The Advancing Justice Affiliation Continues In-Language Bystander Intervention Training for the Asian American Community Nationwide

 The Advancing Justice Affiliation Continues In-Language Bystander Intervention Training for the Asian American Community Nationwide

 

[Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.] – The Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliates in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. continue to offer virtual Bystander Intervention Training – Stop Anti-Asian and Asian American and Xenophobic Harassment in 2022 and are now proud to offer trainings in Asian languages for limited English proficient members of the community.

 

Washington, D.C.-based Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC (Advancing Justice – AAJC) and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles (Advancing Justice – LA) offer accessible in-language trainings in Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. Additionally, Advancing Justice – AAJC offers trainings in Hindi, provides simultaneous interpretations along with English facilitations, and uses bilingual slides. Advancing Justice – LA trains directly in Asian languages, accompanied by translated slides as part of the interactive experience. Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Chicago (Advancing Justice – Chicago) provide bilingual trainings in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Hindi, with verbal presentations in both English and the Asian language and slides in Asian languages only.

 

Since the Advancing Justice affiliates in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. and Hollaback! started training in the last two years, they have trained over 150,000 people. Of all people who reported witnessing harassment after completing the training, 75% reported intervening, a best practice in reducing trauma and de-escalating violence.

 

“The Asian American community has borne heightened discrimination as some have sought to place blame for the pandemic on us,” said Marita Etcubañez, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at Advancing Justice – AAJC. “We have heard from many in our community about the fear and anxiety they are feeling as Asian Americans have experienced increased hate crimes and hate incidents in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. Through our trainings, we share practical, actionable strategies that we hope our participants will be able to use to safely intervene in and stop harassment, and also mitigate the harm for the person who faced harassment.”

 

“It is a privilege and a testimony to our collective commitment to the Asian American community that we are able to expand and offer these culturally competent, useful trainings with more Advancing Justice affiliates,” said Dax Valdes, Senior Trainer with Hollaback!. "We always look for ways to make our sessions more accessible, so we can reach more community members who may be wondering what to do when they see someone else getting harassed, on public transportation or at the grocery store, for example. Offering these trainings in Asian languages is a crucial step in meeting communities where they are.” In Hollaback's evaluation and research, they found that 98.8% of those trained reported that as a result of the training, they were able to recognize and intervene when harassment occurs.

 

According to Christina Yang, General Counsel and Pro Bono Director at Advancing Justice – LA, “It is essential for us to train directly in Asian languages and make bystander intervention trainings more accessible to broader audiences, especially those who are still under attack and scapegoated for the COVID-19 pandemic.”

 

“As an organization that strives towards racial equity through community organizing, it is imperative that we respond to the requests from different communities and partners across the Midwest. We are excited to be a part of a strong affiliation and movement to make this training more inclusive for so many.” said Catherine Shieh, Anti-Hate Training Coordinator at Advancing Justice – Chicago.  

 

Upcoming Asian language Bystander Intervention Trainings:

 

Chinese

• January 31 – Training with simultaneous interpretation in Cantonese & Mandarin, 3pm Hawaii / 4pm Alaska / 5pm Pacific / 6pm Mountain / 7pm Central / 8pm Eastern. Click here to register.

• February 3 – Cantonese training, 1pm Hawaii / 2pm Alaska / 3pm Pacific / 4pm Mountain, 5pm Central, 6pm Eastern. This training will also be offered in March and April. Click here to register.
• February 10 – Mandarin training, 1pm Hawaii / 2pm Alaska / 3pm Pacific / 4pm Mountain, 5pm Central, 6pm Eastern. This training will also be offered in March and April. Click here to register.

 

Hindi

• April 20 – Training with simultaneous interpretation in Hindi. 3pm Hawaii / 4pm Alaska / 5pm Pacific / 6pm Mountain / 7pm Central / 8pm Eastern. The registration link will be posted here soon.

 

Korean

• January 25 – Korean training, 2pm Hawaii / 3pm Alaska / 4pm Pacific / 5pm Mountain / 6pm Central / 7pm Eastern. This training will also be offered in February, March, and April. Click here to register.

