R E N T E R S T 0 S H O U L D E R T H E B U R D E N
CLVU ORGANIZER SAYS RENT CONTROL AND TENANT ASSOCIATIONS ARE THE ANSWER
If an ongoing affordability crisis was not enough, Boston residents have entered the new year to heightened utility bills and increased annual property taxes of 13% for the average single family home
The city council and Boston-based state senators supported a home-rule petition that would temporarily shift some of the tax increase to commercial properties The petition passed the City Council three times and the House of Representatives twice, before being held up in the Senate for over a year only to be thrown away
“As a result many homeowners have been left without any substantial relief ” said City Council President Liz Breadon
In her January 23 address, Governor Maura Healey announced that the state would spend $180 million in February and March to reduce residents' gas and electricity bills by 10% and 25%, respectively The funds will cover an estimated 15% reduction in electric bills, with the remainder deferred into bills throughout the year Gas bills will be recouped by increases during the off-peak months of May through October
City Life/Vida Urbana Dorchester Community Organizer Antonio Ennis said the city’s affordability has been detrimental to his neighborhood and that these increases will further destabilize communities city-wide
He called Healey s actions a two month bandaid and that the state should instead pursue long-term policy changes to help sustain communities “That's why we ' re pushing for rent control as a statewide law,” he said
CLVU has joined other grassroots housing justice groups across Massachusetts to get
“An Initiative Petition to Protect Tenants by Limiting Rent Increases ” onto the 2026 ballot The measure would cap the limit on annual rent increases to either the annual Consumer Price Index increase or 5%, whichever is lower Exceptions are included for buildings of four or fewer units where the property owner lives on site
A landlord himself, Ennis said the new policy would protect renters and support long term tenancy
Healey said in December that she would not support the rent control initiative and that housing investors have already begun pulling out of Massachusetts due to concerns it may pass "I don't want to see housing production stopped We need to have housing production move forward, she said I also understand what s driving rent control I want to work together to do something that's sensible, that creates more homes, builds more homes and lowers costs for people "
In the here and now Ennis recommends communities form tenant associations to pursue their needs collectively He explained with at least half of residents signed on an association can exert a great amount of pressure against neglectful
property management “When we can take those tenant associations and make a statewide association, now you ' re talking about real power, ” he said
He also prioritizes education, noting that it was far easier to collect signatures in western Massachusetts s more rural, educated communities than folks in Boston who would benefit most
“There has to be some level of higher learning ent control is and how it's going to as somebody living in Roxbury r Mattapan that is constantly ent increase every year ”
In July 2025, Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), a piece of legislation spearheaded by the Trump administration that has remained at the forefront of controversy for the past year
One of the biggest areas of concern has been its impact on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Also known as “food stamps,” the program provides lowincome households with federal funds to purchase groceries monthly It is the largest anti-hunger program in the United States, with over 42 million individuals receiving benefits in just the first eight months of 2025 Under the OBBBA, SNAP benefits will be cut by approximately $186 billion over ten years a 20 percent reduction, marking the largest reduction of funding in decades
Adults between the ages of 55 and 64 as well as adults with children over the age of 14, would have to work a minimum of 20 hours a week to meet new eligibility requirements If they do not comply with these regulations, they will only be able to receive benefits for three months over a span of three years These rules would apply to veterans, people experiencing homelessness and those with disabilities, who were previously exempt from these work requirements
