Baker-Polito Administration Releases Massachusetts Proposal for Amazon HQ2

Baker-Polito Administration Releases Massachusetts Proposal for Amazon HQ2

BOSTON – Touting the Commonwealth’s global innovation economy, world-class workforce and leading higher educational institutions, the Baker-Polito Administration today released Massachusetts’ statewide submission and proposal for hosting Amazon’s second North American headquarters, or Amazon HQ2.

The proposal, developed in consultation with Beacon Hill leadership, legislators, municipal officials and other key stakeholders in the Commonwealth’s business and academic communities, notes Massachusetts’ global connections, diverse geographic communities and regional strengths, with potential campus sites ranging from Boston and Worcester, to Quincy, Pittsfield, Lawrence and New Bedford.

The full proposal can be reviewed here.

“Massachusetts is a leading innovator and global community, with the nation’s top educational and research and development institutions and a talented workforce second to none,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Throughout this collaborative and bipartisan process, we have been committed to putting the Commonwealth’s best foot forward, and would welcome Amazon joining thousands of other public and private entities who are leveraging Massachusetts’ assets for our mutual growth and development.”

“From Worcester to Boston and across the Commonwealth, Massachusetts is a leading contender to welcome and host Amazon’s second North American headquarters, and the thousands of new individuals it will employ,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Our strong cities and towns, great schools and STEM-educated workforce are among the best Amazon will find as it looks to expand its footprint.”

“As this bid clearly illustrates, Massachusetts has the history, talent, institutions, and locations available to be a leading contender for Amazon to build their second headquarters here.  Amazon will benefit from our best in the nation education system, world class institutions, and innovative economy to continue to grow their business while contributing to the fabric of our state,” said Senate President Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst).  “Based on our track record of innovation and experience in creating new ideas, I am hopeful that the Massachusetts bid will be among the finalists.” 

"With a highly educated, technology-friendly population, Massachusetts provides a talent pipeline that no other state can match,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “The House has built on this foundation with inventive programs like the Intern Partnership, MassCAN and STEM Starter Academy to prepare the innovators of tomorrow. We’ve paired this work with a legacy of fiscal responsibility and bipartisanship. This balance has resulted in a vibrant economy and a stable environment for business. I’m elated about the prospect of Amazon locating HQ2 in Massachusetts and am confident about our prospects."

Amazon already maintains a significant footprint in the Commonwealth, employing thousands at a number of locations, including Amazon Robotics in North Reading, fulfillment centers in Fall River and Stoughton, a research-and-development office in Cambridge, and a soon-to-be-opened office in Fort Point, Boston. The proposal outlines a broad array of financial programs already available in the Commonwealth to facilitate and spur private sector partnerships, investment and growth in Massachusetts’ communities.

“Amazon represents a transformative opportunity for Massachusetts – whether it chooses to locate in Boston, Worcester, Lawrence, New Bedford, Pittsfield, or somewhere in between,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “Our proposal is a great story about a great state and I look forward to working with Amazon to find the right site for HQ2 here in the Commonwealth."

Amazon announced the RFP process for their new North American headquarters last month, expecting over $5 billion in construction  and as many as 50,000 new employees, in addition to tens of thousands of additional jobs and tens of billions of dollars in other local investments. Massachusetts’ proposal was submitted on Thursday, October 19^th.

Council President Michelle Wu Releases Policy Agenda

Council President Michelle Wu Releases Policy Agenda

BOSTON -- Today Boston City Council President Michelle Wu released her comprehensive policy agenda for tackling income inequality, racial disparities, and climate change in the City of Boston. The agenda lays out a vision for Boston to be an affordable and welcoming home for families of all backgrounds, and a leading city in a time of uncertainty.

“This policy agenda is intended to be a living document that prioritizes my work and invites continued accountability and community partnership,” Councilor Wu said. “We are at a crossroads in our city and around the country, as inequality and climate change grow more visible and more destructive. Boston has always been a shining beacon of hope in the fights for equality and opportunity, so we are called on to lead now more than ever. There’s no time to waste in taking local action to bring about the big changes we need,” she added.

The policy recommendations are grouped around six central concepts: the need to achieve affordability and shared prosperity, create livable streets, plan for inclusive and sustainable development, empower residents to be civically engaged, foster safe and healthy communities, and ensure high quality education for all students. Ideas range from immediately actionable proposals to policy innovations from other cities that Boston should explore.

Wu thanked community leaders and advocates for helping shape the vision and details of the policy agenda. “Across the city, there has been an outpouring of energy to get involved and make a difference. I’ve been lucky to receive ideas and guidance from residents representing various neighborhoods, professions, and walks of life that ultimately resulted in this agenda. Now let’s get it done.”

Read the full policy agenda at www.michelleforboston.com/agenda

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF FINLAND BUILDING MURAL IN SOUTH END

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF FINLAND BUILDING MURAL IN SOUTH END

Mural on Finland Building in South End. Photo courtesy of Timothy McCool.

