趙美心為暫緩遣返兒童法辯護

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Asian American and Pacific Islander community leaders held a press conference outside of the White House to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that President Trump has threatened to eliminate. Since its creation in 2012, the DACA program has granted nearly 800,000 young people with the ability to pursue jobs and achieve higher education without fear of deportation. As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Rep. Chu released the following statement to support DACA:

“As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I want to thank the coalition of DREAMers, faith leaders, and community leaders who have been standing outside of the White House – day and night, night and day – to defend DACA. I am here to support you and to join you in telling President Trump that our DREAMers are here to stay!

“Over the past five years, the DACA program has enabled nearly 800,000 young people who were brought to the United States as children to come out of the shadows. This includes many Asians and Pacific Islanders who have been able to go to school, attain work permits, and pursue their dreams. All of our DACA recipients have passed rigorous background checks to participate in the program. And they are American in every sense of the word except on paper.

“Unfortunately, President Trump has threatened to end the DACA program as we know it. But we will fight back. I want our DREAMers to know that there are members of Congress who support you and who will continue to fight to protect DACA and to fix our broken immigration system.

“We will not allow our immigrant communities to be trampled upon. I want our DACA recipients and our TPS recipients to know that we support you. Together, we will fight to protect our immigrant communities and ensure that America continues to remain the land of opportunity for all!”

波士頓海港今晚8點放煙火

To quote the muse, Katy Perry: "Boom. Boom. Booooom!... Even Brighter Than the Moon. Moon Mooooon!!" 

If you're anywhere near Boston Harbor at 8:15pm tonight, please look at the Boston Harbor skyline... Tune into Magic 106.7FM (... where I'll be SHOCKED if they don't play Katy Perry's anthem to "decorative explosives"!)... And enjoy a wonderful conclusion to summer, thanks to the amazing folks at "Boston Harbor Now". 

Tonight... Boston Harbor Now presents its Fifth Annual "Illuminate The Harbor Fireworks Celebration".

I'm excited to have, once again, had the opportunity to work with Boston Harbor Now to play a small roll in putting this together... And we should all be extremely grateful to them for providing this fantastic show to our communities, for a fifth consecutive year.

Please visit Boston Harbor Now's website for more information on the many, many programs they provide for all our communities: http://www.boston harbornow.org/

~ Here are the details for tonight's show ~

Boston Harbor Now in partnership with the Office of Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the City of Boston is proud to announce the return of our "Illuminate the Harbor" Labor Day Weekend fireworks over Boston Harbor for the 5th year in a row.

– What is ‘Illuminate’: Boston Harbor Now’s 5th Annual Illuminate the Harbor Fireworks Celebration from two barges in Boston Harbor located between the Seaport and North End!
– When are the fireworks: 8:15 PM on Thursday, August 31, 2017.
– Where to Watch: Suggested public viewing locations along the Boston HarborWalk include

• Christopher Columbus Park, North End
• Piers Park, East Boston
• Fan Pier, Seaport District

– Where to Listen: The Soundtrack of the Fireworks will be broadcasted LIVE on MAGIC 106.7the evening of the show beginning at 8:15. Be sure to tune in for the full effect

- For additional information on Illuminate the Harbor, please visit: http://www.bostonharbor now.org/fireworks/

BOSTON CULTURAL COUNCIL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2018 GRANT FUNDING CYCLE

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES BOSTON CULTURAL COUNCIL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2018 GRANT FUNDING CYCLE Applications open on September 1, and will be accepted through October 16

BOSTON - Thursday, August 31, 2017 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced that beginning September 1, the Boston Cultural Council (BCC) will accept applications for the 2018 organizational grant funding cycle. More than $400,000 in funding will be awarded to organizations and projects in Boston that enhance the quality of life, the economy, and the design of the City of Boston and that address the goals of the Boston Creates Cultural Plan. "Boston Cultural Council organizational grants help smaller arts organizations continue the great work they are doing - or larger organizations bring programs to the city," said Mayor Walsh. "These grants support a wide variety of artistic projects and activities in Boston, including exhibits, festivals, short-term artist residencies or performances in schools, workshops, and lectures. The grants help ensure that arts are accessible to every resident in Boston." Grants will be made in two categories: Under $1 million annual budget: Organizations with a budget of under $1 million with projects located in the City of Boston may apply for general operating support. Over $1 million annual budget: Organizations that offer programs in the City of Boston with budgets over $1 million may apply for programmatic support. Under the umbrella of the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, the BCC helps to ensure grantmaking responds to the needs of the cultural community. The BCC annually distributes funds allocated by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, and the City of Boston to support innovative arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences programming that enhances the quality of life in Boston. Successful applications will be specific about how they help grow access to the arts in areas not already well served by cultural opportunities, foster access to the arts for populations who don't typically have ready access to the arts, elevate the work of Boston's creatives, inspire the creation of new works, and support the achievement and provision of excellent, high quality arts and culture in the City of Boston.  Applications can be found here on September 1, and will be accepted through October 16, 2017, for grants in the following categories: Music, Film and Video, Traditional and Folk Arts, Visual Arts, Theatre, Dance, Humanities, Literary Arts, and Multi-discipline. All applications will be reviewed by members of the BCC and the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, and grant awards will be announced in January 2018.  Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded. Grant guidelines and application information are available here. Grant information workshops will be held in three locations: On September 14, 2017, at the Codman Square Branch of the Boston Public Library from 6-8 p.m.; on September 23, 2017, at the Commonwealth Salon at the Central Branch of the Boston Public Library from 10 a.m.-noon, and on October 4, 2017, at the Connolly Branch of the Boston Public Library from noon -2 p.m. The BCC comprises Boston residents appointed by Mayor Walsh to serve for up to six years each. The BCC annually reviews applications during a series of fall meetings conducted to evaluate the overall quality of proposed programming and its potential benefit to diverse audiences in neighborhoods throughout Boston. For additional information on the Boston Cultural Council, please visit here.