The OBBBA also poses a new financial burden for states Beginning in fiscal year 2027, states would have to cover 75% of SNAP administrative costs a substantial increase from their previous share of 50%
Taken together, these changes would result in millions of struggling American families losing access to healthy and nutritious food
Approximately one million Massachusetts residents currently receive SNAP benefits With the implementation of the OBBBA, more than 160 000 residents’ SNAP benefits will be reduced or cancelled This has been detrimental to many families, especially during difficult economic times and high inflation that has persisted after the COVID-19 pandemic
According to the Greater Boston Food Bank’s Food Access Report, more than one in three Massachusetts households reported food insecurity in the year of 2024 The report also highlighted the disproportionate
impact of food security on Black and Hispanic households, which experience the highest rates of hunger Additionally, 70 percent of those receiving SNAP benefits are the elderly, disabled, or children Without the restoration of SNAP benefits, minority communities would be disproportionately impacted, exacerbating the social inequalities already prevalent in the United States
“If President Trump wants to penalize states for preventing Americans from going hungry we will see him in court,” said Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey
She encouraged Massachusetts residents to spend the remaining funds on their cards, emphasizing her commitment to pushing back against the new restrictions and restoring full SNAP benefits to her constituents
On October 28, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell led a lawsuit with a coalition of 25 other states against the Trump administration for“unlawfully suspending” SNAP during the government shutdown On November 19, Campbell sued the Trump administration, arguing that the new restrictions would disqualify legal immigrants from food assistance A federal judge ruled in favor of Campbell, “ensur[ing] Massachusetts can continue administering SNAP benefits to the children, elders, and people with disabilities who rely on them, without facing devastating financial penalties that continued operation o program ”
As of November 2025 government shutdown h full SNAP benefits have in Massachusetts Howe of SNAP benefits unde administration remains you are worried right n you are going to feed yo you are going to fee please call Project Brea alone,” Healey said
Families in need of fo can contact the free an Project Bread FoodSou 1-800-645-8333 Addit regional food banks resources in Massachu Boston Food Bank Wo Food Bank, the Food Ba Massachusetts, and th Valley Food Bank
If you live in Boston, you know there are many colors of snow Gray, brown, that creepy tropical blue from road salt, that disturbingly happy pink from the other kind of road salt, and of course yellow
Snow gets its colors from waste I'm not a "city beautification" person If a sidewalk looks dirty I figure there's a bigger reason, like "that giant highway" or "disposable packaging is almost impossible to avoid and harms most life on earth
Also, sometimes things are just dirty Dirty When I shoveled snow at my parents' house last week I turned over a small layer of earth at the edge of their driveway Brown oak leaves, dead grass, and soil on the snow, dirt-y It looked gross, but it was natural Where am I going with this? Ecofriendly hijinks
For the past 6 winters I've been playing an art game I call Dogs Can t Draw It's pretty simple: you make a batch of turmeric dye, you put it in a spray bottle, and then you draw or write things in the snow
INSTRUCTIONS
Dye making:
1 Fill the pot with water and turmeric powder
2 Simmer for as long as you can 1 hour is good
4 Keep an eye on it! If it burns it won t work as well Add water as needed
5 Turn off the heat, let the pot cool
Straining:
1 Press a paper towel into each of your funnels/strainers For bigger funnels/strainers you might need two paper towels overlapped in an X shape
2 Put one strainer on top of each jar and place the jars in a row
3 Carefully pour in the dye Let each strainer drain completely before filling it again
4 After about 2 fills the paper towels will be clogged Replace them, then squeeze out the old ones to get the rest of the dye
5 Repeat until the dye pot is empty or there is thick sludge on the bottom
6 Compost the sludge and paper towels (if you have compost)
Drawing:
1 Pour the dye into a spray bottle Does the spray bottle REALLY need to have an adjustable nozzle, the kind you twist gradually between fine mist, medium flow, and laser-sharp geyser? YES
