Bay State Banner 1-14-2016

inside this week

Activists: Discrimination runs deep at Police Academy pg 2

INSIDE

business news

A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. pg 22

State, local officials seek opportunities for local medical tech businesses pg 15

A&E

Foreign-language film ‘Mustang’ pg 28 ‘Firefight’ pg 30 Multicultural Children’s Book Day pg 32 Thursday, January 14, 2016 • FREE • GREATER BOSTON’S URBAN NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1965 • CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

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Principals brace for drastic cuts

‘I was forced to leave …’

BPS budget shortfall may force as many as 150 layoffs

By YAWU MILLER BANNER PHOTO

“I was forced to leave because of the violence,” Saúl, a Guatemalan who fled to the U.S. two-and-a-half months ago to escape gang threats, said through a translator. He joined activists at a vigil protesting new immigration raids that struck nationally. FULL STORY ON PAGE 3

How rising homelessness strikes Boston’s students City councilors, schools look to tackle growing crisis

By JULE PATTISON-GORDON

Neema Avashia, grade 8 civics teacher at John W. McCormack Middle School, had a problem.

It was the third month of the 2014 school year and she had a student who continued to fall asleep nearly every class. Had it been early in her teaching career, Avashia might have worried her

class was boring. But by then it was her 12th year of teaching and she knew something was up.

The student, Avashia found out, was living out of a car. Since losing their home, the student’s family slept in their car most nights. The girl did not always have somewhere to brush her teeth or wash her clothes, let alone a quiet place to do homework.

She was just one of many

Boston students living without a stable living place. This year Avashia has four eighth graders without permanent housing, including a 14-year-old boy forced to live in the same room as his mother — something that obviously raises tensions in the relationship.

Across Boston Public Schools

See HOMELESS, page 10

A steady stream of Boston Public Schools principals marched into the Bruce Bolling Municipal Building last week to discuss how the estimated $40 million in cuts to this year’s BPS budget would affect their schools. As news of deep cuts spread, parent organizers began piecing together a picture of a challenging fiscal year 2017 for the school system.

While school department officials have made no official announcements of the cuts, parent activists say high schools will absorb $7 million of the cuts, and more than 20 schools will receive cuts of 5 percent or greater.

Additionally, the school department is expected to increase class sizes for Special Education students, upping the student-toteacher ratio from 9-1 to 10-1.

In a statement released to the Banner, Superintendent Tommy Chang acknowledged the severity of the cuts.

“Boston Public Schools is entering a difficult budget scenario for Fiscal Year 2017,” Chang said.

BY THE NUMBERS Among the cuts parent activists have reported are:

$800,000

cut from the budget of Boston Community Leadership Academy

$700,000 $500,000 $250,000 $200,000 cut from Boston Latin School

cut from Boston Latin Academy

cut from the Boston Teachers Union Academy

cut from the Patrick Lyndon School

“Despite our projected financial obstacles, our schools remain strong and our commitment to excellence in teaching and learning continues. I have been touched by the tremendous efforts of our school leaders to engage in a thoughtful and caring dialogue

See SCHOOL CUTS, page 36

Cops release FIO data

By YAWU MILLER

After 16 months of advocacy and a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, the Boston Police Department last week released five years of data from its Field Intelligence Observation database showing persistent disparities between the rates at which blacks and whites are stopped, observed, questioned and searched by police.

Additionally, entries in the database raise troubling questions about whether Boston police

officers are violating Fourth Amendment rights against unlawful search and seizure. In more than 70 percent of the database entries, officers listed their reason for stopping people as “investigate a person.”

Under U.S. law, police officers cannot detain suspects for questioning against their will unless they can cite what’s called a reasonable suspicion that that person has committed or is about to commit a crime.

Police officers are either not

See POLICE, page 19

BANNER PHOTO

Boston Police Officers detain a suspect in this 2015 photo. While blacks make up 24 percent of the city’s population, they represent 58 percent of pedestrians and drivers stopped, detained, questioned and searched by police.

2 • Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

Activists: Discrimination runs deep at Academy

By YAWU MILLER

A Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination ruling ordering the Boston Police Department to “cease and desist from the disparate treatment of recruits based on race” casts a public spotlight on what some say is a longstanding problem of discrimination against black officers in the department’s disposition of penalties for misconduct.

The ruling stemmed from a complaint by former recruit Claude Defay, alleging he was dismissed from the police training academy while white recruits who committed offenses similar to the one for which he was charged were given lesser sanctions.

Defay was dismissed from the academy after he allegedly asked a fellow recruit about a question on an exam during a bathroom break, a Class I offense that, according to department rules could result in dismissal from the academy. Yet white officers who committed offenses including public drunkenness, lying and engaging in a brawl outside a pub were given lesser punishments.

Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officials President Larry Ellison said Defay’s case was part of a wider pattern of discrimination against blacks in the police department’s academy.

“We get complaints all the time from people who are unfairly dismissed from the academy,” he said.

“We have a hard time getting folks hired.”

BANNER PHOTO

The Boston Police Academy in Hyde Park.

The Banner could not verify Ellison’s claim. The Boston Police Department did not respond to a request for information on blacks and Latinos disciplined or dismissed from the academy.

Court-ordered integration

Since 2010, 61 employees and applicants have filed discrimination complaints based on race or ethnicity against the department with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, according to a spokesman for the state agency.

For decades, the police department’s hiring was done under the

terms of a 1973 consent decree stemming from a 1970 NAACP lawsuit. The consent decree mandated that the department consider for hire one black or Latino applicant for every white applicant. For any applicants not admitted – white, black or Latino – the department was required to submit a written explanation to the NAACP’s lawyers. The consent decree was to remain in effect until the percentage of black and Latino officers on the force matched the percentage of blacks and Latinos living in Boston.

The percentage of black officers on the force rose from 3.5 percent

in the 1970s to 24.6 percent in 2001, slightly greater than blacks’ 24 percent share of Boston’s population. In 2004, a federal judge ordered the consent decree lifted after a group of eight white officers sued the department claiming they were passed over for hire.

Veterans preference

Under the department’s current hiring policy, armed services veterans are given precedence over other applicants. Because there are far fewer people of color in Massachusetts serving in the armed services, the number of black and Latino candidates entering the

department has declined precipitously in the years since the consent decree ended.

In the 2013 police academy class, 8 out of 57 graduates were people of color. In the 2014 class, 11 out of 63 graduates were people of color. Both MAMLEO and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice have requested information on the current recruit class. The Lawyers’ Committee had not received a response to their Dec. 22 request by the Banner’s press deadline. Ellison said MAMLEO has not received a response either.

Because many officers hired in the 1980s are now retiring, Ellison said the number of blacks on the force could decline rapidly.

“Based on attrition alone, we’ll be extinct in 10 years,” he said.

“The department has known this for a long time. They haven’t done anything to rectify the situation.”

Ellison said the BPD also is using background checks, including factors like employment history and credit, to exclude black and Latino applicants.

“Most of our folks are weeded out before they even get to the academy,” he said. “In most cases, people of color are held to higher standards than whites. There’s a lot of favoritism and nepotism.”

With fewer blacks and Latinos entering the academy, the number of complaints coming to MAMLEO is declining, said Jim Gilden, an attorney who represents MAMLEO. “A lot of people have just given up,” he said. “So many people fight just to get into the academy.”

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Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 3

Fears and protests in wake of ICE raids on Central American families

By JULE PATTISON-GORDON

Announcements of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids on undocumented Central American immigrants last week sent tremors of fear across the nation’s immigrant communities. Over New Year’s weekend, 121 individuals were rounded up and sent to a Texas facility to be processed for deportation. Most were women and children residing in Georgia, Texas and North Carolina.

Rumors — later rejected — spread that local raids were made in East Boston, Chelsea and Revere.

Last Wednesday, a crowd gathered on the State House steps for a candlelight vigil protesting ICE’s intensified tactics. Speakers decried deportations as a threat to human life.

Immigration activists and immigrants charge that the aggressive crackdown turns a blind eye to a desperate humanitarian need. They claim that many who arrive illegally from Central America are escaping extreme violence and have not had proper opportunity to make their case for asylum.

“We have a double standard emerging where asylum seekers from overseas — especially the Syrian refugees that were so hotly debated in Congress — were recognized as needing protection under our asylum laws, and the president spoke of needing to assure protections for them.” George Chen, director of advocacy for the American Immigration Lawyers Association, told the Banner. “And yet the president has never acknowledged that the Central American population is fleeing from tremendous violence … and is qualifying for asylum here.

[The president] continues to treat them as illegal border-crossers and that needs to come to an end.”

Extreme violence

Cairo Mendes, a Brazilian immigrant and lead organizer of the Student Immigration Movement, said at the vigil that in many cases,

BOSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

deportations are “sentencing us to our death.” Speakers from El Salvador and Guatemala added their voices, recounting tales of murders, gang violence and threats to their families’ lives that spurred them to flee their home countries.

An example underscoring their accounts: murders in El Salvador rose by 70 percent from 2014-2015, and the country’s homicide rate has reached a higher level than that held by any other country in the last 20 years, according to USA Today.

Asylum appeals

The raids are part of a Department of Homeland Security move to increase deportation of illegal immigrants caught crossing the southern border after May 1, 2014.

According to a press release issued

by DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, the roundups focus on cases where there are no other legal options, an immigration court has given final orders for the individual’s removal and the individual has no outstanding appeal or claim for asylum or other humanitarian relief. Families and unaccompanied children are not exempt, he emphasized.

Activists contest that immigrants do not always get sufficient resources to allow them to make their case for asylum and that in some cases raids have been used despite the presence of other modes of legal recourse.

Patricia Montes is the executive director of Centro Presente, the organization that convened the vigil.

She said her organization is one of many that provide free legal counsel to immigrants seeking asylum, but that there are not enough services to meet the high demand. The detainment of families in remote locations also creates a significant barrier to gaining access to counsel, Chen said.

And lawyers make a huge difference.

“Government statistics show a person is much more likely to be able to demonstrate their eligibility for asylum if they have counsel,”

ON THE WEB YOUR RIGHTS IN A RAID: http://www. incite-national.org/page/know-your-rights-caseimmigrationpolice-raid STATEMENT BY JEH JOHNSON: http:// www.dhs.gov/news/2016/01/04/state ment-secretary-jeh-c-johnson-southwest-bor der-security Chen said. “It’s impossible to imagine a mother with young children, who speaks no English, who has no knowledge of American legal structures or immigration laws, that she could explain to an official or judge that she needs asylum.”

Root battles and causes

But the legal case is only one piece of the immigration policy argument.

The bigger underlying issue, say immigrants and activists, is that not enough is being done to protect the lives of vulnerable people.

The raids are viewed as an escalation of Obama administration efforts to deter Central American immigration, Chen said. “These raids … are consistent with the refusal of this administration to acknowledge that these are people that are in flight from real violence and should be protected in our country.”

Centro Presente’s Montes said, “The authorities know most of these people are refugees that are fleeing violence and instability in Central America.”

As a tactic, ICE’s raids fail to confront the structural issues inspiring mass immigration to the U.S., Montes said. Instead, the U.S. and Central American governments

BANNER PHOTO

A Centro Presente candlelight vigil drew crowds of supporters in front of the State House. should develop policies to change the systemic forces contributing to cycles of violence and poverty in the country.

DHS has acknowledged a similar reality and the federal government is making efforts toward that end.

“More border security and removals, by themselves, will not overcome the underlying conditions that currently exist in Central America,” Johnson wrote. “To effectively address this situation, we recognize that we must offer alternatives to those who are fleeing the poverty and violence in Central America … I am pleased that Congress, in the recently-enacted omnibus spending bill, included $750 million in aid for Central America.”

The $750 million spending bill

passed by Congress last month is targeted at improving security, economic development and governance and combating gang violence in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. To force government reform, dispersal of the full funds hinges on the countries implementing of steps such as prosecuting corrupt officials and increasing professionalism of police forces. Another element: a quarter of the money will be provided only if the governments make efforts to improve border security and spread information on the dangers of traveling to the U.S. Johnson also announced a ramping up of efforts to develop new screening and processing methods for Central American refugees and an expansion of access to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

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4 • Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

EDITORIAL

SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

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INSIDE: BUSINESS, 15 • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, 28 • COMMUNITY CALENDAR, 33 • CLASSIFIEDS, 38

Established 1965

At war with guns Many Americans seem to be terrified by the challenge of confronting life’s exigencies without a firearm being readily at hand. Efforts to regulate the sale of guns often are viewed as an infringement of the Second Amendment that threatens to violate the constitutional right to bear arms.

Conservatives were generally unenthusiastic about President Obama’s recent proposals to enforce existing gun restrictions more rigorously.

Despite their fear of being disarmed by governmental decree, Republicans still support the policy of expanded background checks on those buying guns. In December, Quinnipiac University conducted an opinion poll on that issue. As expected, Democrats had the highest support for expanded background checks with 95 percent in favor. Surprisingly, 87 percent of Republicans polled also supported that policy.

However, a broader statement of the issue revealed a distinct difference of opinion. The results were quite different in a December CNN poll when the question was, “Do you support stricter gun control laws?” Only about half of the respondents supported that idea. In recent surveys only about 23 percent of the Republicans favored a stronger gun policy.

The lack of Republican support on the issue creates a severe political problem for Obama. The constitutional division of authority between Congress and the president forces him to muster Republican commitment. Any suggestion Obama might make ultimately requires spending public funds, and only Congress can authorize that. In order to generate public interest in the issue, Obama had to publicize the most dramatic incidents of gun violence.

The problem with that approach is that it gave the appearance of being overly dramatic. The incidents were indeed worthy of

publicity, but if the issue was the number of gun murders, then mass murders do not have the highest death rate, and while too numerous, they are still substantially less frequent than the daily gangbang shootings in most major cities.

There were 20 first grade pupils killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School invasion in 2012, and nine parishioners were shot to death last year by Dylann Roof in the Charleston, S.C. church. More recently, 14 people died in the shooting in San Bernardino, Calif. The whole nation grieved after every one of those massacres. Unfortunately, few people give much thought to the large number of blacks who are gunned down daily on our city streets.

While blacks constitute only 15 percent of the nation’s population, firearm deaths for blacks are twice as high as the rate for whites, according to Newsweek. The tenuous gun control laws make it easy for young blacks to obtain guns. And their involvement in the drug traffic makes it necessary for gangbangers to be armed to protect their sanctioned drug territories. The projected number of youths with guns will vary from city to city.

As Obama tries to reform the situation with a more rigorous control of the existing gun laws, it is important for citizens to understand more clearly what is at stake.

Of course it is important to make a Sandy Hook, Charleston or a San Bernardino less likely in the future. But far more menacing to the tranquility of society is the daily gunfire that results from the easy availability of firearms in most major cities.

Conservatives tolerate the nation’s horrific gun violence in order not to jeopardize their right to amass substantial personal arsenals. Stricter gun laws might disrupt the conservatives’ plans. America has become a nation at war with itself.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Remembering King Once again we have come to another Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday holiday, another chance to reflect on his life and his work in the world and his impact on current American life.

We have come far since his passing in 1968 when an assassin ended his life standing on a motel balcony in Tennessee fighting for the rights of Memphis’ folk to secure decent wages in a union garbage strike.

He may have died but the vision

he had for the future lived on. We are much better as a country today because of the work of Dr. King and those who picked up the mantle after he left us.

However, this holiday is also a time for us here today to continue on his mission of making America a great nation for all, a nation where all are considered and treated equally before the law.

Boston is a better community today. There are still issues to be resolved but we must stay focused

INDEX NEWS BRIEFS ……………………………………........................ 6 BUSINESS NEWS ………………………………...................... 15 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT …………………...................... 28 COMMUNITY CALENDAR …………………........................ 33 FOOD …………………....................................................... 34 CLASSIFIEDS ……………………………………....................... 38

and on track. We cannot get derailed from the goal of an America where race and ethnicity get in the way of living out our lives and dreams as we each see fit.

I met Dr. King once back in 1965 when he came to Boston. I was only 16 years old but knew what he was saying and doing needed to be said and done. It still does today.

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Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 5

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OPINION

Roxbury health centers help make history

By DR. MYECHIA MINTER-JORDAN AND FREDERICA WILLIAMS Today’s health care landscape would have been almost unrecognizable 50 years ago. Miracle drugs and medical devices have changed how we approach everything from diagnostics to treatment. But one of the most fundamental differences is an approach that helped spark the entire progressive health care reform movement, and it started right here in Massachusetts, where its practitioners are continuing to lead the state and the nation.

