2018波士頓地區華語文能力測驗(TOCFL)開始接受報名

2018 Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) is Now Accepting Applications!

The Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Culture Office (TECO) in Boston will administer the 2018 Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) and Children Chinese Competency Certification (CCCC) on Sunday, October 28, 2018, 2:00-4:00 pm, at the Lexington Chinese School (221 Concord Ave.,Belmont, MA 02478) and on Sunday, November 4, 2018, 11:30 am-1:30 pm, at the Tzu Chi Academy Boston (9 Mudge Way, Bedford,MA 01730).

The TOCFL is intended for those that wish to measure their Chinese proficiency and is available in both traditional and simplified character versions. Since 2014, the levels of the TOCFL have been reformed in order to correspond to the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment). The new version of the TOCFL has three proficiency bands: Band A, Band B, and Band C. Each of the bands has two levels.

According to the AP Course Description, “Course work provides students with opportunities to perform Intermediate to Advanced level tasks, and students are expected to achieve proficiencies throughout, and sometimes beyond, the Intermediate range as described in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines.” Therefore, if students want to pass the AP test, they have to reach the intermediate level of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, which corresponds to level 3 of the TOCFL. The students could take the TOCFL as a practice test for AP test preparation.TOCFL is designed for non-native speakers of Chinese. Those who wish to know about their level of Chinese proficiency, or those who want to study, work or do business in Chinese speaking countries are welcome to take the test.

Examinees who pass the test will receive a Chinese Proficiency Certificate as a credential for the following:

●       Eligibility for the “Taiwan Scholarship” and “Ministry of Education Huayu Enrichment Scholarship” for government sponsored studying in Taiwan.

●       Qualification for admission to academic programs at colleges or universities in Taiwan.

●       Proof of Chinese language proficiency for individuals who wish to obtain Chinese-inclusive, bilingual employment globally.

●       Incentive for those who are interested in learning Chinese.

Registration is accepted from now to October 1, 2018. Please register at the website: https://usa.sc-top.org.tw/usa/ .  In order to complete the registration process, please print out the registration form and mail it along with the registration fee to Education Division, TECO in Boston (99 Summer Street, Suite 801, Boston, MA 02110 ) before 10/08/2018. The registration will be cancelled if the examinees fail to submit the registration fee before 10/08/2018 .

Required documents and fee are as follows.

1. Confirmation form

2. Registration fee: Check only ( payable to: Education Division, TECO in Boston)

Traditional Character: $30 USD

Simplified Character:  $40 USD

Please direct all questions to the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston at 1-617-737-2055 or  boston@mail.moe.gov.tw

 駐波士頓辦事處教育組 2018-09-17

2018美國波士頓地區華語文能力測驗(TOCFL)開始接受報名!

報名截止日期：2018年10月01日

   有鑒於全世界學習中文者日眾，為協助學習者有效了解及評估學習效果，中華民國教育部特別成立「國家華語測驗推動工作委員會」，由該會聘請華語教學及測驗專家依據嚴格標準程序專為母語非華語之人士研發「華語文能力測驗（Test of Chines as a Foreign Language，簡稱TOCFL）」及兒童華語文能力測驗 (Children Chinese Competency Certification，簡稱 CCCC)， 以提供華語文能力標準化測驗工具，考試合格者將獲中華民國教育部頒發之及格證書，依據我國相關法令規定，華語文能力測驗可以持憑申請臺灣獎學金、華語文獎學金，做為僑生海外聯招一般免試地區中文成績證明、臺灣各大學校院招收外籍學生之入學或畢業門檻，也可以做為僑外生留臺工作評點積分及職場上語言能力的證明。

   駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處教育組訂於 2018年10月28日下午兩點至四點，假麻州勒星頓中文學校  (Lexington Chinese School, 221 Concord Ave.,Belmont, MA 02478) 和 2018年11月4日上午 11:30 至下午1:30，假波士頓慈濟人文學校(Tzu Chi Academy Boston, 9 Mudge Way,Bedford,MA 01730)舉辦2018華語文能力測驗 (TOCFL)及兒童華語文能力測驗 (CCCC)。

