Dear Neighbor,
A lot has happened this fall, even while we haven't usually had formal sessions except for one to pass the climate and economic development bills. (You can read my notes on some highlights here, along with "what's next.")
I don't usually include stories or pictures from events in newsletters. But I have a lot of photos and thought I'd share some to give you glimpses of where I've been this fall.
AWARDS
I was honored to receive the Arc of Justice Award from the New England Innocence Project for our work on compensation for wrongfully convicted people and in support of the Exonerees Network. Here I'm with James Lucien, Dennis Maher, Sean Ellis, Ray Rebello, Shar'Day Taylor, and Radha Nararajan. More here and here. You can hear James Lucien, Ray Rebello, and Shar'Day Taylor tell their stories here.
Dignity Alliance is bringing together many advocates and organizations to create a unified and effective voice for older people's concerns. It's led by former Senator Dick Moore and former Elder Affairs Secretary Paul Lanzikos. They gave me and others, particularly on the Long Term Care bill.
Leading Age is the trade organization of non-profit organizations across the full continuum of aging services, from home care and adult day health to assisted living and nursing homes. They honored Rep. Tom Stanley and me with their Aging Service Champion awards for our work on the Long Term Care bill with its many components.
HONORING OTHERS
I was very happy that Dignity Alliance recognized several legislative staff for their crucial work. My senior policy director, Vicki Halal, has worked on older adults' issues with me for seventeen years, and was honored for that work. for our work on the Long Term Care bill and many other issues affecting older people.
Vicki was also honored for her work at the annual meeting and awards ceremony of the state's PACE programs. PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) provides truly inclusive care for people who are eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.
Iván Abarca Torres of Somerville received a Latino Excellence Award from the Black and Latino Caucus.
Iván has served as Director for Equity and Inclusion for the Somerville Youth Soccer League and as an organizer and advocate for Padres Latinos de Somerville Public Schools. This year, Iván led in developing the Museo Inmigrante, an exhibit about immigrant experiences, the most popular exhibit ever at the Somerville Museum.
At their annual Feminist Affair, MassNOW celebrated four wonderful retiring women legislators with Lifetime Achievement Awards: Representatives Ruth Balser, Denise Garlick, and Sarah Peake, and Senator Su Moran. It was inspiring to be reminded of their many years of leadership and success despite often great odds.
In 2003, seventeen state representatives voted for Byron Rushing for speaker against Tommy Finneran. This year, the ACLU Foundation honored Byron with its Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to civil liberties and justice. Eight of the Rushing 17 were excited to get together and join in honoring him: Senator Jamie Eldridge and me, former and current representatives Ellen Story, Kay Khan, Paul Demakis, Ruth Balser and Carol Donovan.
The Mass Center for the Book recognized four authors from our district.
Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
Love is a Shore by Hilary Sallick
Navigating the Reach by Mary Buchinger Bodwell
Everything Possible by Fred Small (illustrated book version of the song of the month)
Rep. Christine Barber was recently elected co-chair of the Women's Legislative Caucus. She's here with both the outgoing and new board members. The Caucus celebrated passage of four priority bills this session, including mine for wage transparency and childcare as a campaign expense. I've already heard from someone planning to use the new bill to help care for her child next year.
Olga Bartolomeu received her “Homemaker/Personal Care Homemaker of the Year” award at the recent Home Care Aide Council’s Annual Celebration. Olga is 85 and cares for Homemaker Services' clients. She's shown here with her coworkers, who came to show their admiration and support.
HOUSING
Ribbon Cutting at Riverside Towers in Medford! Schochet and Jonathan Rose Companies, owners of 99 Riverside Ave, celebrated the rehabilitation of 200 affordable units right across from the Senior Center. They've added services provided by Hebrew Senior Life's R3 program, like audiology and podiatry clinics, fitness center, yoga studio, salons for people - and pets, and space for a nurse care manager.
Vicki and I visited Leonard Florence Center for Living in Chelsea with Elder Affairs Co-Chair Tom Stanley and Vice Chair Kate Lipper-Garabedian. This nursing facility, the first in Massachusetts to adopt a "small-house" model 15 years ago, is one of the few nursing homes to care for people with diseases like ALS. They live as independently as possible in "houses" of 10 individual rooms with common eating/living areas.
Cambridge is doing a lot to build and preserve affordable housing. It was wonderful to attend the groundbreaking for the revitalization of Jefferson Park. It will replace 175 deeply affordable units and add 103 new ones. Michael Johnston, executive director of the Cambridge Housing Authority, spoke, along with city officials and state and federal housing leaders.
