慶祝全球創業週 波市長邀創業家聚會

波士頓市政府配合本地的慶祝全球創業週（Global Entrepreneurship Week），昨（廿）日在市政內招待來自十幾個初創公司的代表。

            波士頓市長馬丁華殊（Martin Walsh）和市府科技部門工作人員，和小企業孵化器的經理，企業東主等人晤談，討論馬丁華殊政府能夠如何更好的支持這些初創事業社區，讓他們的創新力帶動波市經濟發展。

            在會晤前，馬丁華殊參觀了劍橋創新中心在波士頓市金融區牛奶街50號的新地點。那是為初創事業，小公司或非牟利機構提供辦公室，共用工作空間的地方。

            馬丁華殊說，創新區正欣欣向榮，波士頓既有創業家，也有投資人致力發展波士頓的創業經濟。大家都知道，創新是沒有界限的，活躍的創新社區也早就遍佈全市了。

            昨日參與聚會的公司有劍橋創新中心（CIC）波士頓分部，高地資本（Highland Capital,），麻州挑戰（MassChallenge），地區廳（District Hall），我們工作（WeWork），以小時計書呆子（HourlyNerd），波士頓聯盟（Coalition Boston），在城市更智慧（Smarter in the City），工作吧（Workbar），地方分析（Localytics），以及街道智慧媒體（Streetwise Media）等。

            波市府市長辦公室的創新科技部，新郊區機器（New Urban Mechanics），經濟發展內閣（Economic Development cabinet），三中有一（

Onein3）等等，也都參與了對話。

            波市長辦公司的“新郊區機器”週三時和橙桶媒體（Orange Barrel Media）合作，在創新區的區域廳（District Hall），為“推介波士頓（PitchBoston）“的得勝者舉辦慶祝活動。共有六家公司製作了廿秒長的錄影帶，凸顯他們在波士頓的本地公司。這些錄影片段將在區域廳的大型電子佈告牌上播放六個月。

            在“推介波士頓”活動中，從三十家參加活動公司中脫穎而出的得勝隊伍包括，資助有創意者做有創意事情的真棒基金會（The Awesome Foundation ），把體育健將和私人教練連接起來，經由體育運動改變生活的“教練起來（CoachUp），一個本地傢俱設計者和生產製造公司灰軟木（Greycork ），為家庭提供魚菜共生糧食系統的樹林實驗室（Grove Labs），協助企業，機構及發展商推出更成功地促使人參與的應用程式的 Kinvey 公司，以及協助夫婦受孕更快，保持懷孕健康的的懷孕追蹤器Ovuline 等。

MIRA慶感恩節將組正義美國服務隊

麻州移民難民聯盟（MIRA）昨（廿）日在麻州政府大樓大廳(Great Hall)舉辦第十屆慶祝感恩節午餐會，欣喜期待美國總統奧巴馬（Obama）將以行政命令讓五百萬無證件移民獲得新生。

            今年的感恩節落在十一月廿七日（週四）。麻州移民難民聯盟的“我們的分享桌（Our Shared Table)”這感恩節午餐會，以“歡迎並照顧我們在麻州的兒童（Welcoming and Caring for Our Children in the Commonwealth）為主題，

誌記跨入第十年。

為這有二百多人出席的盛會做準備時，MIRA安排了政要，學者，移民，律師同廳共餐，分享故事，但沒想到十九日晚傳出，奧巴馬將於廿日晚藉行政命令宣佈他自己的“移民改革”，要讓五百萬名無證件移民暫時有權在美工作，不必擔心被遣返。

            麻州移民難民聯盟行政主任米樂娜（Eva Millona）在開幕致詞時連忙宣佈，MIRA將和學生移民運動（Student Immigrant Movement），服務員工國際聯盟（SEIU）的 32BJ分會，以及宗教界，社區領袖們，當晚一起看電視轉播，支持奧巴馬這歷史性的宣佈。