BOSTON - Tuesday, October 17, 2017 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh, the Mayor's Office of Recovery Services, the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) and Boston University today announced the completion of a mural on the Finland Building at 774 Albany Street in Boston. "The Finland Building mural is an excellent depiction of the strength and resilience of the surrounding community," said Mayor Walsh. "I hope this will serve as a reminder to those struggling with addiction that each day brings new opportunities and that the City of Boston is here to support them every step of the way." The mural, which primarily consists of bright blue, orange and purple, is a depiction of several city rooftops and a sunrise, with a painting of that same scene on one of the rooftops. According to artist Timothy McCool, the easel and paintbrushes are evidence of someone being inspired by the sunrise and wanting to capture it on a canvas. "I chose the design and colors of my mural to be bright and hopeful," said artist Timothy McCool. "Making art is a way to describe the indescribable and to express feelings that are hard to express with just words. So it's my hope that it can brighten their day even just a little bit by providing some sunshine in their life." McCool is a South End resident who has made several contributions to Boston's public art landscape. Last October, he assisted in the creation of the Spaces of Hope mural, which can be seen from the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway. The mural was one of several initiatives championed by the City during September, which marked Recovery Month, a national effort that aims to combat the social stigma around addictions, celebrate recovery and promote awareness of recovery services. The Finland building houses several recovery service programs operated by the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) that offer detox and other treatment programs, as well as harm reduction services. This artwork serves as a form of encouragement and support for those taking advantages of the services offered inside the building. Boston University partnered with the City of Boston and the Boston Public Health Commission last year to improve the neighborhoods around the Melnea Cass Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue intersection, which is home to their medical school's campus. The City of Boston released a call for artists in April 2017, as part of a broader effort to improve the neighborhood around the intersection of Melnea Cass Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue. In the span of only a few square miles, there are several opioid treatment clinics, two of the largest emergency shelters in the region, a detox facility, a long-term residential treatment program, a resource and referral center that places scores of individuals in treatment every day, a peer recovery center, the biggest harm reduction site in New England, and a world-class health-care organization whose mission it is to serve Boston's most vulnerable residents. The mural is one of several ongoing efforts to beautify this part of the City where people in recovery go to receive services. Since last year, four outreach workers have been walking main roads and side streets in the area seven days a week, engaging with individuals and helping them access the services they might need. Most recently, the Mayor increased resources for the Mobile Sharps Team, doubling the number of workers available to locate used syringes and properly dispose of them. "This is one of our many efforts to pair recovery with art, which is a critical form of catharsis for so many recovering from addiction," said Jen Tracey, Director of the Mayor's Office of Recovery Services. "By using the City's infrastructure and buildings as a canvas, we hope to raise awareness, combat stigma, and promote the collective resilience of individuals in recovery." "At the Boston Public Health Commission, we are proud to serve all Boston residents," said BPHC Executive Director Monica Valdes Lupi, JD, MPH. "This building is the entry point into recovery for so many, and we want this physical entrance to reflect the welcoming nature of our staff and programs." The mural is also an embodiment of Boston Creates, the city's ten year cultural plan for improving and expanding the arts and culture industry in Boston. "A key vision of the Boston Creates Cultural Plan is to create a City that uses art as a means to foster creative thinking and solve problems," said Julie Burros, Chief of the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture. "It's great to see this mural play a role in the conversation about tackling the issue of addiction in Boston." McCool worked on the mural for 10 days, and it took 71 hours to complete. Approximately 10.5 gallons of paint were used during the project

BCNC包氏藝文中心歡迎首名駐地藝術家劉茂珍

BCNC Pao Arts Center 
Announces Inaugural Artist-In-Resident, Shaw Pong Liu 刘茂珍

Boston, MA – The Pao Arts Center is proud to announce the selection of its inaugural artist-in-resident, violinist and composer, Shaw Pong Liu.

Known for engaging diverse communities through multidisciplinary collaborations, creative music and social dialogue, Liu will be at the Pao Arts Center from October 2017-July 2018 with her project Sing Home.

The project, Sing Home, will collect and share songs from the homes of the people of Boston's Chinatown - residents, workers, visitors - and create new musical compositions, as a way to start conversations about immigration, neighborhood and cultural and civic identity. Through her project, Liu explores how understanding the musical history of the people in one neighborhood contributes to a wider conversation on immigration.

"I'm thrilled and honored to collaborate with the Pao Arts Center and deepen my understanding of Boston's Chinatown in this exciting new residency venture,” shares Liu. The Sing Home project has been brewing in my mind for a couple of years and I'm excited to have a partner and home in Chinatown to develop this inquiry into people's musical and cultural lineages and music, as a pathway for social dialogue, all the while connecting with my own Chinese heritage (which can sometimes get lost in Boston)."

Liu’s background and experience will fulfill the residency and Pao Arts Center’s vision of using the arts, culture and education to connect across generations to build stronger families and neighborhoods. Liu was selected by a jury comprised of artists and community leaders working directly with the Chinatown community and the selection is based upon artistic excellence and commitment to community involvement using a creative dialogue process.