In 1965, physician activists H. Jack Geiger and Count D. Gibson Jr. developed a new model to provide accessible, affordable and high-quality health care. They founded two community health centers, the first in the Columbia Point section of Dorchester, and the second in Mound Bayou, MS. This new model — a community health center — introduced concepts that form the very foundation of health care today: prevention and wellness, chronic disease management, patient-centered care and community health. We see these concepts playing out today at The Dimock Center and Whittier Street Health Center in Roxbury.

The innovative model of health care launched by health centers seeks to improve the overall health of entire neighborhoods by approaching care holistically, by understanding the specific cultural, social and economic conditions affecting their patients. It has succeeded in 1,200 health centers across the U.S. serving nearly 28 million Americans in urban, suburban and rural communities, including the Boston communities of Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, Hyde Park, Mattapan and Dorchester.

A hallmark of the community health center model, now at The Dimock Center, provides comprehensive substance abuse treatment and integrated behavioral health and primary care services to patients.

Dimock directs one of only two detox facilities in Greater Boston and has specialized, on-campus addiction treatment services that are sought out by individuals from more than 200 Zip codes across the state. In addition to its inpatient detox facility, outpatient addiction services and residential recovery homes, its holistic patient-centered medical home fully integrates behavioral health and primary care for children and adults. This model empowers patients to take control of their physical and mental health with a team of doctors and social workers. We work to share these models by participating in research projects and networking with our colleagues from across the city, state and country.

The burden of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, asthma and obesity falls heavily on communities of color. In response, Whittier Street Health Center has developed specialized programs for the management of chronic illnesses that place wellness and prevention front and center. More recently, in response to the lack of fitness and wellness facilities in the Roxbury area, Whittier raised funds to construct a 6,800 square foot medical fitness center and community wellness garden, both of which opened in June 2015. The fitness center offers a broad array of services and activities, including physical fitness, exercise machines, classes in aerobics, yoga and Zumba, and access to a pediatric healthy weight coordinator. In addition to offering a relaxing green space, the Center’s new community garden is tended to by volunteers from the neighborhood and will help improve residents’ access to fresh fruits and vegetables. In combination with Whittier’s Boston Health Equity Program, a primary care delivery model that combines care coordination, community outreach and wellness support, these nation-leading initiatives are helping to redefine health care delivery in underserved communities.

Health centers across Massachusetts have made impressive gains, particularly with high-risk populations. Recent data from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration show that Massachusetts health centers continue to score higher than the national average on federal quality, outcomes and disparities measures related to childhood immunizations, assisting prenatal patients, reducing the incidence of low birth weight babies, and helping patients manage diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic conditions.

The challenge for the immediate future will be to sustain health center innovation through the radical economic transition that health care is undergoing. Competition for health care workers, particularly primary care providers, is intensifying. The Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers is leveraging support from state and federal policymakers, business, philanthropy, and health care industry partners to address this need. From public-private loan forgiveness programs for health center primary care providers, to health-center-based residency training programs, to community leadership programs designed to cultivate the next generation of physician and administrative leaders, health centers continue their hallmark grassroots efforts to lead the industry forward.

Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan and Frederica Williams are President and CEO of The Dimock Center and Whittier Street Health Center, respectively.

ROVING CAMERA

What do you think can be done to reduce gun violence in the United States?

Honestly, I think it’s a battle that will continue to be fought. It won’t be easily resolved. You have to reach people who carry guns.

I don’t think there’s any one policy.

You need a lot of different policies depending on where in the U.S. you are.

I don’t think taking people’s right to own guns away will solve the problem. People will want them more.

But you have to restrict access with more regulations.

Nadine Jones-Ruffin

George Silas

Nymah Kumah

Clinical Supervisor Roxbury

Nothing. Nothing at all.

Bryana

Student Mattapan

Community Outreach Dorchester

You have to screen people better.

Background checks. People should have a good reason for owning a gun. You can’t just give them to everybody.

Abdula Saccoh

Laborer Roxbury

More controls. Young people shouldn’t be able to have gun licenses.

Angel

Laborer Mission Hill

Student Boston

IN THE NEWS

PRIYA LANE Today, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice (LCCR) announced the appointment of Priya A. Lane as its Director of the Belin Economic Justice Project. She will oversee the organization’s work providing free business legal support to small minority-owned businesses across Massachusetts.

The Belin Economic Justice Project works with pro bono attorneys from Boston’s leading law firms to provide free legal assistance to entrepreneurs who are starting or expanding small businesses in disadvantaged communities, including communities of color, low-income communities, and immigrant communities. EJP conducts workshops and legal clinics, provides one-on-one legal consultations, and matches business owners with pro bono attorneys for individual representation.

“I am honored to work at an organization that does so much for minority and immigrant communities,” said Lane. “Coming

from an immigrant family, I know firsthand the impact that economic empowerment can have.

EJP has the ability to change neighborhoods and make dreams come true. ” Since its inception in 2001, EJP has assisted over 4,000 entrepreneurs. Almost half of the entrepreneurs served are women.

EJP has held workshops and clinics in more than 35 communities across Greater Boston — including Chinatown, Chelsea, East Boston, Mattapan, Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, Roxbury, Lowell and Lawrence — focusing on issues such as business planning, entity formation, contracts, leases and access to capital.

Lane is a 2013 graduate of Northeastern University School of Law. She has been working as a Staff Attorney with LCCR since then on a wide range of civil rights matters, including education, employment, housing and police misconduct. In her new position, Lane will continue to

work with the communities that LCCR serves. During LCCR’s Fall 2015 “Create Your Own Job” Seminar at Roxbury Community College, Lane advised small business owners on numerous legal issues their businesses face.

Concurrently, she reorganized LCCR’s intake process for small businesses.

6 • Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

NEWSBRIEFS VISIT US ONLINE FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS: WWW.BAYSTATEBANNER.COM Legislation passed to repeal automatic license suspension and reinstatement fee The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed legislation to repeal the current law that subjects individuals convicted of a non-violent drug offense to an automatic license suspension for up to five years and a license reinstatement fee of $500, even if the offense does not involve motor vehicles in any way. Thirty-four states, including every other New England state, have already taken action to repeal similar laws.

“Today, I proudly voted with my colleagues to repeal a 26-year-old state law that automatically suspends the driver’s license of anyone convicted of a drug offense,” said Rep. Liz Malia, Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health & Substance Abuse and the lead sponsor of the original bill. “Too often have I heard from individuals who are in recovery and unable to get a job or support family members because they cannot obtain a driver’s license.

Fixing this outdated law removes the barrier and burden faced by thousands of Massachusetts residents who have served their time and are working hard to rebuild their lives. I commend the Speaker on his leadership and for his continued efforts to change how we view and treat those suffering from addiction.”

The bill requires the Registry of Motor Vehicles, without a fee, to reinstate, issue or renew the licenses of individuals who previously have had their licenses suspended under that law. The bill does not repeal or

amend sanctions related to operating under the influence.

Recognizing the challenges related to reintegration, the bill also requires the RMV to shield driving records containing CORI information from public access. This provision closes an existing loophole by ensuring that information protected through the CORI reform law remains private. With the proposed repeal of this debilitating law, the Legislature is taking immediate action on criminal justice reform while it awaits a comprehensive report from the Council of State Governments.

“This bill is one of the Caucus’ legislative priorities for the 2015-2016 session. We look forward to moving the bill through Conference Committee and onto the Governor’s desk as soon as possible,” said Rep. Russell Holmes, Chair of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus.

Additionally, the bill includes language sponsored by members of the Republican caucus that would preserve license suspensions for those convicted of trafficking in illegal drugs aside from marijuana.

The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.

More than 1,000 new units deemed affordable in 2015 Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced that Boston has surpassed the 1,000-unit mark of new affordable housing units permitted in a single year. The 1,022 new units of affordable housing permitted in 2015 is the largest number of new units permitted in a single year in

20 years of recordkeeping. The previous record was 862 units in 2004.

This number includes all deed-restricted housing permitted in the City of Boston.

Boston is now running at 107 percent of the target rate needed to create the 6,500 new affordable units called for in Walsh’s housing plan “Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030.”

“We are committed to creating a Boston that anyone, at any income level, can afford to live in,” Walsh said.

“I am pleased that because of our administration’s commitment to creating affordable housing, we have been able to capture the strong real estate market, create jobs and give more people and families the opportunity to find affordable housing in Boston.”

The mayor made the announcement during remarks at the Commercial Real Estate Services’ annual market overview meeting in Boston on Thursday morning.

Of these new affordable units, 364 will be affordable to households making below 30 percent of area median income. In addition, this number includes 658 units of deed-restricted units affordable to the middle class.

In 2015, the City’s Department of Neighborhood Development and the Boston Redevelopment Authority approved 1,443 new units of affordable housing - 35 percent of all new development approvals in 2015 and a 55 percent increase over 2014.

Although these units have not received permits yet, they make up a sizable portion of Boston’s affordable housing pipeline.

The estimated total development cost for these affordable units

is approximately $492 million, with a total public investment of approximately $154 million, including $23 million of city funds from sources including HOME, Inclusionary Development funds, Linkage and city operating funds. Other public funding sources include state and federal funds, along with tax credit equity.

With 19 percent of its housing units reserved to help house its low and moderate income residents, Boston’s share of affordable housing is higher than any other major city in the country. But even though Boston is a national leader in affordable housing production and policy, there are still many residents in need of affordable housing options.

The City of Boston is currently home to an estimated 28,400 low-income households that need

affordable housing. Demographic projections show that by 2030, there will be approximately 9,750 additional low-income non-elderly households living in Boston, resulting in a projected affordable housing need of approximately 38,200 units by 2030.

In 2015 alone, the administration invested nearly $50 million in affordable housing this year through 2 RFP processes; shifted the Inclusionary Development Policy to generate more units and more funding for affordable housing; and increased the amount of City-owned real estate designated for housing and mixed-use development from 29,625 square feet in 2014 to 419,442 square feet in 2015.

See NEWS BRIEFS, page 13

Governor tours Duggan Middle School

JOANNE DECARO

Governor Charlie Baker visited John Duggan Middle School in Springfield to highlight a Level 4 school in the midst of a turnaround. The governor toured the school, met with students and took part in a roundtable discussion about the flexibilities created by the Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership.

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Policies must recognize diversity of black pop.

the more they may move away from a one-size-fits all template for treating blacks, he said.

Taking on immigrant causes

New look at health care & immigrant causes

By JULE PATTISON-GORDON

Boston’s long-diverse black population is becoming increasingly so as the number of foreign-born rises.

This growing heterogeneity has some experts saying it is time policies and services caught up with the reality and faced the fact that members of the black community have varied needs.

“There is a presumption that the black community is a monolithic one,” said James Jennings, professor emeritus at Tufts University.

In particular, some scholars say, new healthcare approaches and greater offering of immigrant services are needed.

In 2014, Boston’s population was more than one-quarter foreign-born, according to the Boston Redevelopment Authority. The most-represented ethnic group was Dominican, with Haitian coming in as third-most prominent. A recent report — co-authored by Jennings — recorded that in Massachusetts, 32.8 percent of the black population is foreign-born. The most common first ancestries of blacks in the state are Haitian, Cape Verdean and Jamaican, followed

by Nigerian, Ethiopian, Kenyan,

BOSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Trinidadian and Tobagonian, Barbadian and Ghanaian.

No typical patient

Jennings said health care professionals have often acted as if there is one typical black patient with a standard set of needs — a mistake that may become increasingly apparent as the community continues to diversify.

One example: while medical studies long have reported that African Americans tend to have high blood pressure, Jennings said recent studies found that Jamaican Americans buck the trend. “[For] Jamaicans who have been here a long time, a few studies are finding their blood pressure rates are much lower than African Americans who’ve been here a long time,” he said.

Health care professionals not only need to assess what kinds of care they emphasize but also how they deliver it. Patients from different cultures bring varied expectation for what healthcare should look like, including the role of the doctor, medication and where and how care is sought, said Linda Sprague Martinez, assistant professor at Boston University.

She cited the example of a young Dominican man, who told

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her he was surprised by how American doctors practiced. Compared to doctors in his native country, the Americans acted in what he felt was a rushed, impersonal style of patient treatment. They seemed eager to hook patients up to machines and run tests, but not to talk or listen to them, he had said.

These kinds of cultural disconnects can make it challenging for health care providers to build trust with patients, Sprague Martinez said. “Providers need to be more cognizant to meet people where they’re at [culturally].”

Community health centers traditionally have had more success meeting patients where they are culturally.

In part, this is because the centers are embedded in neighborhoods, which affords them comprehension of local context; they also tend to hire staff who reflect the community and allocate more time for each patient.

Although some larger hospitals now are making efforts to gather and incorporate patient feedback into their programs, most are not well-attuned to the needs of the community, Sprague Martinez said.

Jennings said patient outreach is an area that needs to go further.

“We have very little consumer-client evaluation of the human services delivered in black or Latino communities,” he said. The more hospitals gather responses,

As the number of foreign-born rises, offering services to immigrants and championing their causes in the political sector will become increasingly important in the black community.

“There’s still may be pockets in the black community that see immigration as a non-black issue,” Jennings said. [“But] immigration, bilingual education — all of a sudden those issues are not the other group’s issues. Those are our issues.”

Traditionally, new immigrants are focused on establishing economic stability for themselves and their families: acquiring jobs, housing and child care, and getting children into good schools. They may need community assistance to reach these goals, said Rachel Bernard, an independent consultant.

“It will be up to the academic, community health centers and other civic organizations to really reach out and get to know people in their communities that are newcomers,” she said.

Among the most crucial of immigrant needs is expanding access to English-language learning resources and opportunities, Bernard said. This means providing English language classes at schools, community-based organizations and workplaces. Similarly, schools, like hospitals, need to be aware of the cultures they serve in order to ensure their programs and services cater to all members’ needs and are well-received.

One black community, mostly

Although it may take time for

new arrivals to integrate, Jennings said that for the most part, members of Boston’s black population have not divided into communities along ethnic lines, but rather identified as part of a larger black community.

“At end of day I think people see themselves as part of the black community. It’s not like ‘us’ and ‘them’ in the black community,” he said.

One factor influencing this is that new arrivals land in the midst of power structures and dialogue that often group people along lines of black, white, Latino or Asian. There is less of a focus on subgroups within those broader categories, Jennings said.

“They’re responding to a context of, ‘You’re still a person of color.’”

He said media and the research community often have regarded the black community as homogenous and not distinguished further.

Likewise, many in the Latino and black communities come together over shared concerns such as housing and health causes, Jennings said.

City Councilor Tito Jackson said that the diversity of the black and Latino communities has been a source of strength, providing new insight and perspectives on causes faced by the community as a whole. “[It] brings a powerful perspective and ability to bring solutions to the table from their respective countries and cultures, and that is a wonderful thing to happen,” he said.

ON THE WEB Read the report: https://www.umb.edu/ editor_uploads/images/trotter/The_Black_ Comparative_Experience_in_Massachusetts_ December_2015_Final_Report_adobe. pdf?cachebuster:2

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8 • Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

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Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 9

Boston Trades Assessment Center at Roxbury Community College Roxbury Community College (RCC), in partnership with YouthBuild Boston (YBB), is pleased to announce the Building Trades Assessment Center (BTAC). This Center is housed on RCC’s campus and our key industry partners include: • The New England Regional Council of Carpenters; • Skanska Construction; • Suffolk Construction; and, • Shawmut Design & Construction.

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10 • Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

homeless

BY THE NUMBERS

4-5 35 25

continued from page 1

on counts percent or more increase in homeless children, youth and young adults in Boston between 2014-2015 percent increase in homeless families in Boston between 2014-2015

this year, 2,363 children— about 4 percent — are homeless, according to numbers reported in July by the Boston Herald. BPS’s Homeless Education Research Network estimates the number is closer to 3,000.

As they enter their new term, City Councilors Tito Jackson and Annissa Essaibi-George have said that homeless students are high on the agenda.

ON THE WEB HERN facts and figures: http://bostonhern.

org/about/facts/#content Boston Public Health Commission 2014-2015 homeless census:

School change chaos

The disorientation and stress of living without a stable place to call home can be traumatic to children and adults alike. Many times it can lead to losing one’s original school as well — another disruption that is the last thing these children need, Jackson and Essaibi-George said.