  華語文能力測驗 (TOCFL)共分為三等六級。三等分別為入門基礎級(Band A)、進階高階級(Band B)及流利精通級(Band C)，而每一等又可再依據測驗成績細分為兩級，分別為入門級( level 1)、基礎級(level 2) 、進階級(level 3)、高階級(level 4)、流利級(level 5)和精通級(level 6)，共六級。兒童華語文能力測驗分

   三級:萌芽級、成長級和茁壯級。

華測會研發的華語文能力測驗是一個可以精準對應美國外語教學學會(American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.， 簡稱ACTFL)及歐洲語文共同參考架構（Common European Framework of Reference CEFR）的測驗，而且採用國際上大型測驗，如TOEFL等，一樣的標準設定專業技術，可以更準確地對考生的真實語文能力進行切合實際的評估。通過測驗者將獲頒華語文能力證明書，可做為申請「臺灣獎學金」與「教育部華語獎學金」等語文能力證明用途，具有就學及就業優勢。亦可以做為中文AP考試的模擬測驗。歡迎波士頓地區想瞭解自己華語文能力者踴躍報名參加!

  波士頓地區華語能力測驗報名費為40元，為推廣正體字，報考正體字版本的考生可享優惠價30元。報名日期自即日起至10月1日止。請至線上註冊報名: https://usa.sc-top.org.tw/usa/ 並列印出報名表，請於2018年10月8日前將報名表及報名費支票（支票抬頭為Education Division, TECO in Boston）郵寄至駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處教育組：99 Summer Street, Suite 801 Boston, MA 02110 U.S.A.。

 

  請務必於2018年10月8日前繳費方完成報名手續。考生可自行上華測會網站瞭解各報考等級所需字彙（網址：http://www.sc-top.org.tw），或進行線上模擬試題測試。

 如有疑問，請與我們聯絡:

 駐波士頓辦事處教育組 Education Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston

電話 TEL	+1-617-737 2055
傳真 FAX	+1-617-951 1312
電子信箱 Email	education@tecoboston.org boston@mail.moe.gov.tw
地址Address	99 Summer Street, Suite 801 Boston, MA 02110 U.S.A.

TREASURER GOLDBERG ANNOUNCES WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOP IN GLOUCESTER

TREASURER GOLDBERG ANNOUNCES WOMEN’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOP IN GLOUCESTER

BOSTON – Treasurer Goldberg has announced an additional location for the Women’s Economic Empowerment Series. The workshop, hosted by the Treasurer’s Office of Economic Empowerment (OEE), is a free program targeting issues around women’s economic disparities, including the gender wage gap, money management, retirement and investment strategies for women. The free workshop will be held at the Sawyer Free Library in Gloucester on Saturday, September 29th from 9 AM until 1:30 PM.

“Women face unique challenges when it comes to financial security,” said Treasurer Goldberg. “These programs provide critical information that gives women the skills they need to be successful in today’s economy. When we invest in women, we empower them to invest in themselves.”

“At Citizens Bank, we are committed to helping our neighbors reach their potential, and our communities thrive,” said Jerry Sargent, President of Citizens Bank Massachusetts. “Through our Citizens Helping Citizens Manage Money partnership with the Women’s Economic Empowerment Series, women are gaining the confidence and tools they need to budget, save and take charge of their personal finances.”

Women, on average, earn less than men over the course of their working lives because of the wage gap and are more likely to leave the workforce to care for family members. This series of workshops aims to bring economic security and stability to women and to give them the tools to reach their full financial potential.

The program will include financial education workshops and salary negotiation training. Lunch will be provided to participants. For more specifics on the event details, programmatic content, and to register please visit the program’s site by visiting GloucesterWEES.Eventbrite.com. The Women’s Economic Empowerment Series is made possible by a grant from Citizens Bank.

