 19th-century struggle for freedom to ongoing conversations about justice and equality in America.

 

Following the publication of Twelve Years a Slave in 1853, Solomon Northup visited Boston and numerous cities throughout Massachusetts between 1854 and 1856, where he became a powerful voice in the antislavery movement. He delivered lectures across the Commonwealth and even appeared before the Massachusetts State Legislature in March of 1855, led by Senator Charles Sumner, where he stood alongside Anthony Burns, the formerly enslaved man whose case had electrified the nation, and Ida May (born Mary Mildred Botts), a young girl publicly displayed for her white-passing appearance as part of the abolitionist campaign to expose the brutality and hypocrisy of slavery. During this period, Northup also performed in his self-written stage production, The Free Slave, dramatizing his ordeal and freedom. These appearances placed Northup among a circle of reformers who shaped the moral conscience of 19th-century Massachusetts.

 

The sculpture has traveled on a five-city limited engagement tour across the United States, sharing Northup’s story through art and dialogue in communities connected to abolition, freedom, and remembrance. Following its Boston exhibition, Hope Out of Darkness will be permanently installed in Marksville, Louisiana—the city where Solomon Northup was freed in 1853. There, the sculpture will stand at the heart of a custom-designed plaza incorporating symbolic elements and artistic features that reflect Northup’s harrowing journey from enslavement to freedom. The plaza will be located before the Avoyelles Parish Courthouse, the historic site that marks his return to liberty.

 

“This moment brings Solomon Northup’s story into a living dialogue with Boston’s abolitionist past and its civic conscience today,” said Melissa Howell of the Solomon Northup Committee for Commemorative Works & great-great-great granddaughter of Northup. “Our hope is that this sculpture will move hearts, inspire reflection, and strengthen our collective commitment to truth and remembrance.”

 

“The story of Solomon Northup has indelibly etched a national trail of dispossession and self-liberation. A Boston stop allows us to acknowledge an important epilogue to Twelve Years A Slave. In this year of commemorations, we must recognize that the fight for freedom extends beyond the American Revolution. As Indigenous peoples, this is about shared histories and kinship.” Jean-Luc Pierite is the president of the North American Indian Center of Boston and a lecturer at MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning.

 

"The Greenway is honored to host Hope Out of Darkness, which commemorates Solomon Northup, his connections to Boston, and contributes to restorative histories across our city's public spaces." Audrey N. Lopez, PhD is Director & Curator of Public Art for the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy.

 

“This work of art speaks on one level to the salience of storytelling through powerful representation in our public spaces that allow us to transcend our parochial and prejudicial dispositions and point us toward hope and community. The sculpture of Northrop is also sure to invoke the spiritual qualities of persistence in midst of trouble and signal the fact that resilience is a human virtue.” Rev. Kevin Peterson is Founder and Director of the New Democracy Coalition and the Boston People’s Reparations Commission.

 

Throughout the exhibition period, community partners will host a series of programs, including artist conversations, educational workshops, and family events exploring Northup’s legacy and the role of art in shaping public memory.

Massachusetts Senate Sets Special Election Date for First Middlesex District

 Massachusetts Senate Sets Special Election Date for First Middlesex District 

(BOSTON—10/20/2025) The Massachusetts Senate today set a date for a special election to fill the First Middlesex District seat, which became vacant following the passing of Senator Edward Kennedy earlier this month. 

  

The special election to fill the vacancy will be held on March 3, 2026. Primaries will be held 30 days prior, on February 3, 2026.  

 

Nomination papers will be available from the Secretary of the Commonwealth beginning this week.  

 

The First Middlesex District includes the city of Lowell and the towns of Dracut, Dunstable, Pepperell, and Tyngsborough. 

MAYOR MICHELLE WU HIGHLIGHTS SUCCESS OF INAUGURAL COHORT OF BOSTON CLIMATE YOUTH CORPS

MAYOR MICHELLE WU HIGHLIGHTS SUCCESS OF INAUGURAL COHORT OF BOSTON CLIMATE YOUTH CORPS


New citywide pilot led to 200+ youth being hired this summer to work in jobs focused on climate resilience, sustainability, and environmental justice at local green industry organizations 

BOSTON - Monday, October 20, 2025 - Mayor Michelle Wu today highlighted the success of the inaugural cohort of Boston Climate Youth Corps, a new citywide pilot initiative launched this summer that integrates green-sector career pathways into Boston’s youth employment program, futureBOS, funded largely in the fiscal 2026 annual operating budget with support from state YouthWorks grant and leveraged the partnership of trusted youth employment partners to deepen young people’s exposure to climate careers. The Boston Climate Youth Corps builds on Mayor Wu’s work to make Boston a home for everyone and aligns with the City’s vision to advance climate action, equitable workforce development, and youth empowerment.


