BOSTON JOINS INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF CLIMATE CHANGE CHAMPIONS, URGES CLIMATE ACTION

BOSTON JOINS INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF CLIMATE CHANGE CHAMPIONS, URGES CLIMATE ACTION 

Our Cities, Our Climate Exchange will Leverage International Partnerships towards Innovative Climate Change Action

BOSTON – Monday, October 5, 2015 – Boston will play host today to city sustainability directors from 19 cities around the world through an international partnership of leaders committed to addressing climate change and its dangerous impacts. As part of the Our Cities, Our Climate program, the international exchange of climate leaders will leverage the important role cities play internationally in advancing innovative climate change action.

“Cities are on the front lines when it comes to climate change and its dangerous impacts; they are the incubators of innovative solutions to this immediate problem,” said Mayor Walsh. “We are pleased to host these sustainability directors from around the world to explore and share best practices to fight climate change. Thanks are due to Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Secretary of State John Kerry for convening these discussions and making these important discussions happen.”

Boston is the second of three U.S.-cities participating in the international exchange and will host discussions today and tomorrow. Prior to visiting Boston, the sustainability directors spent three days in San Francisco for similar meetings and are traveling to Washington, D.C. later this week.

“We look forward to sharing our successes with other cities to continue to combat climate change together on a global scale,” said Austin Blackmon, Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space who will be attending events in Boston and Washington. “Collaboration is crucial to our success, especially in the lead up to global climate talks.”

Led by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the U.S. State Department, the Our Cities, Our Climate international exchange brings together mayors, city sustainability directors, and climate change champions for robust, in-depth conversations focusing on issues such as solid waste strategy, transforming energy supplies, and building efficiency.

“Boston is a city with a unique place in history, driving social change, technological innovation and economic progress throughout the history of our nation,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change. “Boston is also a city threatened by climate change and is among the global leaders in developing innovative solutions to tackle the most pressing environment and public health challenge facing the planet. I’m honored to work with Mayor Walsh on Our Cities, Our Climate – an initiative supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies – to convene climate action leaders from cities around the world to share their experiences and wisdom to accelerate action and progress in the fight against climate change.”

Amos Hostetter, founder and co-chair of Boston's Green Ribbon Commission, a group of business and civic leaders working in partnership with the City of Boston to address climate change and play host to the international exchange, said, "We are excited to welcome our counterparts from around the world to share and learn best practices in this critical work."

Named a Climate Champion city by the White House for its environmental initiatives and sustainability practices, Boston is a leader on climate action and has been named the most energy efficient city in the nation twice in a row.

As part of the international exchange, sustainability directors will tour the Charlestown’s Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital to learn more about its innovative climate change-adaptive design.

For more information about OC2 and the schedule of events in Boston, click here.

About Our Cities; Our Climate:

The Our Cities, Our Climate (OC2) partnership between Bloomberg Philanthropies and the U.S. Department of State is an international exchange program bringing together mayors from cities around the world committed to addressing climate change and preventing its harmful effects.

This exchange will allow for the leading voices in the fight against climate change to share best practices, discuss solutions, and ultimately accelerate the progress the world’s cities are making to address this global challenge.

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF EXHIBITION HONORING WOMEN POWER LIFTERS

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF EXHIBITION HONORING WOMEN POWER LIFTERS

Art displays at the Strand Theatre to highlight the strength of women power lifters

BOSTON - Monday, October 5, 2015 - The Mayor's Office of Arts & Culture together with the Mayor's Office of Women's Advancement launched 'Lift/Women Power-Lifters,' an exhibition by photographer Liane Brandon at the Strand Theatre in Upham's Corner. The exhibition will be on display throughout October 2015.  "Women are to be celebrated for all they contribute to our families, workplaces, and communities as a whole," said Mayor Walsh. "When we empower women to reach and go beyond their full potential, our society thrives in the best way possible. This artwork displays the strength that women are capable of, and I am proud to showcase it at the Strand Theatre this year." LIFT is a series of photographs celebrating four women power-lifters - women who defy physical and cultural stereotypes. They range in age from 27 to 60 and they are smart, interesting and strong. They have all won regional, national or world competitions  Lodrina is a forensic computer expert who weighs 123 pounds and can lift (an astonishing) 385 pounds.  She just placed first in national competition.  Jessica has a bachelor's degree in kinesthesiology.  Candace is a mom, the lead singer in a band, and a national titleholder.  Jane, the oldest, is a grandmother who went to Wellesley College.  She holds four world records. Brandon has created astounding images that convey the physical nature of the sport while evoking the spirit of these women. "I have always been concerned with the disconnect between public perception, media portrayal and reality - especially in the characterization of women," Brandon said. "While my still photography has covered a wide range of subjects, the lingering issue of media stereotypes and women has never been far from my mind. "The challenge for me as a documentary photographer is to create images that both convey the physical nature of the sport and evoke the spirit of these women.  While they are quite literally strong, I also see their physical strength as a metaphor for all the qualities I respect in women who have made a total commitment to any endeavor: courage, conviction, dedication, and perseverance." Liane Brandon (http://www.lianebrandon.com) is an award-winning independent filmmaker, photographer and University of Massachusetts/Amherst Professor Emerita.  Brandon has photographed wildlife, jazz musicians, artists, writers, Cape Verdean longshoremen, and production stills for the PBS television series American Experience, Nova, and American Masters.  Her photos have been published in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe and many other publications. Her groundbreaking films Anything You Want To Be and Betty Tells Her Story were among the first and most popular consciousness raising tools of the Women's Movement.  Her films have been featured on HBO, USA Cable, and TLC and presented at MoMA, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Tribeca Film Festival.