Bunker Hill Community College Hosts International Exchange Students Through U.S. Department of State’s Community College Initiative Program

Bunker Hill Community College Hosts International Exchange Students Through

U.S. Department of State’s Community College Initiative Program

BOSTON, August 31, 2017—Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is pleased to be one of ten campuses across eight states to welcome international exchange participants to campus for the 2017-2018 academic year as part of the Community College Initiative (CCI) Program. The students will study Early Childhood Education, Fire and Safety and Entrepreneurship.

Administered by Northern Virginia Community College on behalf of the Community College Consortium, the U.S. Department of State’s CCI Program is designed to build participants’ technical skills, enhance leadership capabilities and strengthen English language proficiency.

Each student participates in a one-year non-degree academic program in workforce development fields at a U.S. community college with opportunities to participate in professional internships, service learning and community engagement activities to forge relationships with citizens of the United States and other countries.

Participants return home with a deeper understanding of U.S. culture and with improved technical and vocational skills to contribute to the economic development of their home communities. In 2016-2017, CCI participants contributed nearly $1.3 million in service to local communities, while helping to internationalize community colleges in the United States (IndependentSector.org).

Now in its tenth year, the CCI Program has hosted more than 2,800 participants from 21 countries. This year’s participants are from Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, South Africa and Turkey. Participants are recruited from underserved and underrepresented communities, particularly women.

TREASURER GOLDBERG APPOINTS STEVEN HOFFMAN TO THE CANNABIS CONTROL COMMISSION

TREASURER GOLDBERG APPOINTS STEVEN HOFFMAN TO THE CANNABIS CONTROL COMMISSIONFormer Business Executive to Serve as Chair of the Commission

BOSTON – Today, Treasurer Deb Goldberg appointed Steven Hoffman to the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC). Hoffman will serve as Chair of the Commission. Per statute, the Treasurer’s appointment must have experience in corporate management, finance, or securities and will serve a term of 5 years.

“I am pleased to appoint Steven Hoffman as Chair of the Cannabis Control Commission,” said Treasurer Deb Goldberg. “Steven brings a wealth of invaluable experience from a long and distinguished career in business development, corporate strategy and senior management. I am confident that he will serve the Commonwealth well and steer this brand-new industry in the right direction.”

“I am honored to be appointed Chair of the Cannabis Control Commission by Treasurer Goldberg,” said Steven Hoffman. “I hope to guide this Commission thoughtfully and responsibly as we implement the legalization of recreational marijuana in Massachusetts. We have a lot to do, I am excited to get to work.”

Mr. Hoffman served as CEO at ThinkFire and Exchange Solutions. He was the Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at Sapient and Mr. Hoffman led the Chicago office and the Global Strategy Practice as a Senior Vice President at CSC Index. He was a partner at Bain and Company, where he ran the firm’s 600-person Boston Office. He holds a BA in Economics from Wesleyan University and an MBA in Finance and Statistics from the University of Chicago.

The 5 member Cannabis Control Commission in an independent agency, with appointees from the Treasurer, Governor, and the Attorney General, that was established by Chapter 55 of the Acts of 2017 which was signed by the Governor in July. Their role is to establish, regulate, and oversee the Commonwealth’s new recreational marijuana industry passed by voters in November of 2016.