"Boston's leadership to tackle climate change requires investing not only in infrastructure, but in people. The Boston Climate Youth Corps will build our workforce and our neighborhoods, helping ensure that pathways to green careers are open and accessible,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “As we make historic climate investments to address pressing community needs, this program empowers the next generation to lead the work of building a sustainable and resilient Boston. I want to thank the nonprofit partners, community leaders, and employers who mentored and guided young people this summer—their work is critical to building a stronger and more resilient city."


A joint endeavor of the Worker Empowerment Cabinet; the Environment, Energy, and Open Space Cabinet; the Office of Youth Employment and Opportunity; PowerCorps Boston; and local nonprofits, the Boston Climate Youth Corps provided meaningful, paid work experiences for youth focused on climate resilience, sustainability, and environmental justice. Residents between the ages of 14 to 24 years old participated in these paid opportunities. Throughout the summer, youth were placed with local employer partners and contributed to impactful projects in urban forestry, environmental education, tree canopy expansion, climate storytelling, coastal resilience, water conservation, urban farming, food justice, ecosystem restoration, and energy efficiency.


“As Chair of the Committee on Environment, Resilience, and Parks, I’m thrilled to see the success of the first Boston Climate Youth Corps cohort and the leadership of our local partners like Eastie Farms and Piers Park Sailing Center," said City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata. "This initiative shows how climate action and workforce development go hand in hand, empowering young people to protect their communities while building the green and blue careers of the future. Investing in our youth is investing in a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable Boston.”


As a pilot program, the Boston Climate Youth Corps is a key component of the City’s sector-based youth employment strategy. The initiative allowed the City to test new models for integrating climate goals into youth jobs programming, track outcomes, highlight best practices, and assess opportunities for long-term expansion. While PowerCorpsBOS remains Boston’s flagship year-round green workforce development program for young adults ages 18–30, the Climate Youth Corps focuses on younger participants through summer youth employment and is built around trusted, community-based organizations. PowerCorpsBOS continues to serve as an anchor and next step for young people seeking long-term careers in the green sector.


"Boston's commitment to climate action goes hand-in-hand with cultivating a skilled, diverse green workforce," said Oliver Sellers-Garcia, Green New Deal Director and Environment Department Commissioner. "The Boston Climate Youth Corps is a vital investment in our young people, giving them the paid, hands-on experience needed to build climate resilience and drive environmental justice in our neighborhoods. Climate action is not just about the environment; it’s an economic win for Boston and for Boston’s workers."


Boston cannot have a climate-ready city without a climate-ready workforce. Over the next 25 years, Boston will need approximately 160,000 workers across 45 occupations to design, build, and operate a thriving green economy. To achieve this, the City is taking coordinated action to strengthen what is working, identify growth opportunities, and create partnerships to further drive progress. Various local green industry organizations are already shaping the city’s next generation of climate leaders through youth programming. Recognizing the importance of this work and building on the success of the City’s youth employment model, the Boston Climate Youth Corps works to unify these organizations. 


“The Boston Climate Youth Corps is an important step in building a workforce that reflects Boston’s future—one that is climate-conscious, community-driven, and accessible to all,” said Trinh Nguyen, Chief of the Worker Empowerment Cabinet. “This initiative creates additional opportunities for young people to gain paid experience while contributing to solutions that strengthen their neighborhoods and our city. We are especially thankful to the Boston Climate Youth Corps employer organizations for educating and supporting youth this summer. Their leadership is essential to preparing emerging climate leaders and ensuring every community has a role in Boston’s green economy.”


Boston Climate Youth Corps partnered with five local organizations: Alternatives for Community and Environment, Cathleen Stone Island, Eastie Farm, Piers Park Sailing Center, and Speak for the Trees. This past summer, these organizations employed a total of 215 young Bostonians in hands-on green industry jobs that lead to quality, high-paying careers and address the negative impact of climate change. These organizations play a critical role in engaging youth through meaningful work-based learning, skill-building workshops, career exploration site visits, mentorship opportunities, and citywide recognition events.