• February 17 – Training with simultaneous interpretation in Korean, 3pm Hawaii / 4pm Alaska / 5pm Pacific / 6pm Mountain / 7pm Central / 8pm Eastern. Click here to register.

 

Tagalog

• January 26 – Tagalog training, 1pm Hawaii / 2pm Alaska / 3pm Pacific / 4pm Mountain / 5pm Central / 6pm Eastern. This training will also be offered in February, March, and April. Click here to register.
• March 23 – Training with simultaneous interpretation in Tagalog, 3pm Hawaii / 4pm Alaska / 5pm Pacific / 6pm Mountain / 7pm Central / 8pm Eastern. The registration link will be posted here soon.

 

Thai

• April 7 – Training with simultaneous interpretation in Thai, 3pm Hawaii / 4pm Alaska / 5pm Pacific / 6pm Mountain / 7pm Central / 8pm Eastern. The registration link will be posted here soon.

 

Vietnamese

• February 17 – Vietnamese training, 12pm Hawaii / 1pm Alaska / 2pm Pacific / 3pm Mountain / 4pm Central / 5pm Eastern. This training will also be offered in March and April. Click here to register.

• March 1 – Training with simultaneous interpretation in Vietnamese, 3pm Hawaii / 4pm Alaska / 5pm Pacific / 6pm Mountain / 7pm Central / 8pm Eastern. The registration link will be posted here soon.

Statement from Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Gus Bickford on President Biden’s First Year in Office

 Statement from Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Gus Bickford on President Biden’s First Year in Office

“When President Biden and Vice President Harris took their oaths of office on the steps of the Capitol, they stood at the intersection of compounding crises: a virus raging unchecked across the country and an economic recession. Despite Republican efforts to halt their popular agenda, President Biden led Democrats in passing historic pieces of legislation, getting millions of vaccines in arms, putting money back in people’s pockets, and making infrastructure investments that are critical to America’s future. Although much work remains to be done, Bay Staters are better off now than they were one year ago, and President Biden and Vice President Harris are just getting started.”

師大副校長印永翔訪波士頓 簡介百年校慶談募款

波士頓師大校友歡迎師大副校長印永翔 (後左五)來訪。後排左起，師大校友會長彭淑敏，
科技組長謝水龍，師大校友財政楊源，經文處處長孫儉元，以及教育組組長黃薳玉，
資深校友游勝雄，馮文鸞，僑教中心主任潘昭榮。(周菊子攝)

              (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 國立台灣師範大學副校長印永翔日前訪美，在波士頓向校友報告校務發展，邀校友們6月1日返校參加百年校慶，關注百年校務發展基金籌募活動，協助母校未來的興建國際教學研究大樓計畫。

印永翔此行訪美，主要目的是出席賓州州立大學「台灣師大海外華語教學中心」揭牌儀式。他另外特別安排到波士頓、華府、紐約，芝加哥，洛杉磯等地拜訪校友，報告校務近況，凝聚校友的向心力。

師大副校長印永翔(後左一)和在波士頓進修的師大年輕世代校友。科技組長謝水龍(後中)
因妻子陳沁紅曾任師大音樂系主任，彼此十分熟稔。後右為創辦Folkspaper的校友
林奕汛。(周菊子攝)

              波士頓師大校友會活動組彭淑敏，財政楊源與資深校友游勝雄、馮文鸞，和創辦Folkspaper的林奕汛，以及刻在新英格蘭音樂學院進修的年輕一代校友，1月17日特地邀波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長孫儉元，教育組組長黃薳玉，科技組組長謝水龍，波士頓僑教中心主任潘昭榮等嘉賓，在華森市木蘭餐廳歡迎印永翔，聆聽母校近況。

              印永翔準備了一份精彩的簡報，從師大1922年創辦時是台灣總督府台北高校，1950年代是台灣省立師範學院，1960年代成為省立師範大學，到今日成為國立師範大學，校門也轉型變身至少4次來綜述師大歷年來的轉變與今日近況。

波士頓經文處處長孫儉元應邀出席。(周菊子攝)

