慶祝250週年 波士頓公共圖書館將推出展覽、講座等系列活動

             （Boston Orange編譯）波士頓公共圖書館（ＢPL）為慶祝麻州250週年的3年慶祝，跨入2026年，安排有主題為「革命性思想：波士頓250 （Revolutionary Ideas: Boston 250）」展覽、講座及工作坊等3大類別系列活動，帶民眾回顧歷史轉折，探看未來方向。

            波士頓公共圖書館早從2024年就推出了「革命之路（Road to Revolution）」的3年計畫，依序每年以音樂、藝術及思想為主題，推出系列活動。2026年的重點放在波士頓是思想發源地上。

            主要在波士頓公共圖書館總館舉辦的「革命性思想：波士頓250」，今年安排有一系列4項展覽，分別為即日起至3月29日，藉地圖與文物，探索革命之路的「獨立的領域 (Terrains of Independence)」，即日起展至4月21日，陳列百餘件珍貴館藏的「革命！波士頓 250 年的藝術與行動主義」，將於4月開幕，首次展出6份美國「獨立宣言」原始副本的「宣言：印刷一個新國家」，以及將在今年內不定期舉辦，藉該館稀有館藏來展示波士頓市革命歷程的「革命波士頓開放日系列」。

            講座、論壇系列部分，主要為3大系列，有全年舉辦的「羅爾系列 （Lowell）」，重點強調這些年來的革命思想，包括人工智慧革命將形塑民主未來的討論，以及關於Kizzmeika Corbett博士和莫德納在研發新冠病毒（Covid-19）疫苗這革命性工作的對話。有「名家作者對談系列」，包括2月份Ilyasah Shabazz 博士分享其父Malcolm X事蹟，春季Emily Sneff 剖析「獨立宣言」的媒體傳播史，6月份Nicholas Boggs 探討詹姆斯·鮑德溫的新傳記。還有將於4月份的全國圖書館週期間舉辦，探討波士頓公共圖書館作為全美首座免費供民眾進出大型博物館革命性先鋒地位的討論。

            其他的活動包括「生命、自由與追求幸福」六部曲。波士頓公共圖書館社區歷史部將和「革命空間」這組織聯手，在2026年內推出「公民之愛的 36 個問題」、「客廳對話」 以及 「撰寫你自己的宣言」工作坊，7月 4 日 舉辦「革命版印：國慶朗讀活動」，年尾再辦一場集結市民創作的 「社區藝術與宣言成果展覽」。

波士頓公共圖書館為鼓勵民眾參與活動，還將在全市共26個分館內舉辦「獨立宣言」小誌，讓民眾用圖書館珍藏影片創作個人作品，和麻省總醫院（Mass General Brigham）合作，探討革命戰爭工具與現代職能治療（OT）復健工具的共通點。

2026年內，波士頓公共圖書館還將探討產業變革與創新，陸續推出“AI 與營建業“、”行銷的過去與現在“等兩場重量級專題演講，剖析科技與數位經濟如何型塑未來，並以”廚房中的電影“為主題，播放關於革新烹飪藝術人物的紀錄片。

 波士頓公共圖書館表示，全年度計畫的詳細時間表將持續更新。民眾可隨時前往官方活動網站bpl.org/revolutionary-ideas/ 獲取最新的講座日期與展覽資訊。