On day one, Treasurer Goldberg created OEE to implement a range of economic empowerment initiatives including closing the gender wage gap, increasing access to financial education, improving college affordability, and investing in STEM careers and education. For more information visithttp://www.mass.gov/treasury/empowerment or follow @EmpowermentMA on Twitter.

麻州亞美局 9/22 舉辦第七屆青年領袖研討會

MNN Opposes Plan to Tax Massachusetts Colleges and Universities

MNN Opposes Plan to Tax Massachusetts Colleges and Universities: "It's Bad for Massachusetts"

BOSTON, MA - Today the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) declared its opposition to a proposal to levy a tax on the endowments of colleges and universities in Massachusetts.

“It’s a bad idea--for Massachusetts, and for everyone served by nonprofits in Massachusetts,” said Jim Klocke, CEO of MNN.

Nonprofits are a critical economic engine for Massachusetts, providing 550,000 jobs and employing over 17% of the state’s workforce. The state’s more than 33,000 nonprofits are cornerstones of Massachusetts communities. The nonprofit sector enriches neighborhoods and provides vital services to the state’s most vulnerable residents.

From scholarships to local students, to free and subsidized health care, to a wide array of environmental, artistic, historic, and cultural programs, Massachusetts nonprofits make immense contributions that benefit residents and government alike. In addition to delivering vital services, they provide hundreds of millions of dollars of community benefits each year.

In addition to their economic contributions to the Commonwealth, nonprofits are mission driven organizations. They contribute to the public good, provide services that government would have to provide absent the nonprofit, and re-invest any revenue surplus back into their budgets to further their mission. As such, nonprofits are treated differently under federal and state laws, including receiving tax-exempt status.

Nonprofits are already bracing for the negative impact of the recently passed federal tax reform legislation. According to a 2017 MNN report, the doubling of the standard deduction will make it more expensive for middle-income donors to give to nonprofits, and could potentially result in a decline in giving in Massachusetts by as much as $513 million beginning next year.