              印永翔指出，師大有和平，公館，林口等3個校區，總校地面積54公頃，全校學生約15,000人，為增加個人使用樓地板面積，師大近年陸續建了美術館，預定今年9月竣工，可容納3000多人的公館校區學生宿舍。師大還在臥龍街籌建地下3層，地上10層的華語國際教學研究大樓。

波士頓僑教中心主任潘昭榮(後右) 請師大校友會活動組長彭淑敏(後左)協助，
分發農曆新年春聯，紙卡燈籠給師大校友們。(周菊子攝)

              早年師大只有教育、文、理等3個學院，但隨著時代推進，自1982年後，依序增加了藝術、科技與工程，運動與休閒、音樂、管理與國際與社會科學等6個學院，師大也成為了一所綜合大學。

              印永翔指出，師大十分重視研究與教學，學校財務也很健全。師大的學術成就在全球眾多大學院校的評比中，也十分優秀，QS世界大學排名﹐師大排名第331，其中教育與語言這2個領域，更是名列前茅，依序為第20 (THE)，第53 (QS)。

              2020年師大有10名學生及畢業校友參加奧運，其中3人榮獲獎牌，舉重陳玟卉及空手道文姿云銅牌，射箭團體賽中的魏均珩銀牌。

              2016年起，師大還和台大，台科大展開跨校聯盟合作，學生們可以跨校選課，為將來的進入雙主修時代打下基礎。

              師大在全體師生努力下，2020年在教育部的首輪「優華語計畫」中拔得頭籌，去年已和美國賓州州立大學、加州大學洛杉磯分校展開合作，更於2020年9月獲選為教育部4所雙語大學「重點培育學校」之一。

              印永翔此行的另一主要目的是向校友報告，6月1日就是師大「百年傳承，世紀典範」的百年校慶大日子，以棗紅和黃金色的2個齒輪圖案來寓意凝聚與傳承，特別邀請美術系名譽教授蘇憲法繪製「師大百年校景圖」捐贈，從3月起，師大將開始舉辦一系列慶祝活動。為歡迎校友，師大會館還推出了四天三夜7999元專案。

              師大百年校慶的另一件大事是要推動「百年建設」，規劃在公館校區興建「國際教學研究大樓」，做為師生現代教學、學生活動、跨域研究中心及系所行政辦公空間，總建設經費估計約需新台幣18億元，全國校友總會也為百年校慶訂製了金門高粱紀念酒，勸募捐款。 (更新版)

大學沙龍 - 1/22 史前文明搖籃的長久影響

 

陳剛是清白的 美國司法部請法官駁回該案

陳剛教授。(MIT網站照片)

               (Boston Orange 綜合報導) 震驚一時，拖延年餘的麻省理工學院教授陳剛 (Gang Chen)被捕，被控事件，美國司法部今 (20)日以”對司法有利”為由，請美國地區法院法官取消對陳剛的4點控訴，法官也已同意撤銷此案。

              陳剛的律師Robert Fisher表示，「政府終於承認了我們一直都知道的事實，那就是陳剛教授是無辜的」。

              麻省理工學院校長L. Rafael Reif也在今 (20)日發給校內師生的訊息中說，「對我們所有認識陳剛教授的人來說，都深深地鬆了一口氣」。

              川普總統在任時，美國司法部推出「中國計畫 (China Initiative)」，以防止中國偷盜美國科技為主軸，大規模調查各大學院校與中國有來往的科研人員。麻省理工學院機械工程教授陳剛被捕時，各界震驚，學術界幾乎無人相信。經由張曙光等人發起，還有共160多名MIT教職員發表了聯名公開信來聲援。麻省理工學院校長

              美國司法部20日動議，要求美國地區法院法官Patti B. Saris 撤銷對陳鋼的4點控訴，包括電匯詐欺，未申報中國銀行戶口，報稅不誠實等。這些控訴都源自美國司法部認為陳剛五年前向美國能源部申請補助，以在MIT做研究時，未揭露他與中國政府曾簽訂合約，會晤，以及他從中國那兒收到獎勵款。