“School for many children is the one constant in their lives,” Essaibi-George said. “When things happen that disrupt the regular rhythm and practice of their daily lives, school can remain that one constant.” Should children have to transfer, new schools become “another point of chaos and change.”

The city is required to provide transportation for students housed in far-away shelters so that they may remain enrolled at their school, but the longer transit times may prove too difficult for the family.

“I‘ve been told anecdotally that there are children that are traveling an hour-and-a-half to two hours to school,” Jackson said.

“That’s very difficult, in particular for young children.”

This instability affects academic success, according to information posted on Homeless Education

percent of Boston Public School students are homeless, depending

http://www.bphc.org/healthdata/ other-reports/Documents/2015_ HomelessCensusKeyFindings.pdf

BANNER PHOTO

Neema Avashia, a grade 8 teacher at John W. McCormack Middle School, strives to address the needs of her homeless students.

Research Network’s website.

“Every time a child has to change schools, his or her education is disrupted,” HERN reports. “According to some estimates, three to six months of education are lost with every move. Some students may have to repeat a grade.”

Instability on all levels

Homelessness introduces instability on all levels of life, from forcing people to leave their community entirely — as they go to shelters and transfer to new schools — to disrupting daily minutiae. Showering and laundry become challenges for families living in a car.

Students find it difficult to focus on lessons and keep their materials

organized when basic hygiene, nutrition and stability needs go unmet. Simple educational tasks like keeping school supplies and uniforms organized can be a hard for homeless students who may have to carry all their belongings with them and do not know where they will be sleeping each night.

“How do you have good organization when you’re carrying all your things everywhere?” Avashia said.

And the effects of restoring stability can be dramatic. When Avashia’s student finally secured a place to call home, her failing grades turned to As and Bs, she no longer seemed depressed and her sense of humor emerged.

Common procedure

Schools need more resources and guidance for approaching homelessness, Avashia said. And some of that can be simple: giving teachers a clear outline of steps or possible approaches to pursue in these kinds of situations, along with lists of who can be contacted.

Through collaboration with social workers and discussions, the McCormack Middle School organized an approach to help its students. A school-based committee identified several teachers as resources students could approach to meet basic needs, such as breakfast or a toothbrush. The McCormack committee raised money to let the family stay in a hotel some nights. When these funds ran out, the guidance counselor talked the student through coping plans to prepare her for staying in her car or for yet

another move. The counselor attended Department of Transitional Assistance meetings with the family.

Despite these separate initiatives, schools’ response systems are haphazard. They depend on individual teachers and staff noticing issues and resolving them as best as they can, Avashia said.

“We’re all just fumbling and doing the best we can,” she said.

Had she just entered teaching, she might have been too caught up figuring out how to be a good educator to realize what a student sleeping in class might signify, Avashia added.

“These actions aren’t things you learn in teacher preparation. No one tells you what to do if you have a student sleeping in their car.”

As instances like these become a daily fact of life for many schools, teachers need training in handling and identifying issues related to homeless and other traumas.

Meeting basic needs

Another remedial option: organizing schools to satisfy their children’s basic survival needs on site.

Schools need a washing machine and a dryer for kids who do not have access to laundry, Avashia said, and private showers — not the open locker room variety — for children to clean themselves up.

Food pantries or food bank pickups could be located at the school.

Another help: systems to provide warm clothes and school supplies for those in needs.

When Avashia’s school previously had a snack program, children would take extra food on

Thursdays and Fridays to stock up for the weekend, when they were less sure they would be able to eat. While McCormack provides breakfast and lunch, school vacations and weekends can be bleak for children who do not know where their next meal will come from. “[Children] can feel really nervous about where they’re going to get food on the weekend,” she said.

Greater staff would help as well.

While McCormack’s guidance counselor was able to make great strides with the student, some schools have only one counselor for hundreds of students.

A city matter

City councilors are preparing to examine the problem of student homelessness.

Essaibi-George said she sees a need for schools to become warning systems that can identify atrisk families and connect them with services to help them avoid homelessness. She also envisioned schools offering more wraparound support services for both students and their families.

Jackson said he intends to convene a city council hearing to explore how different organizations and individuals who work with homelessness and housing can collaborate with BPS to provide resources to students.

Rising numbers of homeless students reflect a wider issue affecting Bostonians of all ages. As Boston’s housing crisis continues, more people become homeless.

The number of affected families increased by 25 percent from 2014 to 2015, according to the latest Boston Public Health Commission homeless census.

“As an overarching goal, the city needs to be able to create more housing,” Essaibi-George said.

“That’s a goal of the city that we need to continue working towards.”

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Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 11

Annual Public Charter School Enrollment Showcase!

Come Enroll Your Children in the Highest Performing Public Schools in Boston!

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Saturday, January 23, 2016 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Watson Auditorium

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WHAT TO BRING TO THE SHOWCASE For each school application, you may be required to submit up to two proofs of address (utility bills or rental lease) and a copy of the student’s birth certificate.

Please bring several copies of each, as there is not a photocopier on site!

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Translators who speak Cape Verdean, Chinese, Portuguese, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese will be available.

12 • Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

For native community, irony and shaky claims in Oregon standoff Today Media Network. She is the creator of Not Your Mascot and is finishing her first book “Not Your Disappearing Indian: An American Indian Manifesto for the 21st Century.”

Dakota Sioux. We have our own long walks and tragedies. I come from a very large tribe — the Navajo Nation has 340,000 members. We Editor’s Note: Since January were force-marched across the 2, a group of armed anti-govstate of New Mexico. But we reernment demonstrators led by turned to our homeland and have Ammon Bundy have been occuincreased in population since then. pying a federal wildlife refuge What are you seeing from the Native CNN IMAGE You look at the Burns Paiute, Armed Oregon ranchers are challenging government ownership of grazing land, but in Oregon. The demonstrators community in terms of a response to they have not recovered their popu- Native American activists says the land belongs to the Burns Paiute tribe. are demanding that the federal what’s going on in Oregon? government give control of the JK: I was not aware of the Paiute lation. The history gets lost. There’s land and its resources back to the story until now, and I think that’s a lot of mythology to America that the world who do not possess fee What has happened to the tribe over clouds this discussion … For a lot of simple title to their land. The Su- time? How large is it today? ranchers and people of the county. true for a lot of people. If you look Partners Human Research Committee The irony for many in the Native at social media, it’s really captured land in the United States, the title is preme Court has cited the DisJK: The Paiutes were forceDate not legally heldEffective under international covery doctrine as recently as marched from the Malheur Indian community is that the land in Native people’s imaginations. This APPROVAL The U.S. govern- 2005 as still being the law of the Reservation in 1879, after the Banquestion was in the past Northern is significant because in states legal standards.

8/11/2015 Paiute land. NAM spoke with Or- like Oregon and California, many ment is kind of shuffling things land, in a case between the city nock War. It was 137 years ago this egon-based Navajo and Yankton people don’t realize how complete around to make their claims to the of Sherrill, New York and the month. The wildlife refuge at the land legal, and really they’re hold- Oneida Nation.

Dakota Sioux writer Jacqueline the genocide really was. time was part of the reservation.

The legality of this is shaky, It was the middle of winter, in Keeler, who has been reporting on My tribe is not indigenous to ing it by force. because of this countercurrent, the snow, and some of them were the occupation for Indian Country Oregon — I’m Navajo and Yankton which is the treaty process. When shackled two-by-two. They were What do you make of the Bundy the United States ratifies trea- marched all the way to the Yakama militia’s demand that the federal Help Us Learn More About Sleep! ties, it acknowledges the sover- Indian Reservation, which is in government return the land to the eignty of that nation. When they Washington State, about 350 people of Harney County?

JK: It shows a lot of ignorance ratify treaties with tribes, they’re miles away. One group that was If you are: that most Americans have about saying that these tribes are not marched off separately was disap55-70 years old the shaky nature, legally speak- just random gatherings of people peared by the army. The tribe does Non smoker ing, of the authority that the U.S. or ethnic groups — they are sov- not know what became of them.

Healthy and taking no medication The hundred or so that came government has over the land it ereign states. back eventually, they were landpurports to own. It goes back to You may be eligible for a 37-day sleep research less outlaws in Burns. They were the Doctrine of Discovery, which For Native people, could anything study at Brigham & Women’s Hospital. There will finally given land decades later was formulated by the first Chief positive come out of the Bundy at the former city dump … Today Justice of the Supreme Court … militia’s occupation? be a 4-6 week screening period. Must be willing when a discovering Christian JK: I think so. There’s a White there are 420 members. to spend 37 consecutive days and nights in our The Paiutes are the sovereigns nation sets foot on land in the House petition going around, facility.

Americas, the title to that land asking that the title of the land of the land. In their case, the U.S. immediately reverts to that dis- be reverted back to the tribe. I government did not ratify the Receive up to $10,125 covering nation, and for the got an email last night from the treaty with them, and so they never Native people, the indigenous chairperson of the Burns Paiute actually gave up any of the ceded people, their title disappears. tribe saying that they’re meeting land. The sovereignty of tribes is The indigenous people in the with the Secretary of the Interior, suppressed by the United States.

Call 617-525-8719 or email It didn’t disappear. It still exists.

Americas are the only people in Sally Jewell.

By ANNA CHALLET, NEW AMERICA MEDIA

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Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 13

NEWSBRIEFS VISIT US ONLINE FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS: WWW.BAYSTATEBANNER.COM

news briefs

Facebook page: facebook.com/ bostonfiredepartment.

continued from page 6

Baker-Polito Administration Awards Inaugural Urban Agenda Grant in Roxbury

City Of Boston Fire Department now accepting firefighters exam applications The City of Boston Fire Department today announced that the written exam for firefighters will be administered on April 16, 2016.

There will be an additional $50 fee for applications received after March 1, 2016, and no applications will be accepted after March 21, 2016.

To apply online, please visit our website at www.cityofboston.gov/ fire.

Boston Fire will host a series of open house sessions to provide more information and answer any questions candidates may have. These sessions will be held on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. - 12 noon on the following dates at the listed locations: n January 23, E9 & L2, 239 Sumner St., East Boston n February 6, E24 & L23, 36 Washington St., Dorchester n February 13, E28 & TL10, 746 Centre St., Jamaica Plain n February 20, E14 & L4, 174 Dudley St., Roxbury n February 27, E48 & L28, 60 Fairmont Ave., Hyde Park n March 5, E52 & L29, 975 Blue Hill Ave., Dorchester The Boston Fire Department will also host a test preparation session at Florian Hall, 55 Hallet St., Dorchester on March 29, 2016 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

All sessions are free and open to the public. Cancellations due to inclement weather will be posted on the Boston Fire Department’s

COAH CIRCUIT STREET 58 CIRCUIT ST, ROXBURY

Grants empower communities to lead on meeting local needs Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito announced Tuesday the inaugural award from the Commonwealth’s Urban Agenda Grant Program, which seeks to unlock community-driven responses to local economic opportunities through partnership-building, problem-solving, and shared accountability. The first award supports a workforce development partnership between the Madison Park Development Corporation and Boston Education, Skills & Training Corp.

“The focus of our urban agenda is community empowerment across the Commonwealth, to meet local needs with locally driven solutions,” said Governor Baker. “The partnership between Madison Park and BEST Corp. embodies the spirit of our urban agenda. In establishing a new vocational training center in the heart of Dudley Square, Madison Park and BEST Corp. are connecting Roxbury residents to economic opportunities, and building a foundation for long-lasting economic development.”

“Our administration is committed to empowering communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Polito.

“By supporting communities that work cooperatively to generate community-driven responses to local economic opportunities, this grant program will help transform urban neighborhoods.”

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“Urban Agenda grants prepare communities for future successes,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “This grant program challenged community-based organizations to identify local economic assets, and to act as drivers of broad-based economic development in their own neighborhoods. I am thrilled with the response. ” The $225,000 grant to Madison Park Development Corp. and BEST, a nonprofit workforce development

organization focused on training Boston residents for jobs in the hospitality industry, will create a new 3,400 square foot hospitality training facility in Dudley Square. The workforce development center will feature a new computer lab, class and event space, and a model hotel room that will give trainees hands-on experience. The workforce training center, which will train Boston residents for jobs in the city’s hospitality cluster.

The Commonwealth’s Urban Agenda promotes economic vitality

and cultivate safer, stronger urban neighborhoods and communities throughout Massachusetts. The grant program seeks to advance vibrant communities, and unlock economic mobility for residents, through community-based partnerships that address workforce development, entrepreneurship, mixed-income housing development.

The administration will make additional Urban Agenda grant announcements on Wednesday, January 13.

Annual Three Kings celebration at City Hall

JEREMIAH ROBINSON PHOTO, MAYOR’S OFFICE

Boston residents and city officials gathered last week for the annual Three Kings celebration at City Hall.

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14 • Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

How much could Obama’s gun moves affect gun violence? Nobody knows Will simply explaining current law more clearly help save lives?

By LOIS BECKETT, PROPUBLICA

The executive actions on guns unveiled yesterday by President Obama drew predictable praise from gun control advocates and bile from gun-rights supporters and Republican lawmakers, including some who called his actions “unconstitutional.”

But, as some have noted, the actions themselves are extremely modest, raising questions about how much they will really do to stem gun violence.

Obama’s most significant step is an attempt to expand the number of gun sellers who conduct background checks on buyers. To do this, he is not changing the requirements for who is required to conduct a background check and who is not. Instead, he is giving a very high level of publicity to new “guidance” from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that simply explains what the current law is.

Under federal law, licensed firearm dealers have to comply with a set of regulations, including conducting background checks on prospective purchasers to make sure they are not prohibited from owning a gun because of a criminal record or other disqualifying factor.

More occasional sellers of guns — one private individual selling to another private individual — do not have to follow these rules.

For decades, gun control advocates have decried this gaping loophole in the nation’s federal background check law. After a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012, Congressional Democrats tried and failed to close this loophole by passing legislation to require background checks on more gun sales.

Obama is now approaching the problem from a different angle: He is focusing on gun sellers who may be operating in a gray area between being an occasional seller and a licensed dealer.

According to the ATF, its new guidance breaks down how federal courts have interpreted the somewhat fuzzy line between occasional gun sellers, who are not required to conduct background checks, and people who are “engaged in the business” of selling firearms, who must have a federal license, conduct background checks, and

comply with other federal regulations on dealers.

A father selling off part of his personal collection of high-end firearms to finance his son’s college education does not need a federal firearms license, the ATF explained.

But a man who lost his job and is now “buying firearms from friends and reselling them though an internet site” does need a license.

Experts say there’s some indication that gun sellers operating in this gray area are a problem, and that they play a role in supplying guns to people with criminal records.

Daniel Webster, the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, said sellers whose livelihoods don’t depend on gun sales may exercise prudence beyond what’s required by law when making transactions. When he conducted focus groups with gun owners in Texas, he said, many said they would not sell a gun without voluntarily checking whether a potential buyer had a state-issued permit to carry a concealed weapon, so they could be sure they were selling to a person who could legally own a gun.

But private sellers who are trying to make a profit may be less scrupulous about whether the person who is buying their gun could pass a background check, Webster said.

“If you are, on a regular basis, buying and selling a whole lot of guns and are doing that to make money, I think that probably clouds judgment,” he said.

Webster cited a November 2015 study by the gun control group Everytownfor Gun Safety, which analyzed a year’s worth of ads posted by unlicensed sellers on Armslist.com, an online gun marketplace. The report found that a small proportion of unlicensed sellers were selling a very large number of guns on the site: “Those offering 25 or more guns accounted for 1 in 500 sellers but offered 1 in 20 guns,” the report found. These private, high-volume sellers should be required to be licensed, the report concluded.

It’s not clear how the findings of this one study might reflect the larger online marketplace for guns — or the broader patterns of offline unlicensed sales.

“The bottom line: we don’t know how big this is, but we have enough evidence to know that thousands of guns are being sold by individuals who are selling a lot of guns in fairly

risky kinds of ways,” Webster said.

The Everytown report also concluded that the vague legal definition of who should be a licensed gun seller had undermined efforts to prosecute people for dealing in firearms without a license.

Webster said it would be interesting to see if the White House’s attempt to clarify the law resulted in more cases targeting people for selling guns without a license.

“Time will tell,” he said, noting that simply putting a spotlight on these sellers should also have “some deterrent effect.”

Even if the president succeeds in shrinking this gray area of the gun market, it’s not clear what effect that might have on gun violence overall.