BOSTON, MA – January 20, 2026 – The Boston Public Library (BPL) today announced Revolutionary Ideas: Boston250, a year-long celebration of the art, activism, and energy that has made Boston a hotbed of revolutionary thought and innovation since 1776. This marks the final installment of Road to Revolution, a three-year thematic series leading up to the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Through a dynamic mix of programs, performances, the first major BPL exhibition in more than a decade, and a never-before-exhibited display of six original copies of the Declaration of Independence, Revolutionary Ideas: Boston250 brings these forces to life. From exhibitions and workshops to lectures and live performances, this series invites visitors to engage firsthand with the ideas and creativity that have shaped our nation—and will continue to shape the future. Throughout 2026, the BPL will feature booklists, host special events across branches, and highlight notable items in the BPL collections. The full list of programs, updated throughout the year, can be found at bpl.org/revolutionary-ideas/. Upcoming highlights include: Exhibitions and Open Houses: ·       Terrains of Independence           ·       Why did the first sparks of the American Revolution ignite in Boston? This exhibition explores that question through maps, stories, and artifacts that reveal the city's Revolutionary-era history across geographic scales, from the vast sweep of the British Empire to the small spaces of local buildings and landmarks. ·       Open now through March 29, 2026 ·       Revolution! 250 Years of Art & Activism in Boston           ·       Featuring over 100 artworks and documentary materials from the Boston Public Library’s Special Collections—prints, photographs, paintings, sculpture, and more—this exhibition brings to light both familiar and lesser-known stories about America’s ongoing struggle for freedom, civil rights, and belonging for all. ·       Open now through April 21, 2026 ·       Declarations: Printing a New Nation           ·       This exhibition will re-examine the Declaration of Independence from the perspective of breaking news in the summer of 1776, showcasing the Boston Public Library’s six original copies alongside rare maps and other materials, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the moment when American independence—and the nation itself—was first taking shape. ·       Opening April 2026 ·       Revolutionary Boston Open House Series           ·       Special Collections will host open houses featuring items from BPL’s collections that represent the many revolutions that have occurred in Boston’s history. Talks, Lectures, and Author Events ·       Lowell Lecture Series          ·       The lecture series will feature a variety of topics that discuss and highlight revolutionary ideas over time, including discussions about how the AI revolution will shape the future of our democracy, a conversation about the revolutionary work done by Dr. Kizzmeika Corbett and Moderna to develop the COVID-19 vaccine, and more. ·       Author Talks          ·       Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X and author of Growing Up X. ·       Emily Sneff, a scholar and author of a recent book on the Declarations of Independence, will examine the Declaration as a news event and how it was disseminated throughout New England. ·       Nicholas Boggs will help us celebrate Pride month by discussing his new biography of James Baldwin, Baldwin: A Love Story. ·       Boston Public Library: A Revolutionary Idea          ·       BPL staff will present a panel discussion and historic overview of the Boston Public Library and its standing as the nation’s first major free public library during National Library Week (April 2026). Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness Series ·       BPL Community History is partnering with Revolutionary Spaces to offer a six-part program series that invites patrons to explore, question, critique, and draw inspiration from the Declaration of Independence.         ·       36 Questions for Civic Love series ·       Living Room Conversations ·       Write Your Own Declaration Workshops ·       Revolutionary Printmaking: July 4th Readings ·       A culminating exhibition of community-created artwork and declarations Maker Programs & Hands-On Experiences ·       Declaration of Independence Zine-Making        ·       This program invites patrons to create zines—using provided supplies and Special Collections images—that respond to the question “What does the Declaration of Independence mean to you 250 years later?” ·       Tools of Independence        ·       Presented with Mass General Brigham, this series explores how adaptive tools and joint-protection techniques in occupational therapy restore daily function—drawing parallels between the tools of war that secured freedom and the therapeutic tools that help individuals reclaim it today. Innovation Across Industry ·       AI & Construction       ·       A speaker event that discusses how AI can revolutionize the construction industry and how it is currently being tested and used. ·       Marketing: Then and Now       ·       This speaker event traces the evolution of marketing—from its early practices to its powerful influence in today’s digital economy—to illuminate how this young field shapes consumer behavior. ·       Movies in the Kitchen       ·       The Nutrition Lab will feature movies and documentaries about people who have revolutionized the culinary arts. Revolutionary Ideas follows Revolutionary Art (2025) and Revolutionary Music (2024) in the Road to Revolution series. The Boston Public Library invites everyone to participate in these dynamic programs celebrating the power of Revolutionary Ideas. To explore upcoming events and updates, visit bpl.org/events.   Revolutionary Ideas is part of the City of Boston’s Boston250 commemoration of Boston’s role in the American Revolution.