              美國司法部檢控官表示，持續調查後，政府得到更多有關陳剛漏報資訊的資料，經過整體評估，現在政府無法承擔審訊時的舉證責任，因此撤銷控訴對司法有利。

              Patti B. Saris法官很快就同意了這一要求，給回陳剛他的清白。

              新上任的美國駐麻州檢察官Rachael Rollins表示，司法部的結論是，「我們不能再在審判中承擔舉證責任」，做為檢控官，他們有責任持續檢驗他們所追究每件事的相關事實，並開放接納之前未發現的新證據。撤銷此案就是這一過程的結果，而且是對司法有利的結果。

幾名熟悉這一案件調查過程的人透露，這一案件開始分崩離析是一名能源部高官最近告訴調查者，他們並未要求陳剛揭露司法部稱陳剛漏報的資訊，而且即使他把那些資訊包括進他的申請計畫案內，對於政府資助他研究的決定，大概也沒什麼影響。

在司法部的「中國計畫」之下，陳剛之外的另一名被告的學術界人士是田納西州教授胡安明 (Anming Hu)。去年9月，因陪審團未能達成一致決議，也獲判無罪了。胡安明被控以他在收取美國太空總署研究補助款時，隱瞞了他和一所中國大學的關係。法官發現政府未能提出證明。

MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES $50 MILLION FUNDING COMMITMENT FOR MILDRED C. HAILEY APARTMENTS, SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER ON FAIR HOUSING

MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES $50 MILLION FUNDING COMMITMENT FOR MILDRED C. HAILEY APARTMENTS, SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER ON FAIR HOUSING New investments will bring critical upgrades to more than 500 residents in Jamaica Plain, with new commitment to embedding fair housing and civil rights throughout City government