Phil Cook, a Duke University gun policy expert, was one of the researchers who recentlysurveyed 99 inmates at the Cook County Jail in Chicago about how they obtained their guns. Very few of them described getting their guns from licensed gun dealers, or by stealing them.

For people with criminal records, “most of these transactions are not with people who are in the real business of selling guns, licensed or unlicensed. It’s much more casual transactions involving acquaintances, family members, street sources,” Cook said.

The White House emphasized both gun shows and Internet sales as places where it was easy to conduct risky sales with no background

check requirements.

But Cook said that, according to surveys, neither the Internet nor gun shows were places where “the typical gang member or robber” goes to buy a gun.

“Nobody in the jail survey mentioned they had gone online,” Cook said. “I wonder if they would trust that arrangement. What they were telling us about the transactions they were involved with — on both sides, it was important that they either knew the other person or that they had somebody who would vouch for them. There was very little dealing going on among strangers.”

The 2015 Everytown study, which “analyzed every federal prosecution of ‘engaging in the business’ of dealing guns without a license in 2011 and 2012” also found “defendants relied on gun shows, online markets, or print ads to buy or sell their wares” in “approximately 10 percent of cases.”

At the same time, Cook said, that did not mean that gun shows and the Internet did not play a role

in illegal trafficking. It’s extremely hard to track the movement of guns between their sale by a licensed dealer and the moment they are recovered at a crime scene or from someone not legally allowed to own them. Gun shows and the Internet might play a role in a chain of sales between these points, he said, and “might be supplying the pipeline of guns that are being trafficked into Chicago or New York.”

The ATF has no estimate for how many additional people, if any, may decide to get licensed and start conducting background checks as a result of its new guidance, though “it is reasonable to believe that there will be some increase in the number of new applications for firearms licenses,” ATF spokesman Corey Ray wrote in an e-mail.

Will the ATF start cracking down on gun sellers in the gray area that the guidance deals with?

“Because this really isn’t new regulation, the requirements are already in place and enforcement is ongoing,” Ray wrote.

No Books No Ball mentor program opening day at Orchard Gardens

TONY IRVING PHOTO

On January 9, 2016, the No Books No Ball male mentor program held its opening day at the Orchard Gardens School. During this event, Tony Richards, Executive Director of NBNB (standing with the microphone) announced its 25th year of operation.

Presents  40+ Colleges + Universities  Expo with colleges and community partners  Guest Speakers including Governor Charlie Baker and Mayor Marty Walsh  On-the-spot applications, acceptances for seniors  College Scholarships  On-site Physicals  FAFSA Registration

WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY PETE SOUZA

President Barack Obama aims to expand the number of gun sales subject to background checks.

U. Dream A Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Inspired

College Fair

Saturday, January 16, 2016 10:00 am– 2:00 pm Melnea Cass Recreation Complex 120 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Roxbury Register today—https://udream.eventbrite.com www.thebase.org ▪ 617-442-7700

ARE YOU AGE 50+ AND LOOKING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY? We are currently recruiting volunteers to start in January or February to help improve reading skills for 1st & 2nd grade students at the Rafael Hernandez After-School Program for at least 4-5 hours per week.

Come to an Information Session

Wednesday, January 20th, 1 PM - 3 PM Egleston Square Public Library 2044 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA 02119 Please call (617) 399-4699 or email pwaters@generationsinc.org to RSVP. W W W. G E N E R AT I O N S I N C . O RG

Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 15

BUSINESSNEWS CHECK OUT MORE BUSINESS NEWS ONLINE: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/NEWS/BUSINESS

www.baystatebanner.com

BIZ BITS TIP OF THE WEEK

Financial resolutions: Are you saving for retirement?

The start of a new year is a great time to look forward with a fresh outlook, as well as to set goals. As you think about what you want to accomplish next year, consider your financial savings habits.

How much are you putting away for the future? Could you begin to save for retirement or increase how much you’re saving? What financial actions have you put off because of lack of time?

Setting financial savings goals can be overwhelming, which may be why 31 percent of Americans report having no retirement savings or pension, according to a recent Federal Reserve Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households. Putting together a plan can make saving for the future much more manageable. Whether you haven’t started saving or simply want to challenge yourself to save more, use the following tips to make 2016 the year you focus on preparing for retirement. n If you aren’t already saving, start now. You’re never too young — or too old — to begin saving for retirement. If your employer offers a company-sponsored retirement plan, take advantage of the opportunity to save automatically via payroll deduction. If that’s not possible, consider opening a myRA account, the U.S. Treasury’s new retirement savings program for individuals who don’t have access to retirement savings plans at work. n Seek opportunities to save more. If you earn an annual bonus, a salary increase or even a tax refund, consider depositing it in a retirement savings account. You can contribute up to $5,500 each year to a myRA, Roth IRA or Traditional IRA account (or up to $6,500 if you’re age 50 or older). Keep in mind that the more you save early on, the more time that principal amount has to grow interest. For example, if you have a balance of $3,000 in a savings account that earns three percent interest, adding a lump sum of $1,000 at the beginning of the year will earn an extra $30 in interest over the next 12 months, and that amount will compound even more as the years go by. Note that in 2016, you can elect to deposit all or some of your tax refund in a myRA account. n Make a plan and follow it.

Resolve to make a financial savings plan this year and review your progress regularly. As a starting point for your plan, consider meeting with a financial planner, or take advantage of free planning resources at mymoney.gov or other reputable personal finance websites. You can use the retirement savings calculator on myRA.gov to estimate how much your savings may grow over the course of five, 10 or 15 years or more based on the amount you contribute each month.

— Brandpoint

THE LIST According to CNNMoney, the top trending Google searches of 2015 were mostly lighter topics: 1. Lamar Odom 2. Jurassic World 3. American Sniper 4. Caitlyn Jenner 5. Ronda Rousey

NUMBER TO KNOW

897

million: Google’s biggest news story of the year was the Paris terror attacks with more than 897 million related searches.

PHOTOS: KATHERINE C. COHEN/BOSTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (at podium) spoke at Boston Children’s Hospital on Jan. 7 about the state’s new initiative to back digital health startups. Seated behind the governor are (l-r) Bill Swanson, chair of Massachusetts Competitive Partnership and former Chairman and CEO of Raytheon; Jeff Leiden, president, CEO and chairman of Vertex Pharmaceuticals and head of the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership’s digital health; Sandra Fenwick, president and CEO of Boston Children’s Hospital; Marylou Sudders, Executive Office of Health and Human Services Secretary; Jay Ash, Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development Secretary; Pamela Goldberg, CEO of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.

The promise of medical tech State, local officials seek opportunities for local businesses

By MARTIN DESMARAIS

Gov. Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh have each worked to pump up the small business climate in Boston and Massachusetts, in an effort to add jobs to strengthen the local economy. Last week, the pair came together to detail plans to boost the state’s burgeoning digital healthcare sector in a move that could have a large ripple effect on the local startup community and small businesses connected to health.

The plan is a statewide effort of public officials and private sector companies working together to support startups chasing the extremely promising digital health sector. Massachusetts may have long been at the forefront of the life-sciences and biotechnology sectors, but the growth of digital health, or eHealth industry, is still on the rise and local officials are keen to get out in front of it.

The sector combines healthcare and information technology and spans a wide range of technologies, including electronic health records, consumer wearable devices, payment management, Big Data analytics and telemedicine.

A report by Goldman Sachs tabbed the digital health sector as reaching $32 billion in the next decade. Baker and Walsh are banking on the fact that Massachusetts already houses some 250 digital health companies, has a vastly successful life sciences sector and is home to some of the world’s best healthcare and

Boston mayor Martin J. Walsh talks at Boston Children’s Hospital about the city’s efforts to boost the support to companies and startups in the digital health sector. In the background is Sandra Fenwick, president and CEO of Boston Children’s Hospital. academic institutions to put the state on the digital health sector fast track.

“Our administration is committed to making Massachusetts a national leader in digital health by partnering with private industry, convening key stakeholders and addressing market gaps,” Baker said at a press event on Jan. 7 at Boston Children’s Hospital. “This emerging industry cluster has the potential to become a powerful driver of job creation across the Commonwealth, while also

unlocking new advances in improving patient care and lowering health care costs.”

Baker spoke along with Walsh, as well as others including Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo, state Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash and Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders.

“Strong public-private partnerships are what make our city, and our region, more competitive in the global economy,” Walsh said.

“We know that the digital healthcare industry is Boston’s future, and I thank our state and private sector partners for their support. By working together, we can maintain Boston’s leadership in health care and the life sciences, and create an environment where the digital healthcare industry can thrive and we can better serve our patients and their families.”

The first concrete move that might interest small business

See DIGITAL HEALTH, page 18

16 • Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

FIND BANNER BIZ ONLINE Stay up on the latest urban business news by following us on TWITTER @baystatebanner — Or online at www.baystatebanner.com/bannerbiz

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and people like Future Boston Alliance co-founder Malia Lazu are the core ingredients in a new recipe to cook up more local-grown small businesses. Future Boston Alliance’s new restaurant accelerator program is just one of the efforts to add to the growing selection of food startups simmering around the city from restaurants to food trucks to food suppliers.

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grow the local food industry, including advancing new legislation to support local agriculture and facilitating the establishment of more farmers markets within city limits. »

resources in growing the local food economy.

This office ties in advocacy — supporting access to healthy and affordable food — with economic strategies, such as expanding the city’s capacity

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Satara Wilson (standing) pitches a business plan during the Center for Women in Enterprise “Community Classroom Business Planning: Creative Economy” class held at the Dorchester Arts Collaborative.

PROGRAMS HELP WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS AND ENTREPRENEURS EXPAND THEIR NETWORKS AND THEIR COMPANIES

Head in the clo ud

BY MARTIN DESMARAIS

W

omen-owned businesses are on the rise — most accounts find they make up about 30 percent of all privately held firms in the U.S. — but there is concern that many of these business top out early.

Helping women entrepreneurs grow their businesses to the next level has become a big emphasis and, in the Boston region, there are a number of organizations that are working on innovative solutions to move women-owned businesses to the next level.

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20 | BANNER BIZ | SEPTEMBER 2015

es, such as Sale ceNow, skyr sforce, NetSuite and Serviocket in grow These start th and reve ups became nues. multibillioncompanies by getting dollar big business shell out buck es to et loads of their busi ness function cash to move s to the Web But now, . more and more com are popping panies up specifica small busi lly targetin nesses and g creating serv that custome ices rs can star t using for upfront cost lower s. In addition companies , that provide most of the business are technology to focusing all developing their effor ts on entirely-clou d based tool The time s. is coming when the may be the cloud only option.

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SEPTEMBER 2015 | BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/BANNERBIZ | 21

Rob May

Derek Schoettle

CEO, BACKUPIFY

BY MARTIN DES MARAIS ILLUSTRAT ION BY CALEB OLSO N

PHOTOS: (FROM LEFT)

COURTESY OF BACKUPIFY; COURTE SY

OF IBM; COURTE SY OF BOSTON

Marshall Van Alystne

GENERAL MANAGER OF CLOUD DATA SERVICE, IBM

PROFESSOR, BOSTON UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY

MARCH 2015 | BAYSTATEBA NNER

.COM/BANNERBIZ | 25

2016 MAGAZINE SCHEDULE – March, May, July, September and November.

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Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 17

BUSINESSNEWS CHECK OUT MORE BUSINESS NEWS ONLINE: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/NEWS/BUSINESS

New year, new job?

5 ways to tell it’s time for a change in 2016

By CATHERINE CONLAN MONSTER.COM

Phil Mackie was working at a family-owned, custom athletic apparel and athletic equipment company. It was “booming” and he was expected to take over someday.

Nevertheless, he found he was asking himself questions about his future: “Even if all this was mine, do I see myself enjoying my time here?” and “If I continue, will I be happy with the path my career has taken if I look back in five years?”

“The answer was a resounding ‘no,’” Mackie says. “While I love my family, I don’t care for sports and am passionate about talking technology, computers and the Internet.”

Mackie isn’t alone in this feeling. According to September’s The Conference Board Job Satisfaction survey, only 48.3 percent of U.S. workers are satisfied with their jobs.

Do you feel like Mackie and nearly half of U.S. employees about your job? If so, what’s your next move? These questions will help you make the call about whether it’s time to move on.

1. Am I drained, or uninspired?

Do you look forward to Monday

mornings? Kris Duggan, CEO of goal-setting software developer BetterWorks in Palo Alto, California, says if your work constantly drains you, you should dig into what’s making it so hard.

Duggan suggests changing your schedule so you’re addressing tasks in a different order, or taking longer or more frequent breaks to recharge when the going gets tough. If that doesn’t help, it’s possible you’re not a good fit for the position and should consider something else.

For inspiration, think about the things outside of work that give you energy. What aspects of that could you seek out as you look for a new job or even career?

2. Have I done anything new?

If you want to grow in your career, that simply won’t happen if you do the same thing every day, Duggan says. Look over your resume — update it if it’s been awhile — and see how many achievements have come in the past year.

If there aren’t any, you may be starting to stagnate in your position.

“If trying things a new way or taking on new types of projects

IN THE NEWS

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Lori joins Epiphany School with more than two decades of development and non-profit experience, most recently, as Founder and Principal of Community Resource Consulting, LLC. CRC is a consulting practice that provides strategic counsel and tactile fundraising support for a variety of non-profit clients. While Lori is taking on this long-term

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simply wouldn’t be tolerated at your current job, I’d suggest either talking to your manager about it or start looking,” he says.

3. Have I gotten a raise lately?

Your pay can be a good barometer to determine whether you should stay at your job. Consider whether it’s enough to make the job worth it after factoring in your cost of living, says business trainer and career coach Karen Southall Watts.

Typically, salary upticks are granted once a year, writes Fast Company, so if you haven’t had a raise or a promotion in that time or aren’t getting opportunities to earn one, it may be time to move on.

4. Is the grass really greener?

Consider whether your dissatisfaction is internal. Even if you do make a change, will your unhappiness follow you? In addition, consider whether the things you don’t like about your job are unique to that job or workplace.

To make sure you’re really moving to a better place, you first have to know for sure why you want to leave, says Jessica Sweet, a career transition coach in the Boston area. If you can pinpoint

PHOTO: BIGSTOCK/MCN ILLUSTRATION

something specific, such as the company’s lack of regard for work/ life balance, you can research prospective companies’ approach by talking to current or past employees.

5. Do I have a future here?

If you can’t picture yourself at your current organization in a

year or two, or if the track you’re on doesn’t lead to where you want to be, it’s time to seriously look at whether it’s the right place for you, Sweet says.

Ask yourself whether the job aligns with your overall career goals. If it’s not a step on the path to your career dreams, it may be time to make a change.

Thursday, December 3, 2015 • BAY STATE BANNER • 21

18 • Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

BUSINESSNEWS CHECK OUT MORE BUSINESS NEWS ONLINE: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/NEWS/BUSINESS

digital health continued from page 15

entrepreneurs is the establishment of a digital health innovation hub in Boston. To be set up at a city site yet to be named, the hub will provide space, programming and an industry network for digital health startups. The move mirrors similar efforts made to establish now-successful hubs for other tech startups at several locations throughout the city.

The Massachusetts eHealth Institute at the Massachusetts

Technology Collaborative and the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership will oversee the creation of the digital health innovation hub, with local startup-support organization MassChallenge managing and operating the programming.

The Mass eHealth Institute, which was established in 2008, already has a strong track record in the healthcare sector having been behind successful efforts to push the use of some of the initial digital healthcare technologies that have emerged, such as electronic health records and the health information exchange. The efforts have helped

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give Massachusetts one of the highest electronic health record penetration rates in the country.

Housing and Economic Development Secretary Ash pointed out that the emerging technologies in all sectors throughout the state have been a big job boost and said he expects the same type of job growth to be tied in to emerging technologies from the digital health industry. His view is the already deep investment in established industries in the state, including biotechnology, cloud computing and flexible hybrid electronics, can serve as a base for collaboration with emerging digital health technologies that can be commercialized and targeted for market.

While Massachusetts has some of the biggest digital health companies already, including Phillips, AthenaHealth and Medical Information Technology — and 250 total businesses targeting this sector — the industry sentiment is that the door is wide open for startups that can address many of the market opportunities.

For example, a recent report from Accenture found that only 2 percent of the patients in the largest U.S. hospitals are using hospital-provided mobile health apps and estimated that the failure of hospitals to meet patient demand for such services is costing each one on average more than $100 million in lost revenue a year.