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDING ROUND

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDING ROUND

Includes first large scale CPA awards and $16 million in other funding that support the City's housing goals BOSTON -  Wednesday, September 19, 2018 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced that the City of Boston has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for affordable housing projects seeking City of Boston financial support. This affordable housing funding round will include over $16 million in city affordable housing funds, and in addition, will include the first large scale awards of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding for affordable housing development projects. While the exact amount of CPA funding for housing will be determined by the Community Preservation Committee (CPC), total awards from all sources in this funding round will likely exceed $25 million, making it one of the largest affordable housing funding rounds in City of Boston history. "Addressing rising housing costs is critical for preserving the diversity and character that makes Boston a place where all residents can thrive," said Mayor Walsh. "Voters in Boston made their support for affordable housing creation clear when they passed the Community Preservation Act in 2016. My administration has put affordability at the top of our agenda, establishing a comprehensive plan, and committing more than $115 million to housing. With these new funds in this funding round, we will further accelerate our work to lift up every neighborhood and provide all residents and their families with accessible and affordable housing options." Based on the goals outlined in Mayor Walsh's housing strategy Housing A Changing City: Boston 2030 and the Imagine Boston 2030 Planning Process, the City of Boston has established priority criteria which proposals must meet, including: Affordable housing developments targeting a mix of incomes: from units for homeless households to units targeted and restricted to incomes representative of Boston's workforce; Affordable housing developments that serve the disabled community, vulnerable or special needs populations, older Bostonians, veterans, artists, and/or aging out youth; Acquisition of unrestricted housing developments in order to stabilize residents' tenancies, and provide long term affordability for a mix of incomes; or Affordable housing developments that utilize City-owned land; Affordable housing developments that have reduced the cost to build and use public funding most efficiently; Developments that are at risk of losing their affordability within five years. Projects creating new affordable units in high-cost neighborhoods where most of the IDP and NHT funds are generated. Funds will be awarded from three sources: the first, of approximately $8 million, consists of funds administered by the Department of Neighborhood Development, including funds from the Federal HOME Investment Partnerships and Community Development Block Grant programs, the City's Housing Boston 2030 Fund, and the Inclusionary Development Policy Fund. Up to $3 million of this funding is earmarked to support housing that serves households 55 years or older. The second source utilizes funds from the Neighborhood Housing Trust (NHT). NHT disburses funds collected through the City's Linkage policy, which extracts affordable housing funds from developers of large commercial projects. The third source is CPA funds, which are collected through the one percent property tax surcharge approved by Boston voters in 2016 to help strengthen Boston neighborhoods through strategic investment in affordable housing, historic preservation, and open space. The addition of CPA funds to this funding package aligns the City's housing resources towards full implementation of Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030 plan. Applications are currently available for the next round of CPA funds. About Housing A Changing City: Boston 2030 By the year 2030, Boston will reach more than 700,000 residents, a number the City has not seen since the 1950s. Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030 is Mayor Walsh's Administration's comprehensive housing plan to create 53,000 new units of housing for a variety of income levels. Since the policy was enacted in 2014, Boston has permitted more than 27,000 units of housing, completing nearly 18,000 of them as of the end of the second quarter in 2018. More than 11,000 of those permitted units are income-restricted, and more than 2,000 of these are reserved for Bostonians earning low and extremely low wages. Although these results show strong progress toward the goals established by the Mayor's Advisory Housing Task Force, Boston's population is increasing more rapidly than the population models used in to establish plan targets had estimated. Housing A Changing City: Boston 2030 was created not as a static policy piece to be enacted, but as a living document meant to be reassessed and reframed as necessary. In the Spring of 2018, Mayor Walsh reconvened the Housing Task Force to assess progress and reevaluate the goals of the policy through this new population filter. Other factors under consideration include the Mayors Regional Housing Compact Policy and the effects on Boston and its neighbors, as well as the evaluation of lessons learned over the past four years. An update to Housing A Changing City: Boston 2030 is expected in the fall of 2018. About Imagine Boston 2030 Imagine Boston 2030 is building on Housing a Changing City by identifying areas where continued growth can occur and where additional growth beyond the 53,000-unit target can take place. This growth will create a release valve for existing neighborhoods that are seeing pressure on housing prices. Other initiatives include: working to increase the overall housing supply, deploying tools to support the preservation of affordable housing citywide, putting forth an anti-displacement package that will create and preserve affordable housing, and preventing eviction, link housing and transportation and supporting home ownership. For more information included in the plan, please visit imagine.boston.gov.

APAICS恭喜14名亞裔候選人

APAICS would like to congratulate all the AAPI candidates in Arizona, Florida, Rhode Island, and New York, who won their recent Primary Elections. We look forward to building the AAPI political pipeline with all of you! Use the form below to send a congratulatory message to all the candidates. Arizona Congrats to Hiral Tipirneni who won the Democratic nomination for U.S. House in Arizona's 8th congressional district!   Congratulations to Anita Malik for winning her Congressional Primary in Arizona's 6th district.                                             Sen. Kimberly Yee won the Republican primary race for State Treasurer.  Florida CAPAC Executive Board Member U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy won the Democratic Primary in the Florida 7 with more than 85 percent of the vote.    In Florida's 8th Congressional District, Sanjay Patel progressed through the Democratic primary to the general election.  Pediatrician Dr. Jennifer Zimmerman won the Democratic primary by 20 points in Florida's 1st Congressional District. We would also like to recognize Kubs Lalchandani and Dushyant Gosai for running strong races!     Rhode Island Congratulations to Mayor Allan Fung for winning the Rhode Island Republican Primary for Governor. New York Congrats to New York State Assembly incumbent Yuh-Line Niou for progressing through the Democratic primary.  Assemblymember Ron Kim, representing District 40, also advanced through the primary. Khorshed Chowdhury progressed through the Republican primary for New York State Assembly District 54. Jia Lee progressed through her Primary Election for Lieutenant Governor. We'd also like to applaud Mizan Choudhury for running a strong race! Congrats to all!      Send a note of congratulations to all of the candidates by clicking below. Congratulate! Connect With Us: Facebook Twitter Instagram Contact Info: APAICS 1001 Connecticut Ave NW Suite 320 Washington, DC 20036 United States unsubscribe