            在MIRA昨日的感恩節慶祝活動中，應邀發言的包括剛當選麻州檢察長（AG）的奚莉（Maura Healey)，薩福克郡第十二選區麻州眾議員古林安（Dan Cullinane），代表波士頓市長出席的波市健康及人民服務長小阿若約（Felix Arroyo），波士頓學院人權及國際正義中心副主任暨心理學教授利可斯（Brinton Lykes），剛從薩爾瓦多移民來美的阿法洛（Jose Alexander Alfaro），Fragoman律師樓律師費茲傑羅（Scott Fitzgerald）等人。

            米樂娜解釋，今年的感恩節把焦點放在兒童身上，是因為十二月時，MIRA要推出“正義美國服務隊（justice AmeriCorps）"這項目，著請十二名律師，律師助理當“美國服務隊”成員，專責在移民法庭上代表無人陪同，來自中南美洲的未成年人。

            她指出，在Fragoman律師樓支持下，在全美辦理“正義美國服務隊（justice AmeriCorps）"項目的機構中，MIRA將是首個非牟利機構。

            發言者中的利可斯和費茲傑羅就MIRA將辦理的新項目，做了較深入的講談。對邊界兩岸中南美洲移民社區有豐富經驗的利可斯，最近發表了一篇學術論文，討論“羈押和遣返對美國移民兒童及家庭的心理影響“。

            古利安的轄區市麻州移民最多的其中一區。他也是兒童，家庭，殘障人士聯席委員會委員。他昨日表示，自己也算移民家族一員，妻子來自哥倫比亞，妻子的父親移民來美後開了家旅遊公司，向家鄉人介紹美國，麻州，這都讓他對移民社區有相當深入的認識。

圖片說明：

            麻州移民難民聯盟行政主任米樂娜（Eva Millona）做開幕致詞，歡迎出席者共享感恩節午餐。

            MIRA的感恩節午餐會在麻州政府大樓內，掛有各國國旗的大廳舉行。

候任麻州檢察長為感恩節致詞強調包容

奚莉 (Maura Healey) 剛當選麻州檢察長（AG）。(周菊子攝）

(Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 剛當選麻州檢察長（AG）的奚莉（Maura Healey)昨（廿）日應麻州移民難民聯盟（MIRA）邀請，做感恩節午餐會主講人，強調包容，感恩，社會才能更有成就。

奚莉（Maura Healey)是麻州歷史年紀還輕就當上總檢察官的少數人之一。1971年二月八日出生的她，現年才43算歲。

奚莉 (Maura Healey) 剛當選麻州檢察長（AG），為MIRA活動致詞。。(周菊子攝）

根據維基百科，她在新罕布夏州（NH）出生，1982年哈佛大學本科畢業，接著到奧地利打兩了年職業女籃，才回到美國，進東北大學法學院，1998年取得J.D.的法律學位，當過聯邦法院法官的書記，到私人企業工作了七年，做過米斗塞郡特別助理地區檢察官，2007年才被麻州總檢察官柯克莉（Martha Coakley）聘為民權組組長，推動了麻州挑戰聯邦的婚姻辯護法，之後被指派為公共保護及擁護局首長，接著再被指派為商業及勞工局首長。2013年辭職，競選麻州總檢察官，十月四日時順利當選。

奚莉在午餐會時指出，移民法改革已拖得實在太久了，華府終於傳出了點好消息，她將仔細閱讀提案內容，也將在麻州內繼續維護移民權益。

            奚莉透露，在她的愛爾蘭家族中，感恩節是個大日子，家人，親戚這天都聚到一起，同桌分享食物，經歷。她認為感恩節反映了美國的價值觀，也正如MIRA的慶祝主題“我們分享的桌子”一樣，是要讓每一個人都被包容進來，坐進桌內，慶祝，分享彼此的不同文化，背景，經驗，食物，也互相幫助。她說只有大家都被包容進來了，社會才能有更多成就。