Accenture’s suggestion to fix the problem was, in part, to partner with independent app companies

“

Strong public-private partnerships are what make our city, and our region, more competitive in the global economy,” Walsh said. “We know that the digital healthcare industry is Boston’s future, and I thank our state and private sector partners for their support. By working together, we can maintain Boston’s leadership in health care and the life sciences, and create an environment where the digital healthcare industry can thrive and we can better serve our patients and their families.”

— Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh

creating such mobile health apps, which undoubtedly points to the startup community that leads the app development world.

These kind of things are what has led to a large upswing in investor funding into the digital health industry. A report from StartUp Health Insights found that digital health funding more than doubled from 2013 to 2015, going from $2.9 billion in 2013 to about $7 billion now annually.

Massachusetts leaders are looking to take advantage of this promising startup environment. Gov. Baker has asked the Mass eHealth Institute to do everything it can to develop a “cluster” of digital health companies in the state. The aim is

to not only help local companies launch in this sector, but to attract entrepreneurs and other companies to the state so they can be in close proximity to what all hope will soon be the beating heart of digital health worldwide.

Jeffrey Leiden, who heads up the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership’s digital health efforts and is also CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, said the state must work to clear any challenges companies have to chasing the digital health market from funding to finding good locations to launch companies. If Massachusetts can do this, he believes it can become “the premier location to start and grow a digital health-care company.”

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Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 19

police

continued from page 1 complying with their own departmental rules by failing to document why they stopped suspects or they are blatantly violating Fourth Amendment rights, says Carlton Williams, a staff attorney at the ACLU of Massachusetts.

“Investigate a person is circular logic,” he said. “It’s like saying I stopped someone because I stopped someone.”

Perhaps more troubling: In numerous instances, officers reported non-consensual searches without probable cause to arrest.

Under U.S. law, officers may pat down suspects if they suspect them of committing a crime. But searches are subject to the higher standard of probable cause, which means officers intend to arrest a suspect caught in a criminal act.

The entries give credence to Boston teens’ complaints that police officers routinely search their pockets and backpacks without consent.

“It happens every day,” said Armani White, an organizer with Youth Against Mass Incarceration.

“If you sit in a room with 15 young people and ask them if they’ve been searched, it’s happened to five of them.”

White said many youth are cognizant of their rights against illegal search and seizure, but still end up with officers rifling through their bags and pockets.

“People say, ‘You can’t do this,’” he said. “They still get searched.”

While blacks make up about 24 percent of Boston’s population, they represented the majority — 58 percent — of the entries in the department’s FIO database. Police Department officials have argued

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that most of the stops take place in neighborhoods where crime and gun violence is most abundant.

Black community residents have long argued that blacks are stopped, questioned and searched, regardless of their involvement in criminal activity.

Williams said the data released last week shows little to no improvement over the 2007-2010 data, which was compiled during the administration of former Mayor Thomas Menino when the department was run by former Commissioner Ed Davis.

“These data show enormous and consistent racial disparities,” Williams said. “The BPD said 58.5 percent of its entries are from African Americans even though less than a quarter of Boston is black.

Even the BPD concedes that the disparities haven’t improved.”

Entries in FIO database

A sampling of entries shows the preponderance of police encounters with “Investigate, Person” listed as the reason for the stop.

Line 47 (5th from top) shows a non-consensual search of a person without probable cause for arrest.

IMAGE COURTESY ACLUM WEBSITE

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22 • Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. 1/18/2016

Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 23

24 • Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

King and the color line

King’s civil rights struggle broke resistance to black progress, paved way for future success

By YAWU MILLER

“The problem of the 20th Century is the problem of the color line.”

It was 1906 when W.E.B. DuBois posited his idea in a short essay in Colliers Weekly that the color line — the division between people of color and whites — would be the defining issue of the 20th century.

In the ensuing 96 years, other issues left their mark on the century — advances in technology and communications, the civil rights movement, colonialism and decolonization, the rise and fall of communism, the emergence of a global economy.

Yet throughout the century, and into the 21st, the color line remained entrenched — looming over America as this country’s unfinished business.

In the middle of the 20th century, one man more than anyone else pricked the conscience of the American people with his call for a colorblind society. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision of a land where “all men are judged, not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,” resounded in the ’50s and ’60s, setting the tone for the conscience of the nation.

The fight for equality across racial lines was waged in the courts, the voting booths, lunch counters and schools with King’s non-violent principles serving as the guiding light for the struggle.

His rhetoric of a color-blind society was adopted by liberals and conservatives alike in battles over affirmative action and integration of schools, municipal workforces and virtually every area of social interaction.

Race matters

When DuBois first advanced his prediction of the color line, race was the country’s obsession. It was in the waning days of reconstruction, when the Ku Klux Klan rose to prominence and white backlash reared its ugly head. DuBois and other black thinkers saw the gains blacks had won since the abolition of slavery slipping away as Jim Crow became the prominent ethos of the South.

At the same time, Europe was consolidating its hold on the African continent. India was in the possession of the British, Indochina colonized by the French, and the Western Hemisphere was fast becoming the domain of the United States.

“The tendency of the great nations of the day is territorial, political and economic expansion, but in every case this has brought them in contact with darker peoples, so that we have to-day England, France, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Portugal and the United States in close contact with brown and black peoples and Russia

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W.E.B. DuBois in 1918. and Australia in contact with the yellow. The older idea was that the whites would eventually displace the native races and inherit their lands, but this idea has been rudely shaken in the increase of American Negroes, the experience of the English in Africa, India and the West Indies, and the development of South America. The problem of expansion, then, simply means world problems of the Color Line.”

In his analysis of the geo-political dimensions of race, DuBois was accurate in his predictions. World War I, according to some historical theories, resulted from Germany’s having been cut out of the division of Africa among European nations.

And the Second World War was a result of the first.

While communism played a major role in the wars of the latter half of the century, race was the subtext in many. Take, for instance, France’s loss of Indochina and Algeria, and the resulting bruise to that nation’s standing among its colonizer-equals in Europe.

And America’s ill-fated attempt to keep Vietnam in Western hands met with similar results, and resulted in an even greater loss of life.

In America, color has for most of this century loomed as a major dividing line between the haves and have-nots. Whites dominated blacks, denying them their basic human rights in every facet of life —the color line stood as the major barrier to black advancement.

As King’s life was nearing its end, he found himself in the midst of struggles that appeared to some to stray from the guiding principles of the Civil Rights Movement — advocating vocally against U.S. aggression in Vietnam. Little more than four years after DuBois shed his mortal coil, King was fighting to undo the divisions of colonialism the elder civil rights crusader had warned of.

Occupying the moral high ground in American civic life, King, perhaps more than any single figure in the 20th century, broke open the barriers to black progress. His 1968 assassination gave further impetus to the efforts of the movement to open the doors for blacks. Colleges and

universities that previously admitted one or two blacks a year — if any — were suddenly admitting dozens. And black college graduates who in decades past were often relegated to service jobs and manual labor suddenly found the doors to white collar employment increasingly open.

While blacks often fought long battles for access to municipal and state jobs, they now had the legal backing to break down those barriers, and began to do so.

Perhaps neither DuBois nor King could have predicted the whirlwind of changes that came in the wake of King’s 1968 assassination — the growing anti-war movement that helped put the nail in the coffin of colonial expansion, affirmative action, the expansion of black opportunity, the growth of black political and economic power that led, in this century, to the first black president of the United States.

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Above, Dr. Martin Luther King speaks. Below, a photo of Selma to Montgomery Marches protesters by Peter Pettus.

A blurred line?

Undeniably the color line of the 21st century is no longer the solid, immutable barrier that for so long kept African Americans living in a permanent second class status. Nobody embodies the newfound opportunity available to blacks more than President Barack Obama, now in the last year of his second term.

Indeed, his election prompted some pundits to proclaim that the United States has entered a “post-racial” era.

Yet despite transcendence of the color line, Obama’s time in office has highlighted the intractability of that line. He has suffered through small indignities — like being called a liar by a U.S. representative during a 2009 address from the floor of Congress.

Or referred to as a “tar baby” by another Congressman in 2011.

While Obama maintained a distance from his hecklers, from the “birthers” who sought to contest his very legitimacy as a U.S. citizen and scores of other indignities, on more than one occasion he used the oval office to highlight the disparate realities of black and white America.

In 2013, he interrupted a press conference to speak about the “not guilty” verdict in the shooting of Trayvon Martin. One simple sentence — “Trayvon Martin could have been me” — underscored the precarious plight all black men face in a nation where they are feared by well-armed whites.

And last year, he shared with law enforcement officials gathered in Chicago his own experiences with racial profiling.

As Obama underscored, the color of one’s skin still often matters more than the content of one’s character. And DuBois’ color line, though far less visible, is still woven into the fabric of America.

PHOTO: PETER PETTUS/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. LICENSED UNDER PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

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Above, Dr. King speaks to a crowd. Below, President Lyndon Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964.

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30 Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 25

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26 • Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Dr. King’s Boston years: A 1982 letter from Michael E. Haynes After the late Martin Luther King Jr. settled in for his doctoral studies at Boston University in the fall of 1951, one of his priority non-academic tasks was to make three vital contacts in Roxbury.

The first one, made on the advice of his father, Daddy King, was to the Howland Street residence of the late Rev. William H. Hester and his wife, Beulah, a prominent social worker. Dr. Hester was an old friend of Daddy King’s and longtime pastor of the Twelfth Baptist Church, one of the city’s most prominent churches.

Thus began a long relationship among Dr. King, the Hesters and the Twelfth Baptist Church. King became a “preaching regular” at old Twelfth church during his Boston University days. After his emergence to fame, whenever he came to Boston, he would usually telephone the Hesters or visit Twelfth Baptist if his schedule allowed. Although he had preaching appointments at several other black churches, he always considered Twelfth Baptist his “Boston home church.”

The second vital contact was Mary Powell, then part-time secretary of Twelfth Baptist Church and special graduate student at the New England Conservatory of Music. Mary lived on Greenwich Street near Douglass Square at that time. She was married to a relative of Dr. Benjamin Mays, was a native of Atlanta, was a friend of Daddy King and Ebenezer Church and knew all the King children. It was Mary Powell who played Cupid in bringing Martin and Coretta Scott together — right here in Boston.

The third person, also a native of Atlanta, was Mrs. Barbara Wright, a retired school teacher and friend of the Senior King family. She had moved to Boston and had become active as a religious educator at Twelfth Baptist Church and in the city’s weekday school program. Mrs. Wright lived on Rockland Street and later on Dale Street. She knew Martin Jr. since his birth. Martin kept close contact with her from his student days into his famed career whenever he came to the Boston area.

When Dr. King preached at Twelfth Baptist Church in 1951, I was a seminary student and had just commenced my duties as a minister to youth. We became respected colleagues and friends.

During his commuting period as pastor at Dexter Avenue in Montgomery and the wrapping up of his dissertation responsibilities at Boston University, Martin maintained close ties with his “Twelfth Baptist connections.”

In the late Spring of 1954, when all of his University obligations were completed and he was preparing to finalize his academic stay in Boston, he preached a sort of departure sermon at Twelfth Church.

At the close of the service at old Twelfth, Dr. King and his wife, Coretta, stood outside old Robert Gould Shaw House on Windsor Street having casual parting conversation with me. “M.L.” asked if I would consider coming to Montgomery to serve as his minister of youth. My northern orientation made me answer in the negative.

Little did I dream where his future

BANNER ARCHIVE PHOTOS

Above, Michael E. Haynes (left) and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Right, Dr. King speaks in Boston. Below, Dr. King and the Poor People’s Campaign of 1968.

“

One of my greatest joys was to be able to join the planning of his great march on Boston in April 1965, and to join with my two black legislative colleagues, Royal Bolling Sr. and Franklin W. Holgate, to pass the bill that invited Dr. King to address a joint session of the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives.

— Michael E. Haynes

would lead him. I remained in Boston and as Martin Luther King Jr. emerged on the national scene, I became senior pastor at Twelfth.

In my role as senior minister of Twelfth Baptist and as a member of the state Legislature, I continued to have contact with Dr. King and provided personal services to him on his many visits to the city.

One of my greatest joys was to be able to join the planning of his great march on Boston in April 1965, and to join with my two black legislative colleagues, Royal Bolling Sr. and Franklin W. Holgate, to pass the bill that invited Dr. King to address a joint session of the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives. This was his first invitation to address any legislative assembly in the nation.

On the occasion of his tragic

assassination, I was sent as a delegate of the governor of the Commonwealth to attend his funeral in Atlanta, which I attended along with Senator Edward Brooke.

Later I was proud and privileged to be a part of the legislative action that helped make January 15 a holiday in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Four profound convictions of Dr. King were expressed and apparent in his early days in Boston in the ’50s. They later developed as major planks in his proclamation to the nation and to the world.

They are as follows: First, as a Christian minister, he felt that God had revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ — and Jesus Christ had given to humankind two of the greatest tools to bring

peace and to make the world a better place to live in — love and nonviolence, which were interwoven. He emphasized that “love is the most endurable power in the world ...and the most potent instrument available in mankind’s quest for peace and security.”

Secondly, a conviction that immoral structures set up in America were destroying the potential of black young people. He explained them as the “spiritual emptiness and the spiritual evil of contemporary society.” He challenged young people to oppose those structures and free themselves to become “the best of whatever you are.”

Thirdly, Martin was convinced that the nation was treating a certain segment of its people as something less than human and that

until it corrected this, the nation would be in trouble. He said, “man must never be treated as a means to the end for the State, but always as an end to himself.”

The fourth great conviction that was expressed by Martin in his Boston days and which became the trigger issue that led to his assassination, was his universal concern — his expressed objection to America’s bloody role in Vietnam. In very simple terms, Dr. King said, “All life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. We are made to live together because of the interrelated structure of reality... We aren’t going to have peace on earth until we recognize this basic fact of the interrelated structure of all reality.”

T:10”

Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 27

T:15.74”

Comcast® celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by honoring his strength to love — even when the law was against him. On this day, we remind everyone of the power of love and serving one another.

Personality rights and copyrights of Dr. King are used with the permission of The Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr., Inc. Represented by Corbis. © 2016 Comcast. All rights reserved.

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From left: Tugba Sunguroglu, Doga Zeynep Doguslu, Elit Iscan, Ilayda Akdogan and Gunes Sensoy in “Mustang.”

PHOTO COURTESY COHEN MEDIA GROUP

Director Deniz Gamze Ergüven discusses her feature film debut

‘Mustang’

By COLETTE GREENSTEIN

W

inner of the Europa Cinemas Prize at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and a 2015 Golden Globe nominee in the category of Best Foreign-Language Film (it lost to Hungary’s “Son of Saul” this past Monday), “Mustang” is a captivating and beautifully written and directed film that tells the story of five modern-day teenage sisters living with their grandmother in the remote village of Inebolu in northern Turkey, who are imprisoned by their family for what they believe is sexually-illicit behavior on the part of the girls.

Even as their home is transformed literally into a prison with bars on the windows, their cell phones and computers removed, their modern attire replaced with traditional clothing, and school abandoned in favor of lessons on how to be a wife — Ece, Selma, Sonay, Nur and Lale — are determined to master their own fate.

The screenplay, which was written and directed by Deniz Gamze Ergüven and co-written

by Alice Winocour, uses a real-life incident from Ergüven’s past as a plot point for the movie.

Although, the Turkish-born director had a very cosmopolitan upbringing shuttling between France, Turkey and the United

States, she also was somewhat affected by the culture in what was deemed proper behavior for girls.

Speaking to the Banner by phone, the director describes the opening scene of the film where the girls triggered a scandal because they’re splashing around at the beach, playing games and sitting on the shoulders of a few of their male classmates.

“That happened to us in our family in the exact same way, but we were just mortified and never said anything,” says Ergüven. Unlike the director, the free-spirited heroines in “Mustang” speak up when confronted by their grandmother.

“The way that the characters act in the film is completely fiction. The girls act like superheroes in a way that no one I know ever acted,” describes the director.

Becoming human

With “Mustang,” Ergüven very much wanted to address the issue of how women and girls are being sexualized in her native homeland. Despite Turkey being one of the first countries to give women the right to vote in the 1930s, it has swung backwards of late in its treatment of its female population.

“It’s something which is regrettable. The one thing which is very striking for the women in Turkey, every inch of their

skin, every action that they can do is sexualized. So, there’s this filter of sexualization to which they’re seen and it can be very disturbing. Sometimes the attitude of the actual government is so aggressive towards women, and there is something which is making the guilt of being the women so much stronger, that it normalizes behaviors which were previously not so normal,” says Ergüven.