2 Get your coat on!
3 Practice in a spot you don't care about Adjust the twist nozzle, adjust it again Try a long, slow spray while moving your hand swiftly, for lines and letters
4 You can do shading, I believe in you! Adjust the nozzle closer to the mist setting
5 Be thoughtful about location I don t
Q U E E R A E S T H E T I C S
To be inside Dani’s Queer Bar is to be immersed in art Awash in moody purple light, the bar is home to vivid murals, striking paintings, and bright neon signs all deliberately crafted and curated to produce a transportive, queer aesthetic
When Dani’s opened its doors in September 2024, it became Boston’s first lesbian bar in over a decade, carving out intentional space for queer, sapphic, trans, and non-binary people to form community and connection
The bar’s artwork itself both reflects and establishes a sense of community Much of this effect can be credited to the fact that local queer artists are behind the work During the collaborative creative process, they were given freedom to authentically express themselves and what they felt was best for the space
Two of the muralists Noor Shakeel and Rose Crawford, shaped much of the creative vision Their artwork is all over Dani’s, including the warm, colorful Boston skyline mural that greets patrons outside the door and a variety of paintings that adorn the bar’s interior walls
“The idea was to have pieces that are showing community in all different ways and showing queerness in all different ways ” Crawford explained
Upstairs, Crawford’s Island of Lesbos mural stretches above the bar Crawford described capturing a mythical and sapphic energy, while also displaying diversity across race, gender, and expression The piece evokes a palpable sense of human connection, depicting people eating, drinking, and lounging together in peace and comfort Many of the figures touch, leaning against one another or offering the other food and drink Still others bathe in the ocean, while rolling pink clouds backdrop the serene landscape
A similar style is found in Crawford’s oil paintings, as she explores themes of black femininity, queerness, and sisterhood Some figures embrace, one braids another’s hair, and throughout all of them, Crawford shows the varied nature of connection and care in saturated color
The range of styles and subjects in the works creates unique atmospheres throughout Dani’s In the stairwell leading downstairs toward the dance floor, digital artist Cora Swan’s joyful and vibrant snapshots of partying cover the wall
Swan draws upon personal experience with Boston’s queer party scene, citing drag shows as a source of inspiration This is particularly true for Bend which depicts a blue-skinned figure on their back with their feet lifted to the sky, wing off sleek thigh-high boots positive energy imbued in Swan's k is intentional
an artist or as a person who’s ginalized in quite a few ways, I k one of the best things you can s just exist and have fun ” Swan ed “Because I think the people might not necessarily be portive of you would not want that, that’s kind of why you should do it on principle ”
ogether, the artwork at Dani’s tells es of queer experience and onging a fitting undertone for a ce centered on community
In our social-media-governed world, nearly all of us feel the need to constantly post, compare ourselves to our peers, and paint our lives out to be as picturesque as can be But this urge to distort reality and perfectly cultivate one ’ s digital presence can feel especially necessary for artists, whose success in the music industry is often directly dependent on what and how they’re posting as opposed to what they’re creating Coupled with the pressure to constantly release new music so as not to be left behind by their algorithm, saying that today’s artists are feeling burnt out doesn’t even begin to do their plight justice
One such artist who felt the weight of such pressures was Gabe Gill A native of western Massachusetts, Gabe has steadily built an impressive discography over the better half of the last decade, with a handful of albums and a long list of singles under his belt Not only has Gabe unearthed music on his own he’s also released music alongside longtime collaborato (and fellow western MA native) Elihu Okay as part of Deadmall But afte years of releasing music, time spent in NYC, and navigating the hurdles o life, Gabe Gill arrived at a point where he nearly quit making music
But what soon followed thi momentary despair was newfound life Gabe soon after found immense creative inspiration that sparked an exciting new chapter of his artistry The result of this period of time? Hi third studio album, To Live Only In Your Eyes Furnished with a total nine songs that were crafted betw 2023 and 2025, this project is on the brightest moments of Ga musical career thus far Each song a refreshing feel, with each boun around the thresholds of alterna pop, indie pop, and indie rock mus
When reflecting back on his appro to making this project, Gabe shared via Instagram, “When I sta working on this album, I defin didn’t have an overarching vision what it was going to sound like A feel like it ended up being just a
& a u d i o with vocals by Gordon Michaels and piano by Michael Larson @ Just Book-ish 6pm-7:30pm All Ages FREE
www.bostonshows.org An online listing of shows in Boston, submit ya links!