Just A Start cut the ribbon of its Economic Mobility Hub at Rindge Commons in Cambridge, with 24 affordable apartments, Just A Start headquarters with a woodshop and other programs for adult career trainees, and universal pre-K classrooms. Carl Nagy-Koechlin, JAS' executive director, was joined by state and local officials, including Hip Hop Transformation and a resident and graduate of Just A Start's career training
Another ribbon cutting: HRI celebrated the opening of its renovation of 35 Harvey Street last week. One of the last lodging houses in Cambridge, the renovated building will include 12 enhanced SROs, with individual bathrooms and kitchenettes. The renovation will increase supportive services at the building, with Heading Home providing case management to all residents. Vicki and I also recently visited another HRI property on Mass. Ave.
OFFICE HOURS
It was good to talk with constituents and colleagues at joint office hours in Somerville. In Ward 7 Rep. Christine Barber and I joined Councilor Judy Pineda Neufeld, and School Committee member Leiran Biton at Basma Cafe.
Ward 4 Councilor Jesse Clingan, School Committee member Andre Green, and at-large Councilors Jake Wilson and Kristen Strezo, Rep. Barber and I visited with constituents at Winter Hill Brewing.
Ward 5 Councilor Naima Sait, School Committee member Laura Pitone, Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven and I got a chance to catch up and talk to constituents at Zaruma Gold Coffee Shop.
OUT AND ABOUT
It was fun to read to a pre-k class at Bright Horizons on Mass Ave. in Cambridge as part of the 19th Annual Read for the Record! We read Piper Chen Sings by Maris Pasquale Doran and Phillipa Soo.
I also got to visit ABCD's Medford HeadStart, where very engaged very young people enjoyed The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming.
I was happy to join Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Mayor Ballantyne, and Representatives Connolly and Uyterhoeven in a visit to Somerville's Elizabeth Peabody House.
I was very impressed with their preschool program, with a Montessori-like flavor; their afterschool program, with clubs for different interests; and their food pantry, which serves thousands of people in our community.
I met many wonderful people at the Halloween celebration of the South Asian Workers' Center- Boston at Rindge Tower Apartments! Councilor Sumbul Siddiqui and I talked about the importance of voting, and I learned about the services and community built by the Center, led by Jyoti Sinha.
Vicki and I visited Somerville Cambridge Elder Services to learn more about the wonderful services they provide, as well as the funding challenges they face in providing meals and rides.
I was glad to meet Assistant Secretary of Elder Affairs Jodi Breidel as she visited the Somerville Council on Aging, where we met many old and new friends along with Mayor Ballantyne and Director Ashley Speliotis.
Vicki and I were also glad to join Mystic Valley Elder Services' Caregiver Gala, honoring often uncelebrated people who care for their loved ones with dementia and other disabilities. Here we are with Lisa Gurgone, director of MVES.
Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian offered a presentation on scam awareness and prevention at the Medford Council on Aging. It was scary to hear so many stories of people losing thousands of dollars. Good to see him, as well as Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn, Rep. Paul Donato, Center Director Pam Kelley, Police Chief Jack Buckley and DA Marian Ryan, and many people from Greater Medford.
It was sad to hear stories of displacement and inspiring to hear about tenant organizing at a meeting with the Renters Committee of the Community Action Agency of Somerville. And it was wonderful to meet two women, displaced from their homes, who have found affordable housing in Somerville thanks to the inclusionary zoning ordinance!
Thanks to friends at Cambridge Cohousing, who invited us to hold our annual-ish Soup and Salad Party. No photos, but here are the folks who helped chop vegetables!
I loved helping OPENAIR stilters at the HONK parade and SomerStreets' Monster Mash!
BALLOT QUESTIONS
I love meeting people by knocking on doors in campaigns. This year, since I was unopposed, I joined many others talking to neighbors in Cambridge, Medford, and Somerville about Question 2. Some of the canvasses, organized by Progressive Mass, included both Question 2 and Question 5. And one in Somerville was for Questions 2 and 6.
OUTDOORS
I'm grateful to the leaders of the late 19th century for creating wonderful public open spaces in the Fells and along the Mystic! I'm also grateful to the present amazing stewards, Friends of the Middlesex Fells and Mystic River Watershed Association, who help make both places easier and more fun to visit.
SONG OF THE MONTH:
Everything Possible by Fred Small, now a children's book with illustrations by Alison Brown, winner of a Mass Book Award. This song has helped many young people feel that they're affirmed and not weird or wrong.
Stay engaged, stay in touch,
Pat Jehlen