The idea for the movie had been floating around in her head since 2010. “It was more my curiosity was turning towards the story, not so consciously,” she says. Influenced by the books that she was reading and the questions that she was asking, Ergüven “was starting to turn into that direction.”

And so, in 2011, she wrote the first treatment which was extremely close to realizing real-life characters but she didn’t have the courage to go through with it.

It was less than a year later that she took it [the screenplay] “out of the jar” and began writing the script with Alice Winocour, who studied at the same film school as Ergüven, La Fémis in Paris, where Ergüven graduated with a BA in Literature.

Since its release in 2015, “Mustang” has screened in Turkey. Of its reception, “it was warmly received and embraced everywhere else but in Turkey,” says Ergüven. Currently, the country is extremely polarized and consequently the reactions to the film were also very polarized. “I can say that the reactions are half and half. And, there’s nothing unpassionate. People either love it, and embrace it, or they hate it.”

With the release of “Mustang,” Ergüven hopes that women and girls will no longer be seen as just objects but as individuals.

“In Turkey for example, girls like this [the sisters in the film] are considered guilty, breaking a code, all those things. Most people would never put themselves in their shoes and just that is already such a big leap, just to see through their eyes. We need all these codes for women to become subjects in the eyes of people and not just as objects, where men could project whatever they want.”

IF YOU GO “Mustang” opens this Friday, January 15

at Landmark Theatres in Kendall Square.

Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 29

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

OPEN HOUSE Free Admission for All! Monday, January 18, 2016

Celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at the MFA! Join us for family art-making activities, performances, and tours.

Art by students from Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center created for the 2015 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Open House.

mfa.org/mlk Sponsored by

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Otis gives notice!

Writer Ginger Adams Otis discusses her book ‘Firefight’

By KAM WILLIAMS

Ginger Adams Otis is a staff writer with the New York Daily News and a longtime reporter in New York City. For more than 10 years, she followed the landmark civil rights discrimination

lawsuit brought by a group of black firefighters against the Fire Department of New York. “Firefight: The Century-Long Battle to Integrate New York’s Bravest” dips into the behind-the-scenes struggles inside the city firehouses and inside City Hall as the lawsuit unfolded. It also flashed back to

tell the stirring tale of survival of the city’s first black firefighters a century ago.

Did you notice that your book made my annual list of the Top Ten Black Books of the year?

Ginger Adams Otis: I did not!

But I am thrilled to hear it. Thank you. It’s always a particular honor to be singled out by someone who is a serious reader.

What interested you in writing about the integration of the FDNY? GAO: It was a story that I covered closely for more than 10 years and I was always very … intrigued, I suppose you could say, by the wide variety of reactions the lawsuit engendered and the tremendous amount of misinformation that surfaced around it. It’s a battle to get the cold hard facts out there, regardless of how you feel about the suit on its merits. I looked at all the wrong information, misleading information about the suit and the claims made by the black firefighters, and I thought that it was really important to set the record straight, in some way at least.

Would you describe this project as a labor of love?

GAO: I am not sure it was a labor of love, exactly. … More like a labor of compulsion! It was really hard to pull together all the elements of the story, very challenging to try to bring the people to life and put their arguments and claims in a real-world context. But I couldn’t let it go once I got started — it was like an obsession to get it all out. However, I’d say I definitely fell in love with Wesley Williams’ history. The chapters about the earliest pioneering black firefighters were a joy to research and write.

What was the most surprising thing you learned while researching the book?

GAO: Wow, that’s a good question. I would say that even though I was a reporter covering this topic for years, and though I knew most of the major elements of this story, I was very surprised to learn how many times the city could have solved this problem long before it came to a lawsuit, and yet did not. It’s something I wish I stressed even more in “Firefight,” because the black firefighters still, to this day, take a lot of heat for bringing the lawsuit. In reality, the city could have and should have solved this problem decades ago, but they let opportunity after opportunity go by — and then when it wound up in court, they blamed everyone else. But the chances were there, right in front of them, for a long, long time.

I noticed that you dedicated the book to Captain John Ruffins. Why was that?

GAO: Captain John Ruffins was a New York City firefighter and a Vulcan member, the association of black firefighters who brought the lawsuit against the FDNY. He joined in the 1940s and he was a dedicated and ardent supporter of civil rights, human rights and improving economic

opportunities for all the city’s underprivileged communities. He was also an amateur historian and his writing and early research was invaluable for “Firefight.”

The most wonderful discovery I made during my journey was a tape recording of an interview he made with Wesley Williams in the 1980s. It’s fascinating to hear Williams describe his own career and I used a lot of it with Captain Ruffins’ blessing in “Firefight.” Sadly, Capt. Ruffins died just before my book went to print and I wanted to dedicate it to him.

How long do you think it would have taken someone else to break the department’s color barrier, if Wesley Williams hadn’t come along in 1919? Did he need to have a special combination of character, skills and force of will, in the same way that Jackie Robinson had when he integrated Major League Baseball?

GAO: Wesley Williams wasn’t actually the first black firefighter in the city – but he was the one that got the most attention and caused the biggest ruckus. Blacks were fighting fires in the city in colonial times, of course. Every able-bodied person — man or woman — had to chip in then, and if you didn’t there were stiff punishments. But as the communal service became more of an actual job — with prestige and community standing, and then later money and benefits – it became for men only. By the late 1800s, when there were about 60,000 blacks in the city, a black man from Virginia joined the FDNY in Brooklyn — at that time Brooklyn was its own department. William Nicholson joined in 1898 and was sent to work in the FDNY’s veterinary unit. Not long after, John Woodson joined in 1912, again in Brooklyn, the product of political maneuvering within Tammany Hall. Neither of their appointments got a lot of attention. But when Williams joined in 1919, two things were different: Brooklyn and Manhattan had become one department and African-Americans were starting their long march toward the Civil Rights movement. Unlike Nicholson and Woodson, Williams’ appointment was a big deal — it was reported in all the papers, especially the black papers. It made huge waves and it was a harbinger of change — and it created tremendous fear, resentment and backlash among the immigrant workforce in the FDNY that was worried about the emerging black workforce.

PHOTO CCOURTESY AMAZON

“Firefight” by Ginger Adams Otis never included in its early years, had a serious stumbling block to overcome just to get a few dozen members on the department.

What is your impression of the Vulcan Society’s decades-long efforts to increase the number of AfricanAmericans in the FDNY? GAO: Well, it’s tremendously unpopular in many quarters, but it was a legitimate and organized effort to force the city and the FDNY into compliance with local, state and federal civil rights law.

The Vulcans were smart, well-organized and ran a stellar grassroots campaign and a lot of people resent them for it, but to my mind, it’s really unfair to blame them for holding the city to task. And they outsmarted a lot of people who drastically underestimated them.

Do you think most people would be surprised to learn how Mayor Bloomberg ignored court orders to increase the number of minorities in the FDNY? GAO: Oh yes, most people will be very surprised at the actions of all the mayors involved, not just Bloomberg, although he certainly could have done much more to avoid a lawsuit. But it goes all the way back to the Koch era.

How has Mayor Bill De Blasio compared in that regard?

GAO: Mayor de Blasio settled the last remaining leg of the lawsuit within three months of taking office. So, in March 2014, he ended the litigation that had been ongoing since 2007, when Bloomberg forced it to the courts.

But change is glacial in the FDNY and it’s not easy to change hearts and minds. There’s a lot more work to be done but it’s coming in small incremental steps.

Why has the FDNY been so much slower to integrate than the city’s other municipal unions?

What message do you want people will take away from the book?

GAO: It’s a combination of problems. The first being that the FDNY is slow to hire, only once every four or more years. The second problem is that it’s tremendously competitive: upwards of 20,000 to 30,000 people apply for roughly 2,000 to 3,000 positions. And the biggest factor is that within the FDNY, it’s a family job, so for centuries those already on the job encouraged their relatives to apply. Blacks, who were

GAO: Knowledge is power.

To truly make change, you have to know what your goal is, and have a strategy to get there. Also, institutional racism is hard to see, hard to confront and even harder to explain to the white majority that has benefited from it for so many years. Many don’t see it, don’t want to see it and prefer to hide behind accusations of “special treatment” for people of color.

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Thirty years after first presenting it on public television, WGBH is bringing back the landmark documentary series on civil rights for a new generation.

SUNDAYS AT 8PM BEGINNING JANUARY 17

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Mia’s mission!

Blogger Mia Wenjen discusses ‘Multicultural Children’s Book Day’

By KAM WILLIAMS

Mia Wenjen blogs at PragmaticMom.com on parenting, education and children’s books. A dorm room entrepreneur with her creative staffing company, Aquent, ranking #12 on the Inc. 500 list when she was 26 years old, Mia has always championed social justice. Her staffing company was the first to offer medical benefits to temporary workers.

These days, the mother of three is focused on getting diversity, multicultural and inclusive books into the hands of the kids who need them most. She co-founded Multicultural Children’s Book Day (http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com) to shine the spotlight on authors, illustrators and diversity characters so kids of color could find themselves in books.

Because her children are one-quarter Japanese-American, one-quarter Chinese-American and one-half Korean American, she personally sought out books where they could see themselves; something that she didn’t have growing up, despite being a bookworm who read every single biography and fiction chapter book in

her Southern California elementary school’s library.

Blogging on KidLit for five years helped her realize that there simply isn’t enough representation of kids of color in children’s literature. Furthermore, the books that do exist don’t get the exposure they need and deserve. So, she made it her mission to dedicate her blogging efforts to promoting children’s authors of color.

That’s how she found Valarie Budayr from JumpIntoABook. com who proposed creating a day to celebrate multicultural books for kids, and thus Multicultural Children’s Book Day was born.

What inspired you to found the Multicultural Children’s Book Day? Mia Wenjen: Lee and Low Publishing had a blog post on how the number of diversity books for kids has not changed in 14 years! I was shocked and dismayed. I put it out on my Facebook that, from now on, I would focus on diversity authors, illustrators and characters on my blog. Valarie Budayr of Jump Into a Book blog saw my post and contacted me about creating a day to celebrate multicultural books for kids. I said,

PHOTO COURTESY MIA WENJEN

Mia Wenjen “You can do that?” And she said, “Yes, you just do it.” So we did.

What effect does access to literature celebrating diversity have on children during their formative years?

MW: It’s about validating your right to be part of the mainstream as a child of color. Do you see yourself in the media and in books and how are these role models being portrayed? I also think when kids see a reflection of themselves in books, they are more prone to relate to the character and book, and this might spark an interest in reading.

Do multicultural books benefit

white kids, too? Or is primarily for minorities?

youngest was in preschool for half-a-day, five days a week, but I was itching to start some kind of small business. I had thought of doing a birthday gift registry, so family members and relatives could buy a part of an expensive gift for someone. But I didn’t have the programming skills. I had been recruiting an Adobe Flash Evangelist for a start-up that my company owned, and I noticed that every candidate I went after had a blog in Wordpress. I had heard of blogs, but I didn’t really understand how they worked or which blogging platform to use. I figured, if the most technically savvy people in Silicon Valley were using Wordpress, then that was the way to go. I started blogging seven years ago and I got hooked. It took me five years of basically working for free to finally earn income from blogging and, while it’s not much money, it’s satisfying in the same way as getting blood from a stone.

MW: The world around us is changing. In the year 2042, which is just 26 years from now, Caucasians will no longer be the majority in the United States. That’s not so far away. But in other respects, like special needs, kids of this generation have more special needs classmates than ever before, and learning how to get along with everyone is going to be a valuable life skill when they enter the workforce. Whether it’s race, special needs, religions — just learning about our differences and how to find commonalities is our best case scenario for how we will learn to get along on this planet. And the nice thing is that young kids are the most open to something different. They have no innate preconceived ideas.

Tell me a little about your plans for this year’s Multicultural Children’s Book Day?

You have an MBA from UCLA, and started out as a designer/ manufacturer in the fashion industry.

What made you decide to become a stay-at-home mom?

MW: We are trying to get diversity, multicultural and inclusive books into the hands of kids who need them. We do this by raising awareness of the great books out there that perhaps are under the radar. We create content to help teachers and parents find the books they need, as well as activities to go along with them.

We are also giving books away.

MW: I actually started a company out of college with two classmates that has grown into an international creative staffing company called Aquent. When my oldest was born, I was working full time for Aquent and my husband and I panicked about daycare for her. He decided to stay home to take care of her, having spent a year trying his luck as a professional golfer on the mini tours. When our second was born, he said that if he had to stay home with two kids, he would be forced to leave us, so we decided to switch places. He went back to work full-time in finance, and I stayed home with two kids. And then we had a third!

And then, with three kids, how did you make the transition to a work-athome-mom?

MW: I had to wait until my

MW: We are so excited to be in the position to give away a ton of diversity books this year. We are giving away more than 600 books. Teachers can sign up for our Classroom Reading Challenge and we will send them a free hardcover book through our sponsor, Junior Library Guild. We hope to get 400 teachers signed up and we’ve extended the deadline to the end of their school year.

Bloggers of any stripe, lifestyle, parenting, education, etcetera, get a free diversity book from us and they post their review on January 27th which is included in a linky.

How would you describe your mission?

How would you define success?

MW: Success is when the books published reflect the ethnic demographics of the United States.

What was your very first job?

MW: It’s so funny. I was hired to sew names on hats at Knott’s Berry Farm. I worked at the Hat Hanger the summer before college. Then my brother told me that the Knott family was instrumental in getting Anti-Asian legislation passed in California — he had taken an immigration class in college — I became the employee with a very bad attitude!

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR CHECK OUT MORE EVENTS AND SUBMIT TO OUR CALENDAR: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/EVENTS

SUNDAY BLUE HILLS RESERVATION Easy walk, 2 miles. Loop around Houghton’s Pond and old Rte. 128. Meet at the Houghton’s Pond main parking lot at 840 Hillside St. in Milton. Sunday, January 17 at 1pm. The Southeastern Massachusetts Adult Walking Club meets each weekend on either a Saturday or Sunday at 1:00 for recreational walks. This club is open to people of 16 years of age and older, and there is no fee to join. Walks average 2 to 5 miles. New walkers are encouraged to participate. The terrain can vary: EASY (mostly level terrain), MODERATE (hilly terrain), DIFFICULT (strenuous & steep). Walks will be led by a park ranger or a Walking Club volunteer leader. Occasionally, the Walking Club meets at other DCR sites. Some DCR sites charge a parking fee. The rangers recommend wearing hiking boots and bringing drinking water on all hikes.

TUESDAY SCHOOL DAYS IN THE WEST END EXHIBIT The West End Museum is set to host a new exhibit honoring the neighborhood’s rich history of education. School Days in the West End runs from January 19 through July 9, 2016 in the Museum’s Main Exhibit Hall. The opening reception takes place on January 19 from 6:30-8pm, when attendees can tour the exhibit and enjoy light refreshments.

The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. Between 1800 and 1975, no fewer than 20 schools called Boston’s West End home. Following urban renewal, the last school in the community — the Peter Faneuil School — closed, and there has not been another public school in the West End or Beacon Hill since. Still, the neighborhood boasts a robust history of education, with several scholastic firsts.

School Days in the West End recounts that exceptional past through graphic story panels, artifacts, photographs, report cards, textbooks and more. In 1821, one of the first public high schools in America, English High School, opened in The West End. The Abiel Smith School was the first building in the country raised to be a public school for African Americans. The Phillips School became one of the first integrated schools in Boston in 1855. And the kindergarten program started in 1870 at the Somerset School predates the claim of Susan Blow’s St. Louis kindergarten as the first in the US in 1873. School Days in the West End is free and open to the public during regular Museum hours. The Museum is located near North Station at 150 Staniford St., Suite 7. Hours: Tuesday - Friday 12-5pm; Saturday 11-4pm.

UPCOMING THROUGH BARBED WIRE PRESENTS 4TH FRIDAY SERIES Monthly prose/poetry participatory event focused on the voices of prisoners, through their writings, as mentoring tools to help youth in the community make positive choices. Audience participation encouraged. Light refreshments. Created and directed by Arnie King. Friday, January 22, South End Technology Center, 359 Columbus Ave. For more info:

throughbarbedwire@yahoo.com or visit www.arnoldking.org; tel. 857-492-4858.

Cost: Donation.