BOSTON - Thursday, January 20, 2022 - Mayor Michelle Wu at a press conference today announced a commitment of $50 million in funding for capital improvements at the Boston Housing Authority’s Mildred C. Hailey Apartments in Jamaica Plain. She was joined by President of the Mildred C. Hailey Tenant Task Force Yolanda Torres, Greater Boston Interfaith Organization leader Beverly Williams, Chair of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Community Advisory Committee Lincoln Larmond, City Councilors Kendra Lara and Kenzie Bok, State Representative Nika Elugardo and city officials including Chief of Housing Sheila Dillon, Executive Director of the Office of Fair Housing Will Onuoha, and Administrator of the Boston Housing Authority Kate Bennett, members of the Mildred C. Hailey community, and many other advocates. With the new investment, the Boston Housing Authority is planning to address plumbing, ventilation, windows, and kitchen and bathroom improvements in 526 public housing units. These investments will improve air quality, prevent environmental health hazards like mold and mildew, and increase energy efficiency, advancing Mayor Wu’s commitment to climate action through a Green New Deal agenda. The Boston Housing Authority aims to begin work within the year. This new funding for renovations, along with the planned redevelopment, will ensure that the entire site is sustainable. Mayor Wu also today signed An Executive Order Relative to Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing and the Implementation of the City of Boston’s Assessment of Fair Housing, intended to instill the practice of fair housing and racial equity throughout all levels of City government. The Executive Order builds on the advocacy of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Community Advisory Committee, which spearheaded a multi-year community engagement process to identify fair housing challenges and priorities and action steps to advance a fair housing agenda in Boston. With this step, Mayor Wu builds on Boston’s legacy as a leader in fair housing and civil rights, after Boston became the first major city to embed fair housing in its zoning code in 2021.  “Today was an exciting recognition of the legacy of activism and leadership at Mildred Hailey and the legacy and activism of housing and tenants rights activists across the city and beyond,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “We plan to make affordable housing a top priority when it comes to putting federal recovery money to use. That means preserving and improving affordable housing that already exists, as well as adding more affordable housing options for residents across the city. This is an investment that builds on generations of work that advocates and tenant leaders have done to improve quality of life for our residents.” The federal public housing program has been underfunded for decades, especially with regard to capital needs. This underfunding has forced public housing authorities nationwide to defer necessary capital improvements, as conditions in the aging buildings slowly deteriorate. Mildred Hailey, which was built mid century, has significant capital needs that impact residents’ quality of life. This new $50 million funding commitment will be met through a combination of federal funding and the City’s capital plan.  “This funding will significantly improve the lives of hundreds of families in a community that truly needs the help,” BHA Administrator Kate Bennett said. “This is what leadership looks like, and I am grateful to Mayor Wu for acting decisively to address this critical need.” “I cannot overstate how important this investment is for residents here at Mildred C. Hailey Apartments,” said Yolanda Torres, President of the Mildred C. Hailey Tenant Taskforce. “I want to thank the Mayor for making an investment that will make life better for hundreds of residents in my community.” “Thank you to Mayor Wu and the Boston Housing Authority for this much-needed $50 million investment in the Mildred Hailey apartments,” said Greater Boston Interfaith Organization leader, Beverly Williams. “This is a true testament to what happens when elected officials, the community, agencies, and advocates collaborate together.” "An investment in public housing is an investment in the people of our city. For years the tenants at Mildred C. Hailey have fought tirelessly for healthy, safe, and accessible homes,” said City Councilor Kendra Lara. “I want to thank them for remaining steadfast in their advocacy and Mayor Wu for leading with urgency and prioritizing the needs of working-class people in district six and across the city." "Mayor Wu's signing of the executive order today represents a step towards making Boston a more equitable, inclusive and accessible city for all," said Chief of Housing Sheila Dillon. "Thanks to the partnership with the Community Advisory Committee, we continue to create solutions and remove barriers to housing opportunity in Boston. We look forward to making further strides towards equity under Mayor Wu's leadership." "The signing of the Executive Order adopting the City of Boston Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) is a testament to Mayor Wu’s leadership, commitment, and vision for the City of Boston as a place where justice, civil rights, and equity do not only happen at the margins but reign supreme,” said Lincoln Larmond, Chair of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Community Advisory Committee. “The AFH is the fulfillment of years of hard work, dedication, commitment, and perseverance of the Community Advisory Committee for Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (CAC) and our City of Boston partners. Most importantly, however, it is a testament to and affirmation of the residents of Boston who shared their many stories and whose voices and lived experiences expertly informed the policies and goals of the AFH. This is indeed a great victory for the City of Boston and the CAC is proud to stand with Mayor Wu on behalf of countless civic leaders and community members who have labored so long for this day."  A plan is underway for the redevelopment of 253 of the 779 public housing units currently at Mildred C. Hailey Apartments, with construction expected to begin later this year. In addition to restoring 253 public housing units, this plan will create hundreds of additional units affordable to low and moderate income residents. Centre Street Partners, a collaboration of the JPNDC, The Community Builders and Urban Edge, will carry out the redevelopment project. In the past year, BHA has brought in a dedicated maintenance crew, a Director of Quality Control, and additional staff to address maintenance issues at Mildred Hailey. The BHA has also allocated $13 million to make additional capital repairs over the next several years.

麻州總檢察長 Maura Healey 宣佈參選麻州州長

      (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 麻州總檢察長Maura Healey今(20)日一早9點，在東波士頓的Maverick廣場地鐵站，正式宣佈參選麻州州長。

今日一大早6點，Maura Healey也在推特上發文說，"I'm all in!"，同時推出了一段長約2分鐘的參選短片。

以下為她的競選陣營發佈的聲明:

Among the issues that Healey highlights include: Getting our economy back on track, making child care more affordable, modernizing our schools so every child learns in a safe and sustainable environment, and addressing the climate crisis.

“And because too many have waited too long, together we’ll bring justice and equality to everyone,” Healey says. 

Healey ran as a first-time candidate in 2014, and was elected the first openly gay Attorney General in the country. As AG, Healey has focused on safeguarding civil rights, holding bad actors accountable, and building community. She created the office’s first-ever Community Engagement Division and established her office as the first statewide office to implement paid family leave. Healey led groundbreaking lawsuits against Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family, and other opioid companies, securing hundreds of millions of dollars for treatment and recovery. Her office has also prioritized holding accountable predatory student loan servicers, taking on harmful polluters, and protecting the health and wellbeing of children.