2/5 Singer Songwriter Night
Hosted by Glenn Williams with Britta Riffindots Nicole Dobberpuhl and Ren McLean @ The Square Root Cafe 7pm-10pm 21+ FREE
2/5 Patchwork 022 A night of funky live electronic music in Cambridge featuring local artists bryanBZ, Chicorito, Noizcode, NXOR, and Hint of Reason @ Zuzu 10pm-2am 21+ FREE
2/5 BLINK x Blonk Double bill with Jaap Blonk and Jorrit Dijkstra s BLINK group @ The Foundry 8pm All Ages $20
2/7 Meshell Ndegeocello Awardwinning artist performs selections from No More Water @ Berklee Performance Center 8pm All Ages
2/7 Baile Tropidélico Monthly all vinyl tropical party every first Saturday of the month @ State Park Bar 10pm 21+ $5
2/7 Leaf And Machine, Spinworld, Good & You?, Professor Caffeine & The Insecurities @ O'Briens Pub 7pm 21+ $14 97
2/8 Beantown Music School Best Of Adult Band Bash High energy show featuring four bands' season highlights @ Union Square Plaza Building 5pm-8pm All Ages FREE
2/11 Rozzie Old Time Session @ The Square Root Cafe 7pm-10pm 21+ FREE
2/13 Luli Moon, Liv Pamp, GiAnna @ Lilypad 10pm All Ages $10
2/15 Afrobeats Vs Konpa A night of Afrobeats, Konpa, and dancing featuring DJ SuperDuke DJ PowaSerge, and a surprise guest @ MIXX 360 Nightlife 10pm 21+ $25
2/19 Benefit For Luce Hotline
Dino Gala BabyBaby Explores & Rick Maguire of Pile @ Lilypad 7pm All Ages $15-25
2/20 Tiny Indie Fest A night of indie music featuring Cerussis, Holes in Socks, Medusa Luna, and Olivia Helen @Lilypad 10pm All Ages $10
2/21 Elisapie Canadian Inuk singer-songwriter performs soulful folk and rock @ Crystal Ballroom Somerville 8pm All Ages $44
2/24 Dede Booth, People Eating Plastic, and Ghostguard @ O'Briens Pub 7pm 21+ $12 55
2/27 The Femmes – Big Gay Prom Dance party with a prom theme! With live music from Melina KB and Kate Cosentino opening for The Femmes @ Crystal Ballroom Somerville 8pm All Ages $30
2/27 Emo Night Emo and pop punk covers featuring Smile Lines @ Midway Cafe 9:30pm 21+ $10
2/28 Saint Throwaway, At The Hands Of Man, Mussel Time, and Osis @ The Jungle 8pm 21+ $10
2/28 Master of the Chamber Hip hop performance tournament find on instagram @masterofthechamber for details and tickets $15-$20 adv, $25 dos
visual art
2/5 Opening Reception - Still Here: A Journey Of Public Art In Boston Celebrate the ICA Teen Photography Collective's exhibition featuring photography of public art displayed through 4/26 @ Boston Public Library (BPL) 6pm-7:30pm All Ages FREE
2/7, 2/28 Paint Your Truth A six week series of painting and crafting events Each workshop features facilitation from a local artist and thoughtful themes based around mental wellness and self-care @ The Foundry All Ages
film & video art
2/6 Do The Right Thing Spike Lee’s 1989 masterpiece in 35mm @ Brattle Theatre 3:30pm-5:30pm 17+ $13
2/15 The Bugs Bunny Film Festival Annual February vacation week screening Bugs Bunny cartoons on 35mm film, 2/15-2/22 @ Brattle Theatre All Ages $13
2/20 2026 Oscar Nominated Shorts Screenings Animated live action, and documentary @ Coolidge Corner Theatre All Ages
2/14 Femme Gaze: Saphhic Burlesque Valentine's Edition A matinee show celebrating queer sexuality, centering femmes and thems presented by Ruby Lovely and Kitty Levesque @ Midway Cafe 3pm-7pm 18+ $15
2/18 Niche: A Drag Tribute to NU METAL Featuring Thrash Infection and Aster R*sk @ Jacques' Cabaret 8pm 21+ $10-20 adv, $15-25 dos
2/19 Roslindale Comedy Showcase @ The Square Root Cafe 7pm-10pm 21+ FREE
2/21 Cosmic Roots: An Afrofuturism Hair & Fashion Show Futuristic blend of fashion, performance, and heritage @ Multicultural Arts Center 8pm10pm All Ages $30
literary art
2/9 I’ll Make Me A World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month Discussion Conversation with the author, Jarvis R Givens and Imani Perry National Book Award–winning author @ Brattle Theatre 6pm-7:30pm All Ages $10
2/10 Centering Palestine: Black Internationalism From South Africa To Palestine A conversation series featuring co-author of Everything for Everyone: An Oral History of the New Commune, Eman Abdelhadi @ Just Book-ish 6:30pm-8pm All Ages FREE
community