BEYOND TWO DIMENSIONS On Saturday afternoon, January 23 from 12-3pm, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site invites the public for its second annual winter afternoon open house. This year’s program title is “Beyond Two Dimensions” and will focus on the three-dimensional objects in the collection, including the firm’s tools, office machinery, and other artifacts. Archivist Anthony Reed will be on-hand at 12:30pm and 2pm to offer a brief introduction to the collection and the role of the National Park Service as curator of “America’s Best Idea.” Visitors will be able to walk through the firm’s historic design office, where rarely-shown original objects will be on display. This free event takes place at Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site at 99 Warren Street in Brookline, and no advance registration is required. For further information, please call Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site at 617-566-1689, Monday through Friday.

ADDRESSING GLOBAL INEQUALITY Several of the world’s most influential leaders in global economic policy will take part in a public dialogue, entitled “Addressing Global Inequality,” on January 31, at Wellesley College’s Madeleine Korbel Albright Institute for Global Affairs. The event will feature Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF); Sri Mulyani Indrawati, managing director and chief operating officer of the World Bank; and Mark Malloch-Brown, former deputy secretary general and chief of staff for the United Nations. Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright ’59, a Wellesley alumna who founded the Institute, will also take part. The public dialogue is the keynote event for “Impact Albright,” a weekend symposium that draws on scholars, policy makers and government officials to discuss global inequality in areas such as public health and hunger.

Symposium panelists will include Ophelia Dahl ’94, co-founder and chair of the board for Partners In Health; Rajul Pandya-Lorch ’85, head of the 2020 Vision Initiative and chief of staff to the director general for the International Food Policy Research Institute; and Per Pinstrup-Andersen, the H. E. Babcock professor of food, nutrition and public policy and the J. Thomas Clark professor of entrepreneurship, and professor of applied economics at Cornell University. The Public Dialogue begins at 2:30pm. Both the dialogue and the morning symposium panels are free and open to the public. For full details, see this public schedule: https://albrightinstitute.swoogo. com/impact-albright/public-schedule.

EXTRAPOLATION Simmons College presents Extrapolation with Daniel Kornrumpf and Kathy Soles, painters creating personal responses with their media, from February 4 March 4 at the Trustman Art Gallery, located on the fourth floor, Main College Building, 300 The Fenway in Boston. A reception from 5-7pm will be held on Thursday, February 4, 5-7pm with a February

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14

AManyMATTER OF BALANCE older adults experience a fear of falling. People who develop this fear often limit their activities, which can result in physical

weakness, making the risk of falling even greater. A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls is a program designed to reduce the fear of falling and increase activity levels among older adults. FREE classes run for 8 weeks and include fun videos, group discussion, a safe surroundings survey, and mild exercise to increase strength and flexibility. Location: Curtis Hall Community Center, 20 South St. in Jamaica Plain. Day and Time: Thursdays from 12-2pm. Start Date: January 14. For more information on this Ethos Healthy Aging Class or to register for a class contact Ann Glora at 617-477-6616 or aglora@ethocare.org.

11 snow date. The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. The images of Daniel Kornrumpf and Kathy Soles entice the viewer in divergent ways. Kornrumpf is an observer who creates portraits derived from social media and his personal life. His small, finely wrought embroideries are set within a larger linen field that plays call and response to the threads creating the image.

Within his oil paintings he leaves us open space, reflective of the partial narrative available even amongst one’s intimates.

Soles’ paintings are exuberant in both form and color, based on her interest in the natural world. Painting con brio with oil, Soles uses colors that energetically evoke the sea, sand and sky. The Gallery continues its Lunchtime Lecture series on Thursday, February 25, 12:30-1:30 with Professor Bob White, Communications, presenting Pandemonium Shadow Show. Trustman Gallery hours are 10am - 4:30pm, Monday through Friday.

The gallery is free, open to the public and wheelchair accessible. For more information, contact Marcia Lomedico at 617-521-2268, or visit the Trustman Art Gallery website at www.simmons.edu/trustman and visit us on Facebook.

LOOKING BACK SEMINAR SERIES Celebrate Black History Month with the Disparities Solutions Center Racial and Ethnic Disparities: Looking Back Seminar Series — Racial & Ethnic Health & Health Care Disparities & Dysfunction: Historical & Contemporary Issues. Tuesday, February 16, 12-1:30pm*, Sweet Conference Room, Gray/Bigelow 4th Floor, Massachusetts General Hospital. *A light lunch will be served. The Looking Back seminar reviews a key historical topic in racial and ethnic disparities and highlights its impact on present-day configurations of disparities.

The information presented in this seminar will be indispensable for participants interested in applying lessons learned from the past to correct the contemporary crisis we face in our health care system today. In honor of Black History Month, please join us for a presentation by Drs. W. Michael Byrd and Linda A. Clayton, nationally known health policy experts whose work focuses on the medical history and health experience of African Americans and other populations that experience disparities in the U.S. health system. Drs. Bryd and Clayton will present the development of the unequal health system that evolved in English North America from antiquity to the present, followed by an exploration of present-day disparities in our health care system. The presentation will include a survey of health and health care disparities in Massachusetts, along with the impact the Affordable Care Act has had on disparities. The seminar will be followed by an audience question and answer session. This event is free and open to the public, and mem-

bers of local health care organizations are encouraged to attend. Please RSVP (https:// www.surveymonkey.com/r/SCBX MXV) to reserve your spot.

ONGOING PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITIONS AT THE MULTICULTURAL ARTS CENTER Through January 29 the Multicultural Arts Center will host “Somos Uno” and “IRAN: Women Only,” both photography exhibitions by local Erica Frisk and travel photographer Randy H. Goodman. Both women present different and reflective ways of looking at locations close and far from us here in Cambridge, MA. Erica takes us on a journey through Mexico, focusing on Oaxaca while Randy gives us a glimpse into the life of women, past and present, in Iran. Both shows transcend our knowledge of these places we read and hear about daily through each woman’s true experience. 41 Second St., East Cambridge. For more information visit www.multicultur alartscenter.org/ galleries/. Galleries are FREE and open to the public. Regular Gallery hours: Monday-Friday, 10:30am-6pm.

LIST PROJECTS: ANN HIRSCH Showing though February 21. Ann Hirsch’s work in video and performance considers the effects of technology on popular culture; many of her projects examine how young women are portrayed and present themselves in social media and online. Hirsch — who often characterizes her work as research — has started a YouTube channel for one of her personas which gained a cult following, appeared as a contestant on a reality television show, and created a series of works loosely based on her pre-teen experience in an online chat room in the 1990s. The exhibition at the List Center will include three projects (the artist’s self-described “greatest hits”): Scandalishious (20082009), Here for You (Or My Brief Love Affair with Frank Maresca) (2010), and Twelve

(2013). Ann Hirsch (b. 1985, Baltimore) lives and works in Los Angeles. Hirsch holds an MFA in Art Video from Syracuse University and a BFA in Sculpture from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. List Projects: Ann Hirsch is curated by Henriette Huldisch, Curator, MIT List Visual Arts Center. Support for this exhibition has been generously provided by the Council for the Arts at MIT, the Office of the Associate Provost at MIT, Terry & Rick Stone, MIT School of Architecture + Planning, the MIT List Visual Arts Center Advisory Committee, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and many generous individual donors. Special thanks to Fatboy USA. GALLERY HOURS: Tuesday-Wednesday 12-6pm, Thursday 12-8pm, Friday-Sunday 12-6pm. Closed Mondays and major holidays. PUBLIC ART HOURS: Always open and always free.

LOCATION: 20 Ames Street E15-109, Cambridge. ADMISSION: Our exhibitions and programs are free and open to the public.

JOCELYN CHEMEL EXHIBIT Growing up just a few doors down from Nelson Mandela in apartheid South Africa, Jocelyn Chemel was taught to keep quiet. Jail time was an ever-present threat and as Chemel’s parents searched for an exit strategy she took in the violence around her in silence. Now she’s speaking out about the atrocities she witnessed through a brave series of mixed media artworks. City Hall has invited Chemel to show her work as part of Black History Month and Chemel will also show at the historic Strand Theatre in Dorchester. The barbed wire and shadowy figures in Chemel’s work strike a particularly resonant chord in Boston, a city with a long history of support of Nelson Mandela’s anti-apartheid, pro-education stance. The Hub has never forgotten Mandela’s 1990 speech at Madison Park High School in Roxbury, and many civic leaders still study his teachings. BARBED, Mayor’s Neighborhood Gallery, 2nd floor, Boston City Hall, through February 28.

SUDOKU ANSWERS FROM PG 26

The Community Calendar has been established to list community events at no cost. The admission cost of events must not exceed $10. Church services and recruitment requests will not be published. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE OF PUBLICATION. To guarantee publication with a paid advertisement please call advertising at (617) 261-4600 ext.

7799 or email ads@bannerpub.com. NO LISTINGS ARE ACCEPTED BY TELEPHONE, FAX OR MAIL. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. Deadline for all listings is Friday at noon for publication the following week. E-MAIL your information to: calendar@bannerpub.com. To list your event online please go to www.baystatebanner.com/events and list your event directly.

Events listed in print are not added to the online events page by Banner staff members. There are no ticket cost restrictions for the online postings.

34 • Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

FOOD POTLUCK CHECK OUT NUTRITION AND HEALTH NEWS ONLINE: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/HEALTH

PASTA

BY THE EDITORS OF RELISH MAGAZINE

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Mushrooms and Fontina Cheese The sausage-mushroom mixture can be made a day ahead

and refrigerated in an airtight container. Rewarm over low heat before combining with the pasta. n 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided n 12 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed n 1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed, and quartered n ½ cup sliced shallots n 4 teaspoons minced fresh garlic n 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary n 1 ⁄3 cup dry white wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth

n 1 teaspoon coarse salt, divided n Freshly ground black pepper n 3 tablespoons unsalted butter n 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour n 2 cups 2-percent reduced-fat milk n 1 pound rigatoni n 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with purée n 6 ounces Italian fontina, shredded n 6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat; add sausage. Cook, breaking up meat with a spoon until no longer pink and beginning to brown. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon; pour off drippings, leaving behind brown bits. Add remaining oil and mushrooms to pan. Cook until mushrooms begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add shallots; cook 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and rosemary; cook 1 minute more.

Add wine, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until wine is nearly evaporated.

Season with ¾ teaspoon salt and pepper.

Return sausage to pan and stir to combine.

2. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.

3. Melt butter in a large saucepan

over medium heat. Stir in flour; cook until foaming but not colored, about 2 minutes.

Whisk in milk; bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.

4. Cook rigatoni according to package directions, undercooking by 3 minutes.

Drain; return to pot. Add sausage mixture to pasta; toss well. Add sauce and crushed tomatoes; stir to combine. Stir in fontina and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano.

5. Transfer pasta mixture to baking dish.

Sprinkle remaining Parmigiano Reggiano over top; cover with foil. Bake 20 minutes.

Remove foil and bake 10 minutes more. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serves 8.

— Recipe by Larraine Perri

NEW! THURSDAY NIGHT ARTS

1/22: Muggs Fogarty & WOWPS Qualifier - 6:30pm doors

Come By The Bolling Building to check out our new enterprise, Dudley Dough Haley House Bakery Cafe - 12 Dade Street - Roxbury 617 445 0900 - www.haleyhouse.org/cafe

Twice-Baked Butternut Squash Recipe courtesy of Chef Morgan, ALDI Test Kitchen n 1 medium butternut squash, halved and seeded n 2 cups hot water n 5 ounces Specially Selected Honey Goat Cheese Log, crumbled, divided n ¼ cup Friendly Farms Half & Half n 2 tablespoons Countryside Creamery Unsalted Butter, melted n 5 ounces Southern Grove Dried Mixed Berries n 2 teaspoons Stonemill Essentials Pumpkin Pie Spice n Stonemill Essentials Iodized Salt, to taste n Stonemill Essentials Ground Black Pepper, to taste n½ cup Southern Grove Chopped Pecans Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large baking dish, place butternut squash cut side up. Add hot water, cover with foil. Bake until tender, approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven, discard water, allow to cool. Scoop out tender parts of squash, leaving skin intact. In a medium bowl, combine squash, 3 ounces of goat cheese, half and half, melted butter, mixed berries, pumpkin pie spice, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Scoop mixture back into squash skin, top with remaining goat cheese and chopped pecans. Bake until mixture is slightly firm, approximately 10-12 minutes. Change oven setting to broil. Broil until cheese is browned, approximately 5-8 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

— Family Features

WORD TO THE WISE Pemmican: Pronounced pem-i-kuh n, a Native American meat cake made from dried lean meat pounded into a powder, then mixed with melted fat and berries.

— More Content Now

THE DISH ON …

“Fresh Tastes From a Well-Seasoned Kitchen”

by Lee Clayton Roper This follow-up to 2010’s “A WellSeasoned Kitchen” features cooking tips, beautiful photos of easy-to-prepare recipes for entertaining or family meals.

Roper specializes in “everyday gourmet” dishes and includes serving suggestions as well as menu section.

— Southwestern Publishing Group

Hosting on a budget

EVERY THURSDAY AT 7 PM

Coming to the House Slam!

EASY RECIPE

TIP OF THE WEEK

AT HALEY HOUSE BAKERY CAFÉ

1/14: #LiftedBoston feat. Rebecca Zama and Marella Eliza 1/21: Nina LaNegra’s Art Is Life Itself! feat. singer Shea Rose, poet Skoot & Open Mic 1/28: Lyricists’ Lounge from Boston Day & Evening Academy 2/4: Fulani Haynes’ Jazz Collaborative

www.baystatebanner.com

Be sure to check out our website and mobile site www.baystatebanner.com

One of the easiest ways to curb spending is to trim the grocery bill. Use these tips to save money on your next party: n Nix the open bar plan this year and stick to the classics. Bubbles and vino are always crowd-pleasers. This will earn you big-time savings and keep you from having to make drinks all night long. n Individual appetizers are perfect for keeping guests nibbling until the main course. Try a trendier take on casseroles like gratins, featuring fresh produce and a baked breadcrumb crust. n Use turkey breast as an affordable entree option for a large group.

— Family Features

Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 35

FOOD

CHECK OUT NUTRITION AND HEALTH NEWS ONLINE: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/HEALTH

www.baystatebanner.com

TIP OF THE WEEK

Sensible sauces for a healthy new year Sacrificing some of your favorite foods doesn’t have to be part of your new year/new you strategy. In many dishes, it’s the sauces that pack on the calories you’re trying to avoid. Look for swaps that let you enjoy delicious, better-foryou dinners.

Pasta is notoriously a diet danger zone, but dressing up the noodles with plenty of flavorful ingredients and switching out dense, high-calorie sauces for tasty substitutes will let you keep enjoying savory pasta dishes while you work toward a healthier lifestyle.

Even creamy recipes are possible with the right substitutions. Use yogurtbased sauces like Sabra’s Farmer’s Ranch Greek Yogurt Dip. Or try swapping traditional pasta sauce for Sabra’s Chipotle Hummus.

— Family Features

EASY RECIPE

Quinoa Grapefruit Blueberry Breakfast Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Serves: 4 n ¾ cup Florida Grapefruit Juice n ½ cup water n ¾ cup quinoa, rinsed n 2 tablespoons liquid honey or maple syrup n 2 Florida Ruby Red Grapefruit, segmented n 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries n 1 cup 0% vanilla or plain yogurt n Fresh mint leaves In small saucepan, combine grapefruit juice, water, quinoa and honey. Bring to boil; cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in grapefruit and blueberries; divide into shallow bowls and top with yogurt.

Garnish with mint to serve.

— Family Features

NUMBER TO KNOW

600

There are more than 600 different pasta shapes produced

worldwide.

— More Content Now

GOOD& HEARTY

PHOTO COURTESY RELISH MAGAZINE

Peasant dishes use wholesome ingredients for wow

FOOD QUIZ Vermicelli translates into “little ____” in Italian.

A. Tongues B. Worms C. Strings D. Slices Answer at bottom of column.

WORD TO THE WISE Al dente: Pronounced al-DEN-tay, it literally means “to the tooth,” which is how to test pasta to see if it is properly cooked. It should be soft but slightly firm at the core and require some chewing but not crunch or stick to the teeth.

— Cookthink

QUIZ ANSWER B. Worms

BY THE EDITORS OF RELISH MAGAZINE

B

efore cornmeal starred in polenta and rice became risotto, cornmeal was fried up as cornmeal mush and rice was eaten in beans and rice.