麻州府推出聯邦學生助學金申請網頁 鼓勵學生填表申請

Massachusetts Publishes FAFSA Completion Dashboard to Encourage Students to Apply for Financial Aid

Dashboard continues Governor Maura Healey’s efforts to make higher education more affordable 

EVERETT – The Healey-Driscoll Administration today published a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Massachusetts data dashboard to encourage students to complete the form with help from their family, school or other partners and access college financial aid. The dashboard will provide frequent updates of completion rates by school, district and student group.  

 

The FAFSA is the financial aid form for accessing grants, federal student loans and work-study funds. Cost continues to be a barrier to college for many students, particularly students who are the first in their family to attend college. Filling out the FAFSA is one of the most important steps students and their families can take. 

 

“Massachusetts has made huge investments in college affordability, but we need to make sure our students can benefit from them by filling out financial aid applications,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This dashboard will help parents and school leaders identify where high school seniors could use more support completing the form and taking the next steps toward higher education.” 

 

“Filling out the FAFSA can open the door to free community college, significant aid at state universities and aid from private colleges,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “It’s a critical part of preparing for college, and this dashboard is designed to heighten schools’ awareness of this important step.”  

 

Information in the dashboard includes only FAFSA completion and is based on FAFSA completion records from the federal government that the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) matches with state Student Information Management System data. Completion numbers in the dashboard may be slightly lower than the actual numbers. Schools and districts already have access to student-level data through DESE’s Security Portal. 

 

“This dashboard is designed to galvanize support for students who could benefit from financial aid but aren’t applying for it,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “One of the most important things for families to know is that financial aid is available to many students if they apply, particularly at Massachusetts state colleges and universities.” 

 

“Our hope is that by shedding more light on FAFSA completion rates, more people will become aware of how important that form is for students’ future success,” said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez. “We also want students to know that there are organizations that can help them complete the FAFSA for free.” 

 

“Too many students leave money and opportunity on the table by not applying for financial aid,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega. “This dashboard makes FAFSA completion data accessible in a way that will advance the college access efforts of our state, schools and non-profit partners.” 
 

This dashboard is the latest effort by the administration to increase exposure to higher education, improve the information pipeline, and build awareness of financial and institutional supports that help students see themselves in college. It also accomplishes one of the recommendations from the administration’s Advisory Council to Advance Representation in Education (ACARE). Additional progress under the Healey-Driscoll Administration includes: 

· Launched the Go Higher initiative that raises awareness of all forms of college financial support, including grants, scholarships, loan forgiveness, tuition waivers and in-state tuition.   

· Hosted a Financial Aid Road Show, in which officials visited schools across Massachusetts and spoke with hundreds of students about historic financial aid opportunities. The road show coincided with the state’s “College is Possible” ad campaign that ran from late February to mid-May, targeting high school seniors and adult learners with billboards and TV, radio and digital ads in English and Spanish.  

· Awarded over $2 million in grants to 89 school districts across Massachusetts to help them adopt the My Career and Academic Plan (MyCAP) tool for students, in addition to technical assistance and coaching to support planning and implementation. 

· Approved 36 new Early ollege programs. Early College gives thousands of Massachusetts high school students the chance to earn free, transferable college credits before graduation. 

· Subsidized 90,783 AP exams for nearly 50,000 low-income students. Students who take Advanced Placement courses in high school are more likely to enroll in a four-year college and perform better in introductory college courses.  

· In seven school districts, the Department of Higher Education operates the federal GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness & Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), which prepares students for college and offers one-on-one support throughout the college application process. 

 

"The Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority remains dedicated to supporting students and families across the Commonwealth, and the launch of the FAFSA Completion Dashboard will play a key role in assisting our efforts" said Tom Graf, executive director of MEFA. "The dashboard will help us to move our work forward in a more meaningful capacity, allowing us to reach the populations across the Commonwealth who need us most and target our outreach to raise awareness of MEFA's free assistance available for FAFSA completion." 

 

“The availability of FAFSA completion data is critical for all of us who support students and families in the college-going process,” said Bob Bardwell, executive director of the Massachusetts School Counselors Association. "While school counselors already had access to detailed data, this public-facing dashboard will help raise awareness and target support efforts." 