BostonQueers com Your go-to queer-owned business directory for discovering and exploring queerowned businesses in New England Whether you ' re looking for inclusive services, shops, or local favorites, their resource guide has you covered
2/4 Pub Quiz @ The Square Root Cafe 8pm-11pm 21+ FREE
2/7 Art for All A pick your price art sale all profits go to The Brazilian Women's Group @ Brookline Teen Center 2pm-4pm All Ages
2/7 Somerville Winter Farmers Market Weekly winter market with 71+ local food vendors every Saturday until 4/11 9:30am-1:30pm All Ages FREE
2/18 LGBTQ+ Community Circle Up: Taking Time To Heal Space to support each other in of today’s political challenges @ Just Book-ish 6pm-8pm All Ages FREE
2/24 Comedy Open Mic @ The Jungle 9pm 21+ FREE
2/28 Live Band Karaoke with SingOut @ Midway Cafe 9pm 21+ $10
opportunity
2/4 Arts Grant Writing Workshop Ujima workshop to support artists navigating the funding landscape RSVP at https://www ujimaboston com/eve nts @ Zoom 7:15pm All Ages FREE
2/15 Writing The Ya Novel With Ciera Burch Workshop on starting and writing a YA novel with author of Finch House, Something Kindred and more, Ciera Burch @ Just Book-ish 2:30pm-4pm All Ages FREE
Rat City Arts Festival is recruiting for volunteer communications, arts, and finance roles All Ages FREE The deadline to apply is 2/12
Copper Collective Call For Artists Opportunity to create public art to transform the DudleyKenilworth Pocket Park The deadline to apply is 2/27
The Arts and Accessibility Hub Providing arts and culture organizations with information, resources training and experts to increase accessibility Visit artsaccesshub org
2/3 Welcome to Extinction Rebellion Boston Learn about the global movement and Boston Chapter @ Zoom 6:30pm-7:30pm All Ages FREE
2/7 March For Trans Futures Join Protect Trans Futures, Dyke March, and Act Up Boston to march for trans rights and healthcare protection @ Boston Public Garden 1pm All Ages FREE
2/14 Once Upon A Time In Nubian Square Walking tour exploring Nubian Square's Black history and culture @ Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library (BPL) 12pm-3:30pm All Ages $23
2/28 Boston Black Women Lead: Wikipedia Edit-a-thon Create and edit Wikipedia articles about Black women who have shaped Boston histories Mini trainings provided at 11am and 12:30pm @ Boston Public Library (BPL) 11am-2pm All Ages FREE
2/3 Smut Slam Boston Storytelling Open Mic A fast-paced friendly open mic for real-life, adult storytelling @ Arts at the Armory 7:30pm-9:30pm 21+ $10
2/13 Liberation Open Mic Ft. Legacy Thornton Black History Month open mic with local poet Legacy Thornton @ Boston Liberation Center 7:30pm-10pm All Ages $5-$15
2/13 Rupaul’s Drag Race Fridays Watch Season 18 of RuPaul’s Drag Race in community, hosted by Mizery @ Club Cafe 8pm-10pm 21+ FREE
2/14 Valentine's Flash Day $100 Black/Gray $150 Color @ Said and Done Tattoo 12pm 18+
2/17 Crystal Ballroom Movie Trivia Test your cinematic knowledge for bragging rights and other prizes 7pm All Ages FREE
Hashtag on posts from the past
Artery-widening implants
Masks, gloves, etc for
"This American Life" host Glass 14 Identifying paint job, like on a taxi or airplane 15 Getting up there, so to speak
16 -Man (one of the highest-grossing video games of all time)
17 Shakespearean fairy king (and former fringe theater in Cambridge)
18 Symbol of Aries
19 Nickname for Chicago that better applies to Boston (highest average speed of any major metropolis!)
22 River on which the ancient Greeks swore oaths
23 " sow, so shall ye reap "
24 Word called out at the end of a test
26 Hi in HI
28 Film award shaped like a man holding a sword
29 Robert who won 28Acrosses for "The Godfather Part II" and "Raging Bull"
31 Jocular units of measurement painted on the Harvard Bridge
32 Nickname for Boston that better applies to Chicago (although the artist insists the sculpture is called "Cloud Gate")
35 David Ortiz, aka "Big "
38 Fly high
39 Org responsible for the Moon landing
43 The "language of the unheard," according to Martin Luther King Jr
44 " She Lovely" - Stevie Wonder hit
45 [Gulp!]