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GBCCA太極班 9/30免費體驗課 10/14開課

大波士頓中華文化協會(GBCCA)太極班，邀張歡任教，訂10月14日(週日)早上11點開課，學費每堂10元，一期10堂，80元。上課地點在 437 Cherry Street, Newton, MA 二樓大廳。
9月30日早上11點在文協會址有免費體驗課。

Governor Baker Signs Bill Supporting Redevelopment of Historic Buildings in Salem

Governor Baker Signs Bill Supporting Redevelopment of Historic Buildings in Salem

City will acquire former Salem County Courthouse and County Commissioners Building

BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker joined Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, local legislators, city officials and members of the Baker-Polito Administration for a ceremonial bill signing ceremony for legislation authorizing the sale of two historic public facilities to the Salem Redevelopment Authority, which plans to return the buildings to beneficial public use.

“Our Administration has worked hard to identify opportunities to redevelop underutilized state assets through our Open for Business program,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “We are grateful to the Salem legislative delegation, Mayor Driscoll and the Salem Redevelopment Authority for working together with us to repurpose these beautiful buildings that served the region well for so many years.”

“We are pleased that these historic facilities will soon be serving the people of Salem in a new way,”said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “The redeveloped buildings will provide new housing and economic development opportunities for downtown Salem.”

The legislation, H. 4635, authorizes the state Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to sell the land that contains the Salem Superior Courthouse building and the County Commissioners building to the Salem Redevelopment Authority for $1. The buildings, located at 32 and 34 Federal Street, have been closed since the nearby J. Michael Ruane Judicial Center opened in 2012. Once the transaction is complete the Salem Redevelopment Authority will issue a request for proposals to redevelop the properties, which are located in the heart of downtown Salem. Net proceeds from any future sale of the property will be shared by the Commonwealth and the Salem Redevelopment Authority.

The historic buildings are located in the Federal Street District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Superior Court building dates to 1862, and the Greek Revival-style Commissioners building was built in 1841.

“This legislation is a result of the Baker-Polito Administration’s important partnership with cities and towns which is helping to revive properties that are no longer in use by the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Michael J. Heffernan. “All over Massachusetts we are working to ensure that the Commonwealth’s capital assets are being put to work in transformative ways.”

“This is an exciting moment for Salem and another milestone in the Baker-Polito Administration’s efforts to repurpose underutilized state property,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “Through this legislation, we can now begin to reimagine and transform these historic courthouses into transit-oriented development that will enrich Salem’s downtown.”

“Salem Superior Court and the County Commissioners building are important historic landmarks,”said Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance Commissioner Carol Gladstone. “We are very pleased that this legislation provides a path forward, and we are proud to be working with the City of Salem on the redevelopment of these properties.”

“I would like to thank our legislators, the members of the Salem Redevelopment Authority, and our historic preservation partners who all worked so diligently to advance this legislation and make this day a reality. I also would like to express my gratitude to Governor Baker for his support of this important measure,” said Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll. “These former courthouses are in the heart of our downtown and, with their proximity to our commuter rail station, are part of our ‘front door.’ With their transfer to the SRA, we can begin the process to preserve and re-use them in a manner that will enliven our downtown, grow our economy, and strengthen our community, all while protecting two of our city’s most historically significant buildings. I look forward to moving forward in partnership with the SRA, community stakeholders, and our historic preservation allies in finding a suitable and successful future life for these critical properties.”

“I am very pleased that we were able to pass this bill to allow for the redevelopment of the Salem Superior Court and County Commissioners buildings,” said Senator Joan B. Lovely, Senate sponsor of the bill. “I look forward to this bill resulting in the preservation and restoration of these important historic landmarks.”