 

“Through our work with thousands of students across Massachusetts, we know there’s a prevailing narrative that college is not affordable. We also know that when students complete the FAFSA or MASFA to access state and federal aid, they are 84 percent more likely to enroll in college or other postsecondary degree programs,” said Amanda Seider, executive director of OneGoal. “We applaud the launch of this new dashboard and the Commonwealth’s continued commitment to affordable higher education for all students.”  

 

More information about the new, public Massachusetts FAFSA Completion Dashboard and the FAFSA information that is available only to schools is available online. 

 

For help completing the FAFSA, students and families can visit Mass.Gov/FinancialAid and MEFA. Students can learn more about state financial aid programs at mass.gov/GoHigher and can direct questions to DHE’s Office of Student Financial Assistance at (617) 391-6070 orosfa@osfa.mass.edu

Maura Healey和Kim Driscoll 正式宣佈攜手競選連任麻州正副州長

麻州州長奚莉（Maura Healey，中）和副州長Kim Driscoll (前左三）日前在宣佈
引進能源，降低電費活動中玩自拍。（檔案照片，周菊子攝）

                 (Boston Orange綜合編譯) 正式了。早就表達過競選連任意願的麻州州長奚莉（Maura Healey），1月20日透過發佈競選影片，更新競選網站，正式宣布了她將和副州長Kim Driscoll再度攜手，踏上競選連任之路。

麻州州長奚莉的競選海報。

                  星期二（1月20日）早上，奚莉州長在推特（X），臉書（Facebook），IG (Instagram)和油管（YouTube），以及串串（Thread）等社交媒體上，同步發佈了長約2分鐘的競選影片，正式宣佈她將和麻州現任副州長Kim Driscoll攜手，競選連任，希望麻州民眾再給她們4年時間，繼續為州民服務。

                  影片中，奚莉州長展示過去這3年多，她的政績包括藉由MassReconnect，實現了社區大學免費的教育改革，制定政策，限制由租客來支付房屋仲介費（Broker’s Fee）慣例，撥款保護受聯邦政府削減經費影響，面對失去糧食補貼(SNAP)危機的州民，她還大力支持建造可負擔住宅，調降電費，改善麻州地鐵等大眾交通運輸系統的運作。她還直接點名川普總統，表示自己極力對抗聯邦政府對州民造成的傷害。

                  由於聯邦政府進來的一連串提高關稅，削減福利等政策，必須在1月28日提交新年度預算的麻州，其實也面對著財政收入減少的挑戰，州政府想要幫助州民降低生活成本，也變得更不容易，意味著儘管麻州是個油民主黨全面主控的藍州，奚莉州長的這場競選連任選戰，不見得能夠打得輕鬆。

                  共和黨迄今有實力不弱的至少3

競選連任海報。

人，以表態將參選麻州州長。他們分別是曾任麻州住房與經濟發展廳廳長的Mike Kennealy，曾任麻州地鐵（MBTA）總經理的Brian Shortsleeve，以及醫療器材企業家Michael Minogue。這些共和黨人抨擊奚莉州長在其任內麻州人口外流嚴重，可負擔程度全美排名第47，電費全美第3高，房價過高等等。

                  麻州民主、共和兩黨的提名大會，依序訂於5月30日及4月25日在伍斯特DCU中心舉行。民主黨已鐵定由奚莉代表參選，麻州共和黨將提名誰，還待觀察。

Governor Healey Nominates Craig Mulcahey to the District Court and LaKeshia Parker Small to the Juvenile Court

 Governor Healey Nominates Craig Mulcahey to the District Court and LaKeshia Parker Small to the Juvenile Court 

BOSTON – Today, Governor Maura Healey nominated Craig Mulcahey to serve as an Associate Justice of the District Court and LaKeshia Parker Small to serve as an Associate Justice of the Juvenile Court. The nominees will now be considered by the Governor’s Council for confirmation. 

"Both Attorney Mulcahey and Attorney Parker Small have the experience and legal knowledge to excel on the bench here in Massachusetts, and if confirmed, I am confident they will serve with integrity, fairness and a commitment to protecting our communities,” said Governor Maura Healey. 