            奚莉昨日在回應麻州亞美局的問題時，表示她將在上任後進一步了解，也會安排與經由麻州總檢察長指派的三名委員晤談，以確保該辦公室和亞美社區有更良好的溝通。

華美福利會啟動商業法律諮詢服務

華美福利會與公民權利和經濟平等律師委員會合作，十九日啟動“促進成功企業”項目，有三名律師在兩個多小時內，為十名報名者提供了一對一諮詢。

華美福利會董事長陳美霞表示，司徒福柱保險公司和國泰銀行的負責人都向她反映過，許多小企業東主，或準備創業者，深怕找律師問，費用會動輒上百成千，常在和他們聯絡時請教法律問題。他們因此攜手和公民權利和經濟平等律師委員會合作，請來Ropes & Gray律師事務所的律師，為社區內有需要者提供免費的商業法律諮詢，

在公民權利和經濟平等律師委員會服務的Gerald Glover III表示，麻州各大律師事務所，一般會期望每名律師一年撥出五十個小時，為社區做免費法律諮詢服務。在大波士頓內，約有十二家以上的大律師事務所和該會合作，以前曾和國泰銀行合作過小企業創辦工作坊，一對一諮詢則是第一次在華埠社區辦理。

十九日晚到華埠為求助者適宜解惑的三名律師，J. R. Ames，Roy Grant，Bryan MacDonald，都來自Ropes & Gray律師事務所。

他們透露，當晚出席的十人，有四男六女，年齡從廿幾到五十幾歲都有，提的問題大都是和合約，版權，企業實體（entity）種類選擇等有關。其中一人想做以網路為基礎的生意，一人是做個人投資方面的生意。

當晚排在最後做一對一諮詢的女士，來自中國河南，已移民美國十四年多，住在尚莫維爾市。她很幸運。輪到她時，其他人都已離開，結果三名律師給她一個人做諮詢。

諮詢結束後，她非常滿意，指出有不少一般性的法律問題，自己查書，查網路，問人，總有似是而非的疑惑，還常得到錯誤資訊，現在面對面的問律師，真是一下子就清楚了。不過，有些比較屬於特定行業的問題，在場的律師卻不見得能回答。她建議華美福利會下次可要參加諮詢服務者，事前提交問題，請律師們事前做準備，他們就獲益更大了。

華美福利會表示，該會將就這首次辦理的一對一諮詢服務做一檢討，再和公民權利和經濟平等律師委員會商量，下次什麼時候再辦，估計將來一季辦一次。

查詢可洽華美福利會，617-426-9492 分機 205，或以電郵scarlettwu@aaca-boston.org 和Scarlett聯絡。

圖片說明：

            左起，公民權利和經濟平等律師委員會服務的Gerald Glover III，華美福利會董事長陳美霞和三名律師，Bryan MacDonald，Roy Grant，J. R. Ames在諮詢服務結束後合影。（菊子攝）

President’s Immigration Announcement a Welcome but Incomplete Step

President’s Immigration Announcement a Welcome but Incomplete Step 

WASHINGTON—Kathy Ko Chin, president and CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) issued the following statement following the announcement by President Obama that he will implement targeted immigration relief, protecting an estimated 5 million people from deportation.

“The President’s announcement is a much needed and welcomed step. Providing deportation relief is within his legal authority and is the fair and humane thing to do for millions of our immigrant community members who have been living in the U.S. and supporting our economy for decades. At the same time, we are in this positon because Congress has failed to act on comprehensive reform.

While administrative relief will undoubtedly change the lives of those impacted for the better, the President can, and must, do more. We are disappointed that, as millions of Americans shop for and enroll in the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) coverage options, some immigrants who legally live, work and pay taxes in this country are locked out of the Marketplace. When the administration granted young people relief under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, it later removed their ability to access affordable coverage. Secretary Burwell has noted this must be fixed and that we need an immigration system that includes access to health care. Yet the administration’s policy does the opposite and undermines the historic achievement of the ACA. This is a glaring inequity that President Obama should remedy today.” 