These were peasant dishes at their best — based on local, inexpensive ingredients available to all. These foods weren’t gussied up with fancy sauces or garnishes; instead they were meals that conserved (and recycled) and made do with little.

Peasant dishes, with their earthy, honest ingredients, now star in hip restaurants across the country, a testament to their lure and durability. Here’s a dish born out of a lean pantry.

It’s perfect for adapting to what you have on hand and improvising at length.

Braised Chicken and Vegetables Serves 4 n 1 T olive oil n 6 bone-in chicken thighs n 1 potato, peeled and chopped n 1 yellow onion, finely chopped (1 cup) n 2 carrots, chopped n 2 garlic cloves, minced n ¾ cup white wine such as Chardonnay n 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth n 3 sprigs fresh thyme n 1 tomato, chopped n Juice of 1 lemon

n ½ t salt n Freshly ground pepper n Lemon slices (optional, for garnish) Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium. Add chicken and cook until brown on both sides, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from pan. Add potato, onion and carrots; cook 5 minutes. Return chicken to skillet (with any juices). Add garlic, wine, broth, thyme, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Add chopped tomato, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

36 • Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

school cuts

said. “You don’t want the students currently in enrolled to have their education compromised. And you want familes to know that they’re on a pathway to an excellent learning experience that will put them on a career track.”

continued from page 1

about the challenging financial situation before us.”

Parent activists say the cuts will likely necessitate cutting school supplies, electives and even teaching positions.

“I honestly don’t know how schools will be able to deal with this,” said Citywide Parent C o u n c i l m e m b e r He s h a n Berents-Weeramuni.

At Boston Latin Academy, parent council members are engaging in a letter-writing campaign to rescind the cuts.

While this year’s $1.027 billion BPS budget is $13.5 million higher than last year’s budget, the increase in funding does not make up for increased costs and declining state aid that have led to what BPS officials say is a $30 million

Structural deficit

PHOTO COURTESY AYANNA PRESSLEY

Ayanna Pressley budget deficit.

At-large City Councilor Ayanna Pressley said the cuts and their potential effects on high schools are worrisome.

“We’ve made it a point to expand kindergarten seats to attract and retain families in Boston,” she

In past years, BPS officials have warned of continuing budget cuts as the department struggles with rising costs of health care and salaries. This year, salary and benefit increases are expected to cost $21 million. Additionally, declining Chapter 70 state education funding is putting a strain on the department’s budget. Twenty years ago, state funding accounted for 30 percent of the BPS budget.

Last year, the Chapter 70 funds accounted for just 9 percent.

As charter school seats have expanded in Boston, state funding that would normally go to the

BPS district schools has supported those expansions. Last year, charter schools, which under the current statewide cap can claim no more than 18 percent of a district’s budget, gained 668 new seats.

Those new seats could divert an estimated $9.8 million, using $14,750 as the average in per-pupil spending in Boston.

“As the seats grow, we go deeper in the hole,” said Citywide Parents Council member Mary Battenfeld, who sits on the Boston Latin Academy school site council.

Battenfeld and other parents say the impending cuts have sparked a flurry of parent activism, including a MoveOn.org petition to stop the cuts and restore funding.

“Like many other schools, the school my child attends is facing a 5% cut, which means losing $700,000 ... aka 7-8 teachers, a number of social-emotional supports, common planning time for

teachers and more,” wrote Jamaica Plain parent Megan Wolf on the petition.

Pressley said parent pressure can make a difference.

“I’m encouraged to see that parents are organizing,” she said.

“There’s a potential to reduce cuts when parents are organized, working with the City Council and the Boston Public Schools.”

BPS Press Secretary Dan O’Brien said discussions about the budget will continue.

“School leaders have been in discussion with BPS’ Central Office about the impending budget,” he said in a statement emailed to the Banner. “A public discussion with the School Committee will be held at its February 3rd meeting. A series of public hearings will continue during February and March, culminating with the School Committee’s vote on the budget on March 23rd.”

FUN&GAMES SUDOKU: SEE ANSWERS ON PAGE 33

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Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 37

BPS official outlines budget challenges in memo to Chang The following memo, dated January 11, was shared with parent organizers, union officials and other stakeholders in the Boston Public Schools.

MEMORANDUM TO: Tommy Chang, Superintendent FROM: Eleanor Laurans, Executive Director of School Finance DATE: January 11, 2016 SUBJECT: FY17 Budget Planning Update This memo offers an overview of our efforts to balance the FY17 budget and potential options as we move into the coming months. As we have discussed, despite cuts to school budgets and planned central reductions, a significant gap remains.

As a reminder, we shared with the School Committee last month

that we are facing nearly $30M in rising costs, including $21M in salary and benefit increases. When coupled with investments in core operations, past commitments and strategic priorities, we projected that the budget gap would rise to $40-$50M. On December 14, 2015, we released school budgets with cuts that were less extreme than some scenarios that were considered.

Our team, along with the City, shared a desire to protect schools as much as possible and we were willing to tolerate the risk represented by doing so. With what we knew at the time, we estimated that we had an approximately $5M hole to fill based on what was released in WSF, even after assuming substantial central cuts. As we support schools navigating the current level of cuts, it’s clear that deeper cuts would have been extremely difficult to sustain. However, with school budgets released, nearly two thirds of our budget is now “off the table” as we look to reach balance.

The impact of the reductions in school budgets will be felt widely across schools next year.

Over 50 of our schools are receiving allocations that are likely to force a reduction in staff. Preliminary estimates suggest that schools may reduce 100-150 staff; we will know more in the coming weeks. This excludes schools that will be making staff changes to adjust for changes in enrollment. In addition, 45 schools submitted requests for sustainability allocations because they felt unable to support basic needs and contractual obligations in their school with their initial allocation.

By the beginning of January, 2016, we made progress in our planning and identified even further central reductions, however, last week, a number of new costs came to light. We now find ourselves with a more challenging situation, and a gap that we estimate could be as high as $9M. The new items that came up last week and which will increase our

PHOTO COURTESY BPS

BPS Superintendent Tommy Chang maintenance budget include: tentative resolution of bus drivers’ contract, SIFE compliance requirements, and the potential for the MBTA fare increase. Coupled with the possibility of other investments, this pushes our gap up to as high as $9M. As a reminder, this gap exists after we have scrubbed the budget to identify areas of past under-spending and also identified $30M of cuts.

There are three basic avenues to resolving the situation at this stage: additional appropriations, more drastic cuts from services budgeted centrally, or the revision of cost or revenue projections as more information becomes

available. We are still only midway through FY16, and in the coming months, we will get more information to inform our projections for next year. Specifically, items that we will be watching include signals on our federal grants, our ability to balance school budgets, and details on FY16 performance that will inform our maintenance budget.

At this point, unfortunately we must also begin considering more drastic cuts in services to schools and students that are budgeted by central departments. We are in the process of working across department to put together a list of possible cuts for your consideration.

We are still early in this process. We will resume public discussion of these issues at the School Committee meeting on February 3, 2016. A series of public hearings will continue during February and March, culminating with a vote for the approval of a balanced budget by the School Committee on March 23, 2016. We continue to appreciate the partnership with the City, and they remain committed to working with us as we prepare to balance our budget.

We will continue to keep you updated as the work unfolds.

Thank you.

Stay connected to the

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38 • Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

BANNER CLASSIFIEDS

LEGAL

LEGAL

INVITATION TO BID The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority is seeking bids for the following: BID NO.

DESCRIPTION

DATE

TIME

WRA-4145

Laser and Belt Alignment Training for the Deer Island Treatment Plant

01/27/16

2:00 p.m.

WRA-4156

Supply and Delivery of One Mobile Laboratory Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometer for the MWRA Central Lab

01/27/16

3:00 p.m.

Remove Laboratory Benches and Furnish and Install Replacement Laboratory Benches at the Central Lab Deer Island Treatment Plant

02/02/16

WRA-4157

LEGAL

Banner Connect with the

Follow us on 2:00 p.m.

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To access and bid on Event(s) please go to the MWRA Supplier Portal at www.mwra.com.

REAL ESTATE

Affordable Homeownership Concord, MA Millstone Concord Condominium 1888 Main Street, Concord, MA 01742

Burton F. Faulkner Tower 25 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA (617) 628-2119

Income Limit 80% Boston AMI and Asset Limits Use and Resale Restrictions Apply

Handicapped Accessible

Applications accepted through 2/25/16, 1 pm Lottery: 3/9/16 at 7 pm

BAY STATE BANNER

REAL ESTATE

Application and Lottery Information: Housing@Sudbury.Ma.US 278 Old Sudbury Road, Sudbury, MA 01776, 978-639-3373

Information Session: Thurs. 1/21/16, 7 pm Concord Town House –22 Monument Sq. Concord, MA

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Section 8 subsidized housing for elderly and handicapped.

1&2 bedroom apartments, some wheelchair adapted. All apartments have fully appliance kitchens, wall-to-wall carpeting. A/C tiled baths, recessed patios and more. Modern 12 story building located on bus line, steps away from Central Public Library. Apartments available on an open occupancy basis. Waiting list maintained. Call for an application and eligibility requirements weekday mornings.

Minorities are encouraged to apply.

SMOKE FREE

One 3-Bedroom Condominium Home - $182,000

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REAL ESTATE

Wollaston Manor 91 Clay Street Quincy, MA 02170

Senior Living At It’s Best

A senior/disabled/ handicapped community 0 BR units = $1,027/mo 1 BR units = $1,101/mo All utilities included.

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Parker Hill Apartments Brand New Renovated Apartment Homes Stainless Steel Appliances New Kitchen Cabinets Hardwood Floors Updated Bathroom Custom Accent Wall Painting Free Parking Free Wi-Fi in lobby Modern Laundry Facilities

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FRIENDLY GARDEN CO-OP APARTMENTS Friendly Garden Co-op Apartments where member residents have a voice in the management of the property, has large studio and one bedroom apartments.

Located a short distance from Revere Beach, this active senior co-op is on an MBTA bus route, and is within walking distance to shopping, banks and medical professionals.

Features such as…...

• Scenic views of Revere’s beachside community • Plenty of space for indoor relaxation • Emergency Response Person living on site, on call • On site laundry facilities and air conditioning • Large community room with many social events Rent is based on 30% of income (income limits apply) to qualified seniors 62 and older and to younger persons, must be at least 18 or older, who are mobility impaired requiring the special design features of accessible units.

Call 1-800-225-3151 • www.csi.coop

ADMIRALS TOWER CO-OP & CONSTITUTION CO-OP SENIOR LIVING AT ITS BEST! Affordable senior apartments located on the beautiful grounds of Admiral’s Hill in Chelsea, and on the Freedom Trail in Charlestown. These active senior housing co-ops are within walking distance to, shopping, banks, churches and are on MBTA bus lines.

Features such as…...

• Large studio and 1 bedroom apartments • Scenic views of the Boston skyline • Plenty of space for outdoor relaxation • Emergency Response Person living on site, on call • On site laundry facilities and air conditioning • Large community room with many social events

Social activities include: Bingo, Luncheons, Holiday Parties & More!!

Rent is based on 30% of income (income limits apply) to qualified seniors 62 and older and to younger persons, must be at least 18 or older, who are mobility impaired requiring the special design features of accessible units.

Call 1-800-225-3151 • www.csi.coop FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

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PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SENIORS.

Thursday, January 14, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 39

BANNER CLASSIFIEDS

REAL ESTATE

HELP WANTED Dana Hall School,

ADVERTISE YOUR CLASSIFIEDS (617) 261- 4600 x 7799

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FIND RATE INFORMATION AT

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an independent boarding/day school for girls’ grades 5-12 in Wellesley has the following openings for the 2016-17 Academic Year. For complete job descriptions and to apply, please visit www.danahall.org.

Academic Dean 7th Grade English Teacher Upper School Math Teacher

HELP WANTED Seeking Bilingual Spanish speaking counselor to strengthen young Latino families.

To serve a growing Latino community in Waltham and Newton, Family ACCESS Counseling and Consultation Services is seeking a counselor or social worker (licensure preferred) who is fluent in Spanish and English. The Bilingual Clinician will provide home-based and center-based mental health services (individual, family and group counseling and case management) to parents, infants and children and mental health classroom consultation to the Early Learning Center of Family ACCESS. This position targets the immigrant families that live in the Waltham, Newton area. The Clinician will participate as a member of a strong clinical team and work collaboratively with other programs of the agency. The position is part time or full time (25 hours plus) and eligible for benefits. The candidate will need their own car for home visits.

If you are interested in joining the Family ACCESS team, we would like to hear from you. Please submit cover letter & resume by mail or email to: Susan Sklan, Program Director of Counseling and Consultation Services Family ACCESS 492 Waltham St. West Newton, MA 02465 ssklan@familyaccess.org

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT The Executive Assistant at the Massachusetts Port Authority coordinates activities and provides administrative support to ensure efficient operation within the Strategic Communications and Marketing Department.

EDUCATION: High school graduate required. Secretarial school graduate preferred.

EXPERIENCE: 3-5 years’ administrative experience in a business environment required.

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UNIQUE EXPERTISE/CERTIFICATION/REGISTRATIONS: • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, with a strong ability in Outlook, PowerPoint, Word and Excel preferred.

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• Ability to pass a Massport controlled substances test and background security checks.

MASSPORT IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER COMMITTED TO WORKFORCE DIVERSITY You can now apply online by clicking on the job title you are interested in and clicking on the “Apply” link! http://agency.governmentjobs.com/massport/default.cfm

HS diploma or GED required.

Free YMCA membership for you and your family while enrolled in YMCA Training, Inc. Call 617-542-1800 and refer to Health Insurance Training when you call

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Project Hope Housing Services Coordinator

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Project Hope Housing Services Coordinator will be responsible for oversight of the eviction prevention program and will provide support and resources to staff working with homeless families to ensure stable, affordable housing.

Qualifications: • 3+ years in human services program management • Bachelor’s in social work or related field preferred • Knowledge of homelessness and housing issues specifically: • MA tenant laws and eviction process • Housing search resources for homeless/low-income families • Ability to work with team of direct service staff and diverse population • Computer proficiency • Verbal and written communications skills Please submit cover letter and resume to: pcomfrey@prohope.org

Project Hope Collaborative Shelter Referral Coordinator Project Hope seeks a highly organized individual to manage a federal grant program to identify homeless families in need of services in the Boston area and to provide resources for these families through outreach to other agencies. The Coordinator will establish and maintain operational and data based systems for the program. S/he will participate as a member of the Workforce Development team to review participants’ progress, needs and services.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BANNER call (617) 261-4600 • baystatebanner.com

Requirements: • Experience in workforce development with a focus on low-income community members • Experience with homeless families • Experience with grant management activities • Excellent communication and organizational skills • Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds • Bachelor’s degree preferred Please submit cover letter and resume to: pcomfrey@prohope.org.

United Housing Management is currently seeking the professionals below.

Please forward resumes no later than January 22, 2016 to 530 Warren Street, Dorchester, MA 02121 or fax to 617-442-7231.

Property Manager: The successful candidate will have a minimum of 5 years of experience in managing at least 150 units with Project Based Section 8 and Low Income Housing Tax Credit, with the ability to interpret and analyze financial projections, experience and skills in team building and motivation, organizational skills with strong verbal and written communication, and ability to relate effectively with people of various backgrounds. Proficiency in a second language is a plus. Professional Certification as a Property Manager and Tax Credit Specialist are required.

Transportation is a must.

Assistant Property Manager: Experienced in the management of a Section 8 development for a minimum of three years. Responsibilities include the full range of property management functions, but not limited to recertification, and tenant relations - COS certification and Tax Credit experience are required. Candidate must be self-motivated and possess excellent communication, organizational skills – bilingual English/Spanish is a plus. Transportation is a must.

Occupancy Specialist: The ideal candidate will have 3 years of experience in Tax Credit and Section 8 Housing. (COS) certification is required - Tax Credit experience is a plus. Candidate will maintain the waiting list of applicants for housing; strong organizational skills and attention to detail are required – bilingual English/Spanish is a plus. Transportation is a must.

Maintenance Technician: Experienced in two or more phases of building maintenance repairs including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, appliances, carpentry, plastering, locks, flooring. Must be dependable and self-motivated with excellent customer service skills. Must have own tools and a reliable vehicle with a valid driver’s license. Will be required to provide scheduled nights and weekend’s coverage - bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.

United Housing Management LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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