麻州總檢察官奚莉 (Maura Healey)將參選麻州州長，這次消息好像很真確。 (檔案照片，
周菊子攝)

Prior to her time as Attorney General, Healey was a civil rights attorney in the office, where she challenged the Defense of Marriage Act and big banks. She grew up in Hampton Falls, N.H. and waitressed at the Hampton Beach Casino through high school and college. Healey attended Harvard College, where she captained the basketball team, and went on to play professional basketball in Austria, before earning her law degree from Northeastern University. She lives in Boston.

           (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓綜合報導) 麻州人一直懸念的麻州總檢察官奚莉 (Maura Healey)  到底會不會參選麻州州長，終於有消息了，民主黨領導層有人透露她要參選，只是正式宣佈，最快也要明天 (1月20日)。

                    中國古書中 ，吳敬梓所撰儒林外史中的詩句，“有人辭官歸故里，有人漏夜趕科場”，用來形容今年的麻州州長選舉，似乎頗為恰當。在麻州現任州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)，副州長白莉朵 (Karen Polito)去年11月宣佈，確定不競選第三度連任，原本已宣佈參選，曾任麻州參議員的Ben Downing也於日前宣布退選之後，麻州總檢察官奚莉的參選，將使今年的州長選舉競爭更為激烈。

                    現年僅50歲的奚莉一旦參選，將是參選者中唯一的在位州政府高官，也肯定是最有希望贏得大位的人之一。她不但有全國性知名度，全國性的籌款網，而且她的競選財庫已累積有370萬元，比其他3名主要競爭對手已募經費加起來的總和還多。

                  這3人分別是在位的麻州參議員陳翟蘇妮 (Sonia Chang-Diaz)，哈佛教授Danielle Allen，以及共和黨籍的前麻州眾議員Geoff Diehl。

                   奚莉是在2014年當選麻州總檢察長，成為全美首位公開同性戀身分的州政府總檢察官。如果她參選，還當選了，她將是麻州首名同性戀州長。

                全美僅有2名公開的同性戀者曾經當選為州長，科羅拉多州 (Colorado)的Jared Polis，以及奧勒岡州 (Oregon) 雙性戀的Kate Brown。

             由於共和黨籍的查理貝克和副州長白莉朵 (Karen Polito)都已確定將不參選，麻州的民主黨人對於奪回州長寶座，都抱著極大信心。

             在位2任中，奚莉和其他州的民主黨籍總檢察官攜手，針對川普政府提出了十幾項訴訟。她還在環保規章，保護學生貸款人，反對遣返所謂「夢想者」等議題上，非常投入，控告過ExxonMobil， Purdue製藥等巨型企業。

             身高只有5尺4吋，奚莉卻曾經是學校籃球隊隊長，還在歐洲的專業球隊打過2年球。她經常說打球的日子教會她如何對付挑戰，這技能，她也帶進政壇。

她在新罕布夏州的Hampton小鎮長大，是家裏5個小孩中的長姊。從哈佛大學本科，東北大學法律系畢業後，她在麻州總檢察官辦公室工作了7年，曾領導公共保護及企業和勞工局，擔任民權組負責人，還率領麻州反對聯邦把婚姻定義為一男一女之結合的婚姻保護法。

奚莉也曾經擔任麻州聯邦法官的書記，在Wilmer Hale律師事務所當過初級合夥人。

雖然以往曾任總檢察長的人競選州長時，總會遭遇阻礙，例如Martha Coakley在2014年輸給查理貝克，Scott Harshbarger、Frank Bellotti、Tom Reilly這幾人也都試過，但沒成功。

之前成功競選的是1940年代的Paul Dever。

不過奚莉有她自己的優點。2018奚莉支持Ayanna Pressley和當時在位的卡普阿諾 (Michael E. Capuano) 競爭聯邦眾議員席位，結果Ayanna Pressley當選時，奚莉就站在她旁邊。

她自己2014年競選時，黨派初選時的對手Warren Tolman，不但以曾任麻州議員的身分，在黨代表大會中爭取到民主黨支持，還有當時的波士頓市長Martin Walsh，麻州州長Deval Patrick背書，但奚莉卻以24個百分點贏了這黨派初選。

一旦她參選麻州州長，戰力勢必仍然很強。

Senator-Elect Lydia Edwards to be Inaugurated Today, January 20th

 Senator-Elect Lydia Edwards to be Inaugurated Thursday, January 20th

Senator-elect Lydia Edwards. (File photo, by Chutze Chou)

 (Boston / 1st Suffolk and Middlesex District) Senator-Elect Lydia Edwards will be sworn in to the Massachusetts Senate on Thursday, January 20th at 12:00 pm. Members of the Edwards family will join the Senator-Elect in person. Due to COVID-19 protocols, the event will have extremely limited in-person attendance. 