“This legislation will enable these architecturally and historically significant buildings to be preserved while allowing some modern use that serves our vibrant downtown,” said Representative Paul F. Tucker, House sponsor of the bill. “We are grateful to the Baker-Polito Administration working with partners from DCAMM, the Salem Partnership, preservationists, and elected officials to see this through and we are excited to see the next chapter written for these beautiful structures.”

About Open for Business

With the Commonwealth as the largest landowner in Massachusetts, Governor Baker in 2015 issued a challenge to state agencies across government to protect natural resources, create economic opportunity, build housing, manage these lands with professionalism and creativity, and generate appropriate revenue from leases and other partnerships. This program is called “Open for Business.”

Since the program’s launch in 2015, there are over 100 projects in 47 municipalities, across 1,000 acres, driving the production of more than 2,200 units of housing on state land. For more information on Open for Business, please click here.

波士頓台灣同鄉聯誼會邀張競9/23談兩岸及南海局勢

程源安學生2人得國會比賽金獎8人得全美藝術寫作賽金獎

程源安(中排，黃衣者)和學生們合影。(周菊子攝)

程源安(右四)和獲得全美藝術及寫作獎比賽金獎學生們。(程源安提供)

張雨諾(左)或國會議員Joseph Kennedy三世頒獎。(程源安提供)

                       (Boston Orange 周菊子勒星頓鎮報導) 同一名老師的學生，在2018這一年內，同時有8人獲得全美藝術與寫作學者金獎，2人獲得國會藝術比賽金獎。“源”藝術畫室學生們的成就，讓人驚喜發現，麻州華人子弟中有這麼多小藝術家。

            “源”藝術畫室創辦人，畢業於天津美術學院，來美前在大陸是名專業油畫家的程源安，為表揚學生成就，最近特地在勒星頓鎮紀念圖書館策劃了一場展覽，並在9月16日這天，舉辦了一場招待會。

張雨諾的得獎作品"恍惚"。(程源安提供)

            兩名國會藝術比賽獎得主及作品，分別是菲利普中學(Phillips Academy)舒凱揚的”吶喊(Cracked)”，沙朗(Sharon)高中的張雨諾的”恍惚(Trace)”，依序由國會議員妮基桑加(Niki Tsongas)，約瑟夫甘迺迪三世(Joseph Kennedy, III)在5月12日頒給了獎狀。

八名全美藝術與寫作學者獎(Scholastics Art & Writing Award)的素描彩繪及油畫等兩類金獎得主，則有7人來自麻州，1人來自新罕布夏州，分別是王詩琪，范逸馨，周嘉馨，鄒奕鍇，陳茜華，張黎雅，徐秋旻，吳康成。

全美藝術與寫作學者獎是在美國持續時間最長，最受重視的藝術活動之一，今年共有35萬件作品參賽，在29項分類中，只有2800件作品獲得全國性榮譽。

這些得獎學生，有的只跟隨程源安學了一年，有的已跟隨他十年有餘，他們在畫作上表現出來的想像力與繪畫技巧，讓人讚賞不已。

舒凱楊(右)獲國會議員Niki Tsongas頒獎。(程源安提供)

程源安來美18年，在劍橋中文學校執教17年，曾於2014年獲得全美中文學校協會優秀教師獎，也得過國務院僑辦的優秀教師獎。他坦言這些年來，桃李滿天下，到底教過多少學生，已經數不清，但經驗告訴他，學生們要畫得好，在天賦之外，更重要的是勤奮，還有學習方法。他認為，每個人都有自己意想不到的潛能，一旦把各人內在的想像力激發出來，創意佳作就會一發不可收拾的泉源而出。

舒凱揚的得獎作品"吶喊"。(程源安提供)

程源安特地把他這些年教導7、8歲到12歲，以及12歲到18歲這兩個年齡段學生作畫的經驗，總結成”曇花課集”一書，分別闡述”形、色”，以及創意素描，即將於中國出版。