波士頓選務局徵雙語投票站工作人員

The Boston Election Department is still looking for bilingual (Chinese and Vietnamese) Poll Workers to work at various Boston precincts (voting locations) on November 3rd (Tuesday) for the upcoming Municipal Election. Some of the areas that still need bilingual Poll Workers include: the McKinley School in the South End, the Morville House in Fenway, and the precincts in Allston-Brighton (Chinese) and Dorchester (Vietnamese). 

The Poll Workers’ job responsibilities include, but are not limited, to the following: assist with preparing the voting location for opening; hang signs in accordance with legal requirements; count ballots; check in voters; maintain a record of the Election Day’s activities; check handicap access; provide language assistance; assist in removing signage; pack up election materials; and help check counts at the end of the day. 

There are stipends ranging from $135-$175 for Poll Workers. While it is encouraged that all Poll Workers be available from 6:00am to the closing of the polls (9:00pm), those workers serving as Inspectors or Interpreters may opt for a half-day shift: 6AM to 2PM or 1PM to 9PM (prorated pay rate of $9/hour). All prospective Poll Workers will be required to attend a mandatory 2-hour training session prior to the Election.  

Poll Workers must be registered voters in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; however, the guidelines for Interpreters are more flexible (i.e., voter status not required). All Poll Workers must exhibit a professional and helpful demeanor, and must be respectful and mindful of the ethnic and cultural diversity of Boston’s voters.

To download the Poll Worker application, please visit the Boston Election Department’s website: http://www.cityofboston.gov/elections/pollworkers.asp

I have also attached a copy of the application, and would greatly appreciate it if you could help forward this information to your networks. Thank you in advance for helping the Boston Election Department to ensure that there is language assistance at the polls for the voters with limited English proficiency.

Please let me know if you have any questions, or need more information. 

Best regards,

Helen 

 

Helen Y. Wong 黃曉明, Administrative Coordinator 

BCYF Quincy Community Center885 Washington Street (Chinatown); Boston, MA 02111
Office (617) 635-5129, ext. 1086
Fax (617) 635-5132
"Every Neighborhood, One Mission"
Helen.Wong@boston.gov

www.cityofboston.gov/BCYF | www.facebook.com/BCYFBoston | https://twitter.com/BCYFcenters

新英格蘭中文教師協會第四屆年會強調中文教學大中小學銜接

新英格蘭地區中文教師協會（NECLTA）10月3日在布朗大學舉行第四屆年會及中文教學國際研討會，報告王志軍，何寶璋獲選為全美中文教師協會理事，宣佈新設中小學及強化組織成員委員會，今後將加強大學與中小學間的中文教學銜接。

今年的NECLTA大會，以“語言與文化”為主題，共有北至佛蒙特州、南至北卡羅來納州的來自55所學校，150多名老師參加。其中北京師範大學教授宋繼華還以“互聯網時代的漢語教與學：一站式自助平台”工作坊的形式，介紹了用計算機技術為中文教師提供教學資源。

大會由王志軍主持，NECTLTA會長塔芙茨孔子學院院長王命全致開幕詞，布朗大學胡龍華策劃。羅德島大學、 波士頓麻州州立大學、塔夫茨大學的孔子學院參與讚助。

上午的研討主要圍繞中小學漢語教學發展，語法教學研究，閱讀教材編寫，課堂活動設計， 漢語習得領域研究及漢字教學研究等。各單元評議講者包括林遊嵐、陳彤、Emliy Huang、肖雲、李愛民、Wenyi Chu、Hsin-I Tseng等。劉毅星、汪剛柳、朱偉憶等介紹了以外語教學協會的能力考核為標準，設定目標，評估手段與課程設計的：中文“有效教學三步曲”。

第一次參加研討的波士頓大學梁綺涵表示， 普林斯頓大學丁啟璠老師用教學實例分析句構，設計情境，引導學生成段表達的方法給她很大啟發。 Holy Cross大學的羅雲教授和麻省理工大學的梁敏敏老師分別介紹了閱讀材料的理論與實際相結合。