“I am excited to work with the Governor’s Council to advance both of these nominees, who are well prepared to serve as Judges,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll.   

The District Court Department hears a wide range of criminal, civil, housing, juvenile, mental health, and other types of cases. District Court criminal jurisdiction extends to all felonies punishable by a sentence up to five years, and many other specific felonies with greater potential penalties, all misdemeanors, and all violations of city and town ordinances and by-laws. In civil matters, the District Court hears cases in which the damages are not likely to be more than $50,000 and small claims cases up to $7,000. The District Court is located in 62 courts across the state. 

Governor Healey has already nominated 29 attorneys to the District Court: Heath Antonio,   Patrick Burke, Tonomey Coleman, Lisa Core, Frederick DeCubellis, Frances Dallmeyer, Brian Doxtader, Leo Fama, Mark Fabiano, Lauren Greene,  Stuart Hurowitz, Edward Karcasinas , Francis V. Kenneally, Sarah Kennedy, Edward Jr. Krippendorf, Cara Krysil, Courtney C. Linnehan, Hilary McCamic, Suzanne McDonough, Becky Michaels, Jerry Parisella, Polly Phillips, William Powers, Joanna Rodriguez, Gegory Teran, Marjorie P. Tynes, Amanda Ward, Liza Williamson and Hector Zumbado.  

For more information about the District Court, visit their homepage. 

The mission of the Juvenile Court is to protect children from abuse and neglect, to promote opportunities for children to reside in safe, stable, permanent family environments, to strengthen families, to rehabilitate juveniles, and to protect the public from delinquent and criminal behavior. The Juvenile Court Department has jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters including delinquencies, youthful offender cases, care and protection matters and children requiring assistance cases. It has 42 judges, including the Chief Justice, sitting in over 40 courthouses.  

For more information about the Juvenile Court, visit its homepage. Governor Healey has previously nominated 11 judges to the Juvenile Court: Jamie Bennett, Jennifer Currie, Andrew Don, Tiffanie Ellis-Niles, Nibal Raheb, Andrew Hoffman, Audrey Murillo, Jeannie Rhinehart, Benjamin Mann, Fabiola White and Karin Wilinski to the Juvenile Court. 

 

About the Nominees: 

 

Craig Mulcahey has been a solo practitioner since 2010, focused on criminal defense and civil litigation. He has tried more than 70 cases to verdict and has practiced extensively in both the District and Superior Courts. Before moving exclusively to solo practice, Attorney Mulcahey worked at the Law Office of Michael Doolin where he litigated criminal and civil matters in the District and Superior Courts and handled post-conviction work in the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Attorney Mulcahey has accepted court-appointed work as a Bar Advocate through Suffolk Lawyers for Justice since 2010. From 2004 – 2006 he also served as a Residential Child Care Worker at the Walker Home and School, where he helped provide enrichment activities, life skills training, and residential supervision to children with mental health challenges and learning differences. Prior to entering private practice as an attorney, Attorney Mulcahey served as an Assistant District Attorney at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office where he prosecuted a wide range of criminal cases in both the District and Superior Courts.  He began his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney at the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Emory University and a Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School  
 

LaKeshia Parker Small has, since 2024 served as an Assistant Clerk Magistrate in the Norfolk Juvenile Court, where she is responsible for conducting probable cause hearings, reviewing applications for complaints and warrants, processing petitions for sealing and expungement, assisting attorneys and litigants with administrative issues, and other magisterial duties.  From 2022-2024, Attorney Parker Small worked in private practice where she represented and advised clients in matters pertaining to family law, domestic relations, and criminal law and also provided case management services for families involved with the Department of Children and Families. From 2012 to 2022 she served as Assistant Regional Counsel at the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, where she litigated child welfare cases on behalf of the Commonwealth and drafted, filed, and argued motions throughout the Juvenile Courts. She began her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in 2008, where she prosecuted a wide range of criminal cases in the District, Superior, and Juvenile Courts.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Missouri – Columbia and a Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law and resides in Pembroke