46 Fenway officials, for short
47 Sonic company
48 Result of four balls
Busy areas at hospitals
Word often shortened to its middle letter
Text that might get a response of "ETA?"
Aroma, to a sommelier
"I've figured it out!"
Show with the most
The Origin of the 8 Cat by Stone
The Amazing Lunk & Dongo by Welcome Hersey
Sweet Tooth by Kate Bowers
Pining For Petrichor by Ella Scheurell
Boston Loves Me by Allison Moore
THERE IS A GREEN BRIDGE TO CHELSEA
Where anxiety thrusted vehicles swirl by in the rain. We blur even more lovely on this wet road to a crystal shop looking for each other in something like heaven.
When you hand me a round stone I suppose the chaotic nebula above is kinder, Jungian shadows cracking through the smooth rock’s lines. Gender a light fractal in January.
And if I still prayed my love I know it would be your name.
OISON ROWE
MEET THE FEATURED ARTIST
What's up, my name is Stone. I'm a creative innovator from the South End of Boston and owner of the brand 8Stone. I use my imagination to create the reality of my visions. Ever since I was young, I've thrived in all medi-
MEET
ALLISON MOORE
My name is Allison Moore! I am a notorious person who lives in a place called Somersomething, Massachusetts. I’m originally from Sunnysomething, California and I’ve often tried to escape the swirling vortex of Somersomething to my homeland. Alas, I am continually pulled back to the greater Boston area by horrible evil forces like “the arts and culture scene“ and ”my friends and relationships.” I have a small collection of past lives none of which involved actually studying art, but several of which involved a meditative practice known as ”zoning out and doodling.” I print little zines and comics with my library card and if you tell me a joke or what you think love means I will give one to you.
My three fun facts are that I have a leopard gecko named Morton, I play the banjo in an improvisational therapy band (@ grouptherapygreatband), and I will be job hunting in the spring/summer if you know a guy.
Like many cartoonists, I am a neurotic wreck. I make comics in order to spread
MAKERS
my anxious, worried thoughts to innocent members of the public. Sometimes these comics are good, sometimes they are not good. If you want to look at them, I am on gross-stupid instagram @moore.art.allison, you can text me at 408-744-2330, or you can email me at moore.m.alli@proton.me. I have a website at amoore449.github.io/ portfolio/. That’s all. If you want to know more, stalk me online or send me a text. Please stay safe in our current political times and protect your neighbors.
members of his Autobiographical Comics course at CCAE, and the 2020-22 Tufts Observer art kids, for showing her cool and meaningful art and how to do it!
KATE BOWERS
Kate Bowers is a comic artist and printmaker who has only ever lived in the great state of Massachusetts. Living in the Medford-Somerville-Cambridge area for the past seven years, she has been inspired and enamored by the local arts community; from Hassle Flea booths to Open Studios backyards to soggy zines she has found in snowbanks. By day she analyzes microscopic images of cells, because clearly she thinks best in pictures. Kate draws things to make sense of the world, to put her endless spaghetti feelings on paper,
Kate is social-media-shy but has started an art account, @devilsfoodkate on Instagram, and she hopes to join an art market sometime this year to share zines and linocut prints in person.
This strip in the Boston Compass will be her most public comic art yet, so thanks for reading!
ELLA SCHEUERELL
Ella Scheuerell (she/her) is a cartoonist and storyteller from the Greater Boston area. She has spent the better part of the last two decades mourning the break-up of her sixth grade, all-girls band, “The Funky Weasels,” and is working on accepting the fact that she will never be as cool as she was then. She is an introvert who utilizes comics as a means of connecting with oth-
Ella is a graduate of Boston University’s Masters of Fine Arts program in Visual Narrative, which is just a fancy phrase for comics that she sometimes uses to impress people at dinner parties. At BU, she served on the Student Advisory Board at the College of Fine Arts, worked as the graduate assistant to the Chair, Professor Joel Christian Gill, and received the Constantin Alajalov scholarship.
You can fnd her editorial comics in The Boston Globe, The Guardian, Antigravity Magazine, and Eater Magazine.
WELCOME HERSEY
Welcome Hersey is a 12 year old artist living in western, MA. He enjoys making art and music. His comic book series, "The Book of Odd" can be found at Comics n' More in Easthampton. Find him on Instagram at @welx_art.