下午的研討由何文潮，Chunsheng Yang、郭震威、董樺、黃偉嘉、王命全和王志軍等老師主持，內容包括漢語網絡教學和測試、語音教學、教案設計、教學法突破和軟件運用、文化教材編寫及教師培訓等。布朗大學汪洋老師題為“內容導向教學法”原則的高級中文教材編寫的新嘗試， 引起熱烈討論。來自北卡Ravebscroft 學校的郭震威，發表了關於中文L2教學法的一項突破。麻州大學吳瑜認為大會為與會者提供了良好的交流機會。

會議主持麻州大學安城校區王志軍指出，會中演講者有兩名中小學老師，是該會強調在探討教學理論之際，更需要分享實際經驗的安排。

NECLTA會長王命全博士表示，該會針對中小學及強化組織成員，今年新設了兩個委員會，將來會朝著提供高質量服務、增加中小學老師在理事會中代表人數、提高中小學教師參加該會的人數這條路前進。

王命全在會中還恭喜該會理事王志軍、何寶璋都被選為全美中文教師協會理事，感謝布朗大學教授胡龍華過去一年來的全力以赴參與開會策劃和執行。

今年的大會主講人，是曾拍攝“天安門”紀錄片，在喬治梅森大學視覺文化系和中國研究系做教學、研究的韓倞（Carma Hinton）教授，演講主題為“語言與文化”。

韓倞背景特殊，父母都是美國人，但她在北京出生，21歲前一直住在北京，第一語言也是中文。她笑說，人們常以ABC稱呼在美出生的中國人，她卻是CBA（Chinese born American），在中國出生的美國人。

由於一臉外國人長相，韓倞小時候常被人圍觀，她對自己的第一印象也是“外國人”。她的美國人臉孔與純正中文口音，讓她在當年的中國環境中顯得十分突兀，她形容當年覺得自己有如蝙蝠，夾在鳥類與走獸類間，有點不倫不類。

進大學後，韓倞才開始學英文，並深刻了解到多一種語言是多一種財富。

這樣的特殊生長背景，讓韓倞在教學時會特別告訴學生，細細觀察這個世界的變化，並用開放努力態度來學習別人的文化。她說，世界史的發展趨勢正在改變，以西方經濟文化為中心的想法已吃不開，重新拾起中華文化講求的「天人合一」與「勤儉」，才是對這片土地的支持與愛護。她希望人們不要一味地追求美國資本主義的高度開發與富裕。

大會結束後，與會者還前往觀看了羅德島一年一度的水上篝火盛況。

圖片說明：

新英格蘭地區中文教師協會理事，左起，何寶璋，胡龍華、Ross Claud、王命全、韓倞、李愛民、陳彤、王志軍，何文潮，董樺，郭旭等人。（張遲攝）

新英格蘭中文教師協會年會出席者合影。前左四起，胡龍華，王命全，何文潮等人。（張遲攝）

專題主講人韓倞教授。（劉羽晨攝）

經文處教育組慶教師節 30多中文老師歡聚

駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處教育組組長黃薳玉，日前邀請在新英格蘭地區各大中小學教中文的老師聚餐，慶祝中秋節，教師節。三十多人在納提克（Natick）鎮Minado餐廳歡聚一堂，交流熱絡。

            當天的聚會以新英格蘭專業中文老師協會的主流學校初高中中文老師為主，也有四名在大學任教或工作的老師出席，包括哈佛大學東亞文系中文項目資深太師（Senior Preceptor in Chinese）蕭惠媛，麻省理工學院中文項目負責人廖灝翔，布朗大學資深講師胡龍華，以及在麻州大學安赫斯特分校（Amherst）做教師發展的史美瑤。

        由教育部派到聖十字（Holy Cross）學院擔任教學助理，八月底才到波士頓的張閨婷，蔡佳恩，鄭亦婷等三人，見到前輩們，格外高興。

經文處教育組組長黃薳玉在會中感謝各教師把台灣特色帶進課堂，使學生們對台灣更感興趣，申請華語文獎學金，到台灣進修的美國學生，也越來越多。

出席老師們當天在會上的自我介紹，讓人一窺了麻州各校辦理中文項目的不同情況，以及年代遠近。

黃美珠在春田市公校已執教29年，王渝文在Needham高中也教了16年，都資歷豐富，今年剛接新英格蘭專業中文老師協會會長一職的呂圣竹，在私立品貴高中卻才只教了6年，相比之下，有如新人 。

卡萊（Carlisle）公校的黃照斌，可能是教課情況最特殊的一個。她透露該校學中文人數不多，年級很分散，全都由她負責執教，讓她從幼稚園到8 年級的經常得轉換角色，非常有挑戰性。