In compliance with the City of Boston’s COVID-19 policies and vaccine passport requirements effective January 15th, supporters of the Senator-Elect will host a watch party at Democracy Brewing, 35 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111 from 12 - 3 p.m. Attendees can show a CDC vaccination card, digital image of a CDC card, an image of any official immunization record, or their vaccine verification application.

“I committed to residents to hit the ground running in fighting for affordable housing, sustainable transportation and strong communities,” said Senator-Elect Lydia Edwards. “I am humbled by the opportunity to join the Massachusetts Senate and am already at work to advocate for our district.”

In the immediate future, Senator-Elect Edwards will establish constituent advisory groups for residents of the 1st Suffolk and Middlesex District to share their opinions and expertise on critical issues, including housing and recovery, facing the district and to guide her advocacy with regards to the one-in-a-generation American Rescue Plan funding. 

On her election day and in between deliveries to poll workers, Senator-Elect Edwards testified in support of legislation to authorize rent stabilization in the Commonwealth. Today, Senator-Elect Edwards met with Revere officials and community leaders to discuss collaboration on issues of housing & recovery, and participated in meetings with members of the State Senate.

Upon being inaugurated, Senator-Elect Edwards intends to take immediate action to 

advocate for legislation she authored to seal eviction records and to cosponsor bills by colleagues concerning housing stability, energy siting reforms and a moratorium on prison construction. The Senator-Elect also supports immediate enactment of comprehensive voting legislation.

Civil Rights Advocate and Attorney Tanisha Sullivan Launches Campaign for Massachusetts Secretary of State

Civil Rights Advocate and Attorney Tanisha Sullivan Launches Campaign for Massachusetts Secretary of State 

January 18, 2022 - Today, Tanisha Sullivan, an attorney and President of the Boston Branch of the NAACP, announced her candidacy for Secretary of State for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

In her campaign launch video, Sullivan emphasized the urgency of the moment. She highlighted the need for Massachusetts to be a leader in the fight to protect and expand fundamental voting rights, and pointed to the critical role the Secretary of State must play in creating more opportunities for residents to meaningfully engage in our democracy. Beyond voting rights, she said the next Secretary must do more to use the powers of the office to ensure transparency, accountability, and expand economic opportunity for everyone in the Commonwealth. 

“We are at an inflection point in our democracy, and the challenges before us demand urgent, collective action,” said Sullivan. “In light of obstructionism that continues to stand in the way of federal action on voting rights, it falls to state leaders to protect and expand the right of every Massachusetts resident to participate in our government, and to show what a truly inclusive, representative democracy looks like. Especially now, we cannot accept incrementalism. This moment deserves more. Our communities deserve more. And, together, we’ll deliver more. 

“I’m ready to officially begin this campaign, and look forward to connecting with residents across Massachusetts to talk about how the Secretary of State can help make our government more accessible, work to expand economic opportunity, and what we can do together to build a stronger, more vibrant, and more expansive democracy,” said Sullivan.

Raised in Brockton and with deep family roots in Boston, Sullivan credits her parents’ example with instilling in her the deep commitment to public service that has continued throughout her career as an attorney, her tenure as the head of the NAACP Boston Branch, and that led to her decision to run. Her father spent his career working in the Boston Public Schools, retiring in 2014 as the school leader at the John D. O’Bryant School. Her mother worked in media before opening her own small business - a home daycare - and helping connect and amplify Black-owned businesses across New England as publisher of the Black Pages of New England. 