              2001年8月，程源安在朱蓉當年創辦，位於原王安劇院旁的國際藝文苑中，舉辦過主題為”胡同印象”的個人畫展。將來有一天，他希望再辦一次個人畫展。

MAYOR WALSH TO KICK OFF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH WITH CITY HALL LIGHTING

MAYOR WALSH TO KICK OFF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH WITH CITY HALL LIGHTING

BOSTON - Monday, September 17, 2018 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh tonight will join residents to illuminate City Hall in orange and mark the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of Bostonians whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. The event will start at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall Plaza. "Boston is home to a strong, proud Latino population that has made major contributions in every neighborhood and every aspect of our city life," said Mayor Walsh. "Celebrating Heritage Months is part of our commitment to making sure Boston remains a city of opportunity for everyone, and I'm proud to celebrate our incredible Latino community during this special month and all year long." Bostonians are encouraged to join the month-long celebration by attending events throughout the City. On Thursday, September 20, from 12 to 2 p.m., the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services will be hosting Salsa on the Lawn at City Hall Plaza to celebrate with music, food, and entertainment. Residents are also encouraged to attend the Mayor's Latino Coffee Hour on Saturday, September 22 from 3 to 5 p.m. in East Boston's Central Square. "Events like the 'Latino Coffee Hour' and 'Salsa on the Lawn' are a great way for residents to meet and interact with each other as well as celebrate the Hispanic culture and appreciate what Hispanics have contributed to Boston and the United States," said Jerome Smith, Chief of Civic Engagement. "We encourage all residents of Boston to come and enjoy all the different programming we are creating in honor of this month." This year, the Latinx Employee Resource Group (ERG), a network of employees within the City of Boston, are spearheading events during the month. The group is building on its mission to promote the diversity and professional development of its members. "I am very proud of the work we have done to bring Employee Resource Groups to the City of Boston," said Danielson Tavares, Chief Diversity Officer. "The Latinx ERG is a great example of how the ERGs will play a critical role in the development of our workforce." Community organizations are invited to submit their events in commemoration of National Hispanic Heritage Month here.

CITY OF BOSTON LAUNCHES EARLY VOTING WEBSITE AND SCHEDULE

CITY OF BOSTON LAUNCHES EARLY VOTING WEBSITE AND SCHEDULE

'Vote Early Boston' website will help voters find early voting locations BOSTON - Monday, September 17, 2018 - Boston election officials today launched the "Vote Early Boston" website (boston.gov/early-voting) which provides voters with important information about the City of Boston's early voting initiative. "Vote Early Boston" begins Monday, October 22 and runs through Friday, November 2. During that time, registered Boston voters will be able to cast their ballots for the November 6 Election, at any early voting location. "Ensuring all Boston voters are able to vote conveniently, and on their own schedule, is paramount to ensuring voter turnout," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "We have seen in past years the success of early voting, and I am proud that we'll be able to offer this resource again to our residents, in addition to all the other resources the City provides during election season." "The City has gone above and beyond again by offering Boston voters many different options for early voting," said Pam Wilmot, Executive Director of Common Cause Massachusetts, a nonpartisan organization that led the campaign to enact early voting in 2014. "The many different days, locations, and hours will making voting more convenient and accessible for Boston residents and will facilitate participation while reducing long lines on election day. It's a great plan." Unlike Absentee Voting, no reason is needed to vote early. Any Boston voter who wishes to vote early may at any early voting location. During the early voting period, City Hall will be Boston's main early voting site, with voting daily during normal business hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, City Hall will also be open until 8 p.m. for for early voting. Early voting neighborhood "pop up" polling locations will also be available throughout the city on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 12 p.m. until 8 p.m., during the early voting period. "Early Voting Weekend" will occur on Saturday, October 27 and Sunday October 28; there will be nine early voting locations - one in each City Council District - open on both days from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A multi-channel outreach campaign in several languages will be used to inform Boston Voters about Vote Early Boston 2018. Organizations are encouraged to contact the Boston Election Department if they would like to host non partisan events or activities to promote early voting locations. Interested groups should contact us at election@boston.gov or 617-635-3833. For a full schedule, please visit boston.gov/early-voting.