###

The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Learn more at http://www.apiahf.org/.

STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S EXECUTIVE ACTION ON IMMIGRATION

STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S EXECUTIVE ACTION ON IMMIGRATION

BOSTON – Thursday, November 20, 2014– Governor Deval Patrick today released the following statement on President Obama’s Executive Action on immigration: 

"I am grateful for the President's leadership.  By calling for action on comprehensive reform legislation, he has not ignored the Congress's authority, and by using his executive authority as he has, he has not ignored his own.”

"America's enduring strength is her appeal to the hunger in the human heart for freedom, equality, opportunity, and fair play. That has brought aspirants to our shores for centuries,  to renew and replenish our culture and our economy.  We need to fix the rules that govern how they come and deal with the reality that, in the land of the free, some of our neighbors, friends and coworkers live in the shadows."

Statement from ASIAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND

ASIAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND

 

Tonight, President Obama announced his plan to provide administrative relief to certain groups of undocumented immigrants living in the United States. The following is a statement by Margaret Fung, executive director of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund:

 

"We welcome President Obama's use of executive authority to provide relief from deportation to millions of undocumented immigrants and their families. The Asian American population nationwide is 19 million, and close to 1.5 million Asian immigrants are undocumented. Current deportation and detention policies have separated Asian American families, harmed low-wage workers, and created fear and mistrust of local law enforcement. With the continued failure of Congress to enact comprehensive legislation, President Obama's action to delay the deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants is long overdue. 

 

In our exit poll of 4,100 Asian American voters in the 2014 midterm elections, 65% expressed their support for executive action on immigration. The measures announced tonight are an important step in the right direction, in order to ensure that the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws adheres to human rights principles and reflects American values of fairness and family unity.

 

The omission of large numbers of undocumented immigrants with strong ties to the U.S., such as the parents of immigrants who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), is disappointing. AALDEF will continue to support organizing and advocacy efforts that seek long-term solutions to our unworkable immigration policies. Such actions will pave the way for Asian immigrants and their families to gain a pathway to citizenship, contribute more fully to their communities and to our country as a whole, and protect the rights of all Americans, both native-born and immigrants."

 

President Obama Is Taking Steps to Fix Our Broken

Thursday, November 20th, 2014

Infographic: President Obama Is Taking Steps to Fix Our Broken Immigration System

Here's how President Obama is using his executive authority to increase accountability and fix our broken immigration system. Learn more at WhiteHouse.gov/Immigration-Action.

SHARE ON FACEBOOKSHARE ON TWITTER

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Immigration Administrative Action Matters to Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities and All Communities

Immigration Administrative Action Matters to Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities and All Communities

WASHINGTON— President Obama will address the nation Thursday night to announce administrative action on immigration to keep families together. It’s good news and it’s the right step for our nation as the fight forward continues for a lasting immigration solution. It is a win for millions of families, mothers and fathers, children, hard-working people and students who will be able to walk a new path into the light of our democracy and economy.

SEIU Local 521 Chief Elected Officer Luisa Blue is available for interviews about the president’s decision in the context of Asian American and Pacific Islander families and all working families. To arrange an interview with Long, call or email Beau Boughamer (202/765-9143, beau.boughamer@seiu.org).

Prior to becoming the CEO of SEIU 521, Blue was the first President of SEIU Local 121 RN in Southern California. Blue was also the Organizing Director for SEIU Local 790, a large public sector union in Northern California.  At SEIU Local 790, Blue organized over 10,000 workers in five years.  She was responsible for the successful organizing campaign of airport screeners – predominantly Asian immigrants – at the San Francisco airport.

She began her trade union work in 1977 when she was a member of SEIU Local 400 in San Francisco.  She was a registered nurse at San Francisco General Hospital and started her union activity as a shop steward for the Registered Nurse Chapter.

In August 2001, Blue became the first woman and the first Filipina to be elected National President for the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance. She was re-elected in 2003.