Sullivan graduated from the University of Virginia before receiving graduate degrees in both law and business from Boston College. She has spent the majority of her legal career representing life sciences companies and has focused her volunteer service and pro bono work on expanding opportunity and improving the wellbeing of workers, small business owners, and communities across Massachusetts. While working full time as an attorney, in 2017 Sullivan took on the volunteer role of President of the Boston Branch of the NAACP, the first chartered branch of the NAACP in the country. During her tenure, the NAACP Boston Branch has been deeply involved in critical efforts to advance racial, economic, and social justice in Boston and across the Commonwealth.

Those interested in learning more about Tanisha and her campaign can visit www.TanishaSullivan.com and follow her @Tanisha4MA on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice: Congress, No More Delays in Protecting the Right to Vote

Asian Americans Advancing Justice: Congress, No More Delays in Protecting
the Right to Vote 

WASHINGTON, DC — January 19, 2022 ― The Senate concluded its debate on the Freedom to Vote: John Lewis Act, moved to a vote, and failed to get the number of votes to pass this essential legislation or to change rules long enough to break the impasse that would lead to swift passage of the legislation.

The Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation, a group of five independent Asian American civil rights organizations, issues the following statement on the importance of protecting the right to vote:

"We deserve a Congress willing to protect all Americans' right to vote. Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are the fastest growing population in the U.S. with the number of eligible voters projected to be over 12 million by 2040. In many states, AAPI voters make up more than 5% of their electorates. 

Each day that passes with a bipartisan Senate failing to do its job–to pass the Freedom to Vote: John Lewis Act–harmful anti-voter state laws are being passed to restrict our freedom to vote.

A fair and effective democracy is at stake for all of us. It is time to call out and hold accountable the politicians who are blocking this important voting rights legislation while they actively encourage restrictive laws with the hope of gaining an unfair advantage in the next elections.

We are at a turning point in our nation on the issue of voting rights and we cannot let this measure fail. The Senate must find a way to pass this legislation to protect our freedom to vote and prevent state laws and partisan politicians from sabotaging our right to access to the ballot box.

From our work on the ground in states across the country to the halls of Congress, Asian Americans Advancing Justice continues to protect this cornerstone of our democracy and build our communities’ political power. This is not over."

麻州長參選人Danielle Allen 談 Maura Healey 稱人民需要新鮮視角

 Danielle Allen’s Statement On AG Healey’s Decision To Join The Governor’s Race

The Pandemic Long Ago Made Clear that Status Quo is Not an Option and That We Need a Fresh Perspective

Boston, MA — Gubernatorial candidate Danielle Allen issued the following statement on AG Maura Healey’s decision to join the governor’s race:

“This election is about the urgent challenges we’re facing — from the pandemic, to the climate crisis, to racial injustice, to the strains on our democracy. Every single day, in every community in Massachusetts, people are struggling with the impacts of these challenges. So status quo is not an option. We need a fresh perspective that can see beyond the politics and start bringing us together to build solutions.

“I’m in this race — and I’ve been in it for a year — to make sure Massachusetts has a real choice. A choice between a perspective ready to meet the moment and business as usual. And a choice between the narrow solutions our politics have been offering us, or a chance to reimagine the possible, and bring everyone to the table to find a path forward that empowers all of us.

“As a longtime democracy advocate, an early voice on pandemic response, and a nonprofit leader with 20 years of public service under my belt, I stepped forward a year ago with the tools and skills to meet the moment. The need was clear then; it’s clear now. It’s been a tough, painful two years for people across our Commonwealth, and what we need now is the courage to fight for transformation — and the committed, collective work to deliver it. That’s the work to build common purpose and public commitment for change that I’ve been doing over an entire career — whether as an advocate fighting mass incarceration and the war on drugs, at the helm of major nonprofits harnessing civil society firepower for change, or laying the groundwork for a stronger democracy through civic education and democracy reform.

“This is what we need now — to  knit our diverse communities together into One Commonwealth, to reimagine the possible, and to deliver the green and healthy next-generation democracy we all deserve. After more than a year on the campaign trail, visiting communities across the state, I know how hard people are working to deliver that change — and I’m more committed than ever to working alongside them.”