Funded by a national funder, ArtPlace America, Liu will receive a $22,000 stipend for the year, as part of her residency, as well as programmatic support and space at the Pao Arts Center to carry out her project.  For Liu, the opportunity to participate in the residency not only provides creative and artists support, but also an opportunity to explore her own identity.  

About Shaw Pong Liu:

As 2016 City of Boston Artist-in-Residence, Liu started the Code Listen project, using creative music workshops and performances to support healing and dialogue around gun violence, racism, and police practices, in collaboration with the Boston Police Department, teen artists and family members surviving homicide. Her compositions have been commissioned by A Far Cry, the Lorelei Ensemble and the New Gallery Concert Series. As a violinist Shaw Pong has performed with groups including: Silk Road Ensemble, MIT’s Gamelan GalakTika, Boston Modern Orchestra Project and Castle of Our Skins. She is a teaching artist for the Silk Road Project, Young Audiences, Cantata Singers and Celebrity Series.

TREASURER GOLDBERG ANNOUNCES WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOP IN WORCESTER

TREASURER GOLDBERG ANNOUNCES WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOP IN WORCESTER

BOSTON – Treasurer Goldberg has announced four more locations for the second round of the Women’s Economic Empowerment Series. The initiative, launched in collaboration with Citizens Bank, is a free program focusing on wage negotiation, money management, retirement and investment strategies for women. The workshops will be held at the Worcester YWCA on November 2nd and 9th.

“Women face unique challenges when it comes to financial security,” said Treasurer Deb Goldberg. “This Program will provide critical information that will give the women in Worcester the skills they need to be successful in today’s economy.”

For more specifics on the event details, programmatic content, and to register please visit the program’s site HERE. Worcester was chosen as part of a statewide expansion to bring economic security workshops to women across Massachusetts. The workshops, held in partnership with YWCA Central Mass, are designed to help empower Worcester women and give them the tools to secure their economic future and reach their full financial potential

On day one, Treasurer Goldberg created the Office of Economic Empowerment (OEE), led by a deputy treasurer, with the deliberate goal of implementing a range of economic empowerment initiatives that include closing the gender wage gap, increasing access to financial education, improving college affordability, and investing in STEM careers and education. For more information visit http://www.mass.gov/treasury/empowerment or follow the hashtag #EqualPayMA.

紐英崙中華公所幹部改選 第一組候選人出爐

               (Boston Orange)紐英崙中華公所宣佈下一屆幹部改選，自10月10日起至11月10日止接受提名，12月5日辦理選舉，現已收到一組提名人選。

               至孝篤親公所，溯源公所，朱沛國堂，至德三德公所，紐英崙廣東同鄉會，港澳之友社等5個姓氏公所及僑團，已遞交提名人選，分別為主席陳家驊，中文書記雷國輝，英文書記朱蘇珊，財政陳文浩，核數周樹昂。

               坊間傳聞，黃氏公所將支持黃立輝參選主席一職，但中華公所尚未收到提名表格。

               黃立輝在中華公所曾歷任財政，核數職位。在上屆主席阮鴻燦任內擔任核數，在現任主席陳家驊任內，曾擔任財政，但在第二年任期時，以其本身公務繁忙為由辭職。

紐英崙華人歷史協會今日講座談與時俱變的華人移民 (圖片)

麻省理工學院榮休教授李燦輝談波士頓華人移民歷史。(周菊子攝)

新一代移民大都是學者，專業菁英人士。從左上向右下行，貝聿銘，王安，杜維明，Ching-Shih Chen等人。

紐英崙華人歷史協會主任甄翠嬿。(周菊子攝)

This panel presentation, led by Tunney Lee with Shauna Lo and Lisong Liu, will cover the changing nature of Chinese immigration to Boston from the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 (CEA) through its full repeal in 1965 to contemporary times. With a focus on Boston and Massachusetts, this panel considers national laws and local sentiments to shed light on an immigration history that is continuing today.

Although the main driver for passage of the CEA were the conflicts on the West Coast between recently arrived European settlers and the Chinese immigrants, Boston and Massachusetts played key roles in the passage and enforcement of the law. The panelists will address Massachusetts’s politicians’ reactions to the CEA, racialized labor politics, Chinatown raids, the Immigration Station in East Boston, and legal employment for Chinese Americans. Panelists will continue the conversation on the growth of the Chinese community in Massachusetts after WWII through the War Brides Act, the Refugee Acts, and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, the influence of international students, and expansion beyond Chinatown to Brighton, Fenway, Quincy, Medford, Malden, and other suburban towns.

Tunney Lee is professor emeritus of architecture and city planning at MIT and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. His primary research focus is urban residential density, Boston’s Chinatown, and the planning history of Boston.

Lisong Liu is an associate professor of history at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. His teaching and research interests focus on Chinese emigration and nation-building, post-1965 Asian-American communities, US-China relations, and comparative and global migrations.

Shauna Lo is assistant director of the Institute for Asian American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston, where she administers the institute and assists on programs and research projects related to Asian-American communities in Massachusetts.