BOSTON SAVES RECEIVES $35,000 NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES FINANCIAL INCLUSION GRANT

BOSTON SAVES RECEIVES $35,000 NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES FINANCIAL INCLUSION GRANT

BOSTON - Thursday, August 31, 2017 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced that the National League of Cities has awarded a $35,000 grant to support the growth of Boston Saves - the City of Boston's children's savings account program - as it enters the second year of its three-year pilot. The grant will fund Boston Saves' parent engagement and community partnership efforts, including financial education and wealth-building initiatives for Boston families through the Mayor's Office of Financial Empowerment. Mayor Walsh launched Boston Saves last fall to help families of Boston Public Schools (BPS) kindergartners save money for their children's college or post-secondary career training. "We are grateful to the National League of Cities for recognizing the value of Boston Saves in expanding financial opportunity for our young people and families," said Mayor Walsh. "Boston Saves provides families in need with concrete tools to save for their children's post-secondary future." Boston Saves includes $50 in seed money for each kindergartner's account, financial incentives for saving, an online platform for tracking account growth, and family events and classroom activities that promote saving as a fun, community-wide effort. "Boston Saves is an exciting opportunity for families to support their children in pursuing post-secondary education," said Timothy Flacke, Executive Director at Commonwealth, a mission driven organization that partnered with the City of Boston to design the children savings account program. "The continued growth and expansion of Boston Saves will allow even more families to build a solid foundation for education savings, a critical first step to financial opportunity." "We are grateful for the Boston Saves program, which teaches students and families about the importance of financial literacy in a fun and engaging way," said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Tommy Chang. "We know that when learning is fun, it resonates with students for years to come." The National League of Cities grant will fund: Training of Boston Saves parent ambassadors who can facilitate program participation by teaching fellow parents about the program in their native language and in culturally competent ways. Coordination among Boston Saves stakeholders including financial institutions, colleges and citizen-engagement organizations to strengthen the program's community roots. Promotion of valuable financial initiatives from the Mayor's Office of Financial Empowerment - such as credit-building help, financial coaching, and free tax preparation - among Boston Saves partners. The National League of Cities awarded the grant as part of its Financial Inclusion Systems and City Leadership (FISCL) project. Boston was one of eight cities selected to participate in the two-year project, which is designed to help cities improve residents' financial health and stability. The Boston Saves pilot began with five participating schools and will grow to 11 this fall. The program will begin expansion to all of Boston's district and charter schools by Fall 2019.

MAYOR WALSH LAUNCHES #MEETBOSTON CHALLENGE TO WELCOME

MAYOR WALSH LAUNCHES #MEETBOSTON CHALLENGE TO WELCOME

BOSTON - Thursday, August 31, 2017 -  Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the City of Boston's inaugural  #MeetBoston challenge, a new initiative to encourage incoming college students to venture beyond campus and discover the unique and exciting offerings throughout the City's neighborhoods and Main Street districts. As part of the City of Boston's welcome information package for new and returning students, the #MeetBoston challenge serves as an introductory guide to Boston's biggest tourist destinations, as well as the Boston Main Streets and hidden neighborhood gems. "As we welcome incoming first year and returning students back to college campuses throughout the City of Boston, we are happy to provide all the tools needed to discover what this City has to offer," said Mayor Walsh. "Boston is home to many popular and historic attractions and has a bustling downtown retail and restaurant ecosystem, but our Main Street districts and neighborhoods also offer vibrant and unique options. I encourage all students to explore this list and find out why residents are so proud to call Boston home." Mayor Walsh's #MeetBoston challenge will run through September 30, 2017, and  is designed to help students creatively navigate and enjoy Boston's neighborhoods on any budget. Through a curated list of iconic Boston landmarks and activities, participants are able to walk, bike, or take public transportation to every activity on the task list and can customize which parks, museums, neighborhoods, and business district they visit based on personal interest. Flexibility is built into the challenge and allows for all interested participants to choose how to mark their ten accomplishments on social media.    To participate in Mayor Walsh's  #MeetBoston challenge on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, visit www.boston.gov/meet-boston to access the list of tasks and complete the submission form. Please include all photos or video taken when completing each task. Once the challenge is complete, participants will receive a personalized certificate to recognize their accomplishment. Use the hashtag #MeetBoston while posting photos on social media and be entered into a contest to meet Mayor Walsh at City Hall. In order to help students and businesses participate, draft tweets and graphics to share on social media are also included on the website for download.

昆士市長邀市民加入濟助哈維風災難民行動

Mayor Koch Launches Harvey Fundraiser

QUINCY - Mayor Thomas Koch today announced a special community fund-raiser to assist Hurricane Harvey victims from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, September 7, at Zef Cicchetti restaurant in Quincy Center, and he launched the effort with a $50,000 contribution from the annual Mayor's Cup Charity Golf Tournament.

All are welcome at "Quincy For Houston," which will support the relief fund created by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) public charity. Checks should be made payable to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, and all collections will be sent in one package as a gesture from the people of Quincy.

There will be entertainment and food courtesy of Zef owner Leo Keka, and event-goers are welcome to stay to watch the Patriots game later that night.

"I've been incredibly heartened by the number of people in Quincy who've approached me asking to do something, anything to help. We just thought an informal event like this where we can come together and show our support as a community would be a nice way to harness that energy," said Mayor Koch. "These families suffering right now may be pretty far away, but they are very much our neighbors. They need our help now, and they are going to need it for some time to come."

The City decided to collect monetary donations on the advice of several relief organizations, which say that financial resources are - and will be - the most pressing need for the agencies that charged with assisting in the monumental relief and recovery effort in Texas.

Anyone who wishes to donate, but cannot attend the event can go to www.ghcf.orgto contribute online. The Mayor also suggested that residents look to well-known and established relief agencies such as the Salvation Army at www.salvationarmyusa.org

Our neighbors in Texas need our help. Join us for a special community fundraiser next Thursday, Sept. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Zef Cicchetti in Quincy Center. Checks can be made payable to Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, and we'll be sending all donations in one package as a gesture from the people of Quincy.