黃照斌還以自己的親身經驗，提醒有意推廣中文教學影響力者，要走多元化路線。她形容自己在卡萊鎮教書，有如“單打獨鬥”，10年前舉辦“中國新年慶祝會“時，大家都支持，但沒人肯做事，自從她把慶祝會主題改為多元文化新年慶祝會，卻幾乎每個人都很熱心的來幫忙。

勒星頓鎮克拉克中學的簡淑玲鼓勵各校老師洽請經文處教育組協助，組團到台灣參觀。該校去年參觀了廿多個景點，獲得許多有關台灣的寶貴實地經驗。

在舒士百利公校任教的葉金惠，卸任新英格蘭專業中文老師協會會長一職後，現為麻州外語協會（MAFLA）理事。她邀請各老師10月29日參加第48屆麻州外語協會年會，也透露美國中小學中文教師協會（CLASS）刻正邀請學生把學習中文的成功經驗寫下來，將整理後上網，供人參考。

在新罕布夏州貝德福公校執教的王明德，坦言她深知“單打獨鬥”的艱辛，，並驕傲透露，今年三月在新州舉行的世界語文周活動，她讓台灣露了臉。

在會中，布朗大學胡龍華介紹了新英格蘭地區中文教師協會(NECLTA)的年會及中文教學會議。哈佛大學蕭惠媛，邀請各校老師10月底帶學生到哈佛觀摩中文詩歌朗誦比賽。

圖片說明：

            經文處教育組組長黃薳玉（前右四）和出席教師節，中秋節慶祝會的教師們合影。（菊子攝）

            經文處教育組組長黃薳玉（右三）和哈佛大學蕭惠媛（右四），蔡英樺（右二）等人和三名初來乍到，在聖十字學院實習的老師們。（菊子攝）

            丁星黛（左）離任時，找了呂圣竹（菊子攝）﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽會後動中，他讓台灣漏﷽﷽“小萍果”﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽﷽, MAicklyess, he is interested in setting a business, （(

（右）接任品貴高中老師。她倆在節日重逢，格外歡喜。（菊子攝）

昆士市長寶座挑戰者初選後結盟

昆士市市長選舉在9月24日的初選後，原本應該是柯奇（Tom Koch）和費林（William Phelan）兩人的第三度對陣，但費林隨即和初選中落敗的另兩名市長候選人抱團，形成一比三局面。

            在昆士市長初選中，各得約18%選票的昆市不分區市議員古楚（Doug Gutro），昆市學校委員會委員馬洪妮（Anne Mahoney）日前決定支持費林，表示他們相信曾任昆士市長的費林，能夠把昆市帶回正確軌道。

            在初選中，55歲的費林得21%選票，52歲的柯奇得41%選票。

            馬洪妮坦言她並不總是同意費林，但費林總是表現得願意聆聽，接觸，她認為那是現任政府所缺乏的。

            柯奇在2007年時，打敗了費林，以54%比45%的得票率，贏得市長寶座。

            柯奇表示，他不認為選民們會在古楚，馬洪妮的在初選後決定支持費林，就會改變投票心意。

            費林的發言人，Chris Keohan 表示，古楚及馬洪妮都承諾積極為費林助選。十月一日時，他們還攜手舉辦了一場籌款會。

            昆士市今年的市長選舉競爭激烈，各候選人的籌款活動，也更加馬不停蹄。柯奇今年的籌款和花費開支，比他的三名初選對手夾起來還多一倍。

        根據柯奇向麻州競選及政治財務辦公室的申報資料，在今年一月一日至九月十五日之間，柯奇的市長選舉戶口記錄，募得39萬6,989元，花了363,963元。

柯奇的三名競爭對手，在同一時間，卻加起來才總共籌得20萬5,204元，並且花了184,569元。

在9月1日至15日間，柯奇花了79,197元，古楚花了35,884元，費林花了27,855元，馬洪妮花了25,520元。

柯奇在今年初參選連任時，他的競選戶口還有121,083元餘額，9月16日時，他手中還有154,111元。

昆市英文報章指出，今年這場市長選舉，可能會是昆士市有史以來最昂貴的一次選舉。

2007年時，柯奇和費林加起來共花了72萬3,574元。柯奇在2007年和2009年擊敗過費林兩次，然後在2011年打敗了馬洪妮。2013年他再次競選連任時，在無人競爭下同額當選。

費林加入今年的選戰時，戶口裡只有97元。從1月1日以後，他共籌得93,815元，其中包括5,050元他自己的錢。截至9月15日，他花了79,489元，手中剩下14,423元。

圖片說明：

            左起，古楚（左），馬洪妮（右）在初選後和費林（中）攜手，助他角逐昆士市長。（圖由費林競選陣營提供）