Summer 2025 Boston Climate Youth Corps Employer Partners



Alternatives for Community and Environment

REEP is a youth-led, adult-supported environmental justice program that builds the power of Black and brown youth to make a difference in their community by way of advocacy and community engagement. 20 young people participated in this program.


Cathleen Stone Island

Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound School's mission is to build stronger, more equitable school communities by partnering with public schools to deliver free experiential learning programs to students that will boost academic success and foster personal growth. 41 young people participated in this program.


Eastie Farm

Eastie Farm Climate Corps is an earn-to-learn environmental stewardship program for high school teens in East Boston. They prepare youth for a climate-changed future, expose youth to green careers, empower youth to contribute to food security and community resilience, benefit the climate in an environmental/climate justice community by creating green spaces, increasing tree canopy, and localizing food consumption, and train, inspire, and empower youth with the skills they need to gain a green job. 12 young people participated in this program


Piers Park Sailing Center

Piers Park Sailing Center offers inclusive, hands-on programming year-round, serving over 2,100 youth and 400 adults annually from diverse backgrounds. The center emphasizes affordability and mentorship, with staff mostly trained in-house and continually improving based on industry standards. 125 young people participated in this program.


Speak for the Trees

Speak for the Trees works together with Boston community members to plant, preserve, care, and advocate for trees and to expand the tree canopy in order to rebuild resilient neighborhoods and safeguard the health of all residents, repairing historic injustices that persist today as environmental inequities in urban communities. 17 young people participated in this program.


“I am proud to live and work in a Green New Deal city,” said Alex DeFronzo

Executive Director, Piers Park Sailing Center. “Seeing Boston invest in climate career pathways should make all Boston residents feel proud. The young adults who complete this program are going into the workforce ready for good-paying jobs that will protect our neighborhoods from rising sea levels, intensifying rainstorms, and extreme heat. They will design, build, and operate the transit projects that connect us, the housing that we live in, and even grow some of the food that we eat. They'll help organize us for a just and sustainable future, and I am grateful to be a part of the work. It is a vision for a hopeful future and a positive future for families in Boston.”


“We at Speak for the Trees are proud to be a partner of the Boston Youth Climate Corps,” said Joshua Reed, Education Manager, Speak for the Trees. “This initiative provides a wonderful opportunity for youth to further explore green careers, develop valuable skills, and contribute to a more equitable, sustainable, and cleaner environment in the City of Boston. We are looking forward to working as a collective with partners familiar and new to our organization and our Teen Urban Tree Corps youth to support youth in becoming climate leaders for Boston.”


“Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound School (CSIOBS) is excited to participate in the inaugural year of the Boston Climate Youth Corps,” said Sylvia Watts McKinney, CEO and President of Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound. “Our unique approach is supported by research indicating that students in underserved communities miss out on approximately 6,000 hours of outdoor learning by age 12. We offer paid internships that allow participants to explore and practice environmental stewardship, climate action, and natural resource management, while also developing their outdoor skills. We are proud to partner with the City of Boston to support youth in exploring and gaining employment within Boston’s vibrant environmental ecosystem.”


“Empowering future leaders to preserve the beautiful biodiversity of our world using the nature-inspired methods of indigenous folks is central to Eastie Farm’s approach to climate action,” said Kannan Thiruvengadam, Executive Director, Eastie Farms. “From controlling erosion and flooding on our coasts and community spaces with healthy and resilient vegetation, to providing families with fresh local produce, we put our passion into impactful work every day. In this work, we appreciate having the city’s partnership and support, and are grateful for the visionary and caring leadership from the city.”


The Boston Climate Youth Corps is an early but critical step in advancing the City’s broader sector-based youth employment strategy. This pilot marks important progress towards collectively preparing Boston’s young people for the green jobs of the future. As we gather outcomes and success stories, these lessons will guide us in refining the model and identifying opportunities to grow. Looking ahead, the Boston Climate Youth Corps will expand its reach and deepen alignment with the City’s Climate Action Plan. Future versions will broaden partnerships with employers and nonprofits, build stronger bridges from summer exposure to career pathways, and connect as an on-ramp to year-round opportunities like PowerCorpsBOS, Boston’s anchor green workforce program. By doing so, the Boston Climate Youth Corps can ensure that young people move from paid summer experiences into more structured training, pre-apprenticeships, and jobs in the green economy. Over time, the Boston Climate Youth Corps can help cultivate a climate-ready workforce that reflects the resilience of Boston’s neighborhoods.