Massachusetts State Senator
The Iftar — the breaking of the fast during Ramadan — represents compassion, coexistence, and collective responsibility. In Chelmsford, I joined the Islamic Society of Greater Lowell (ISGL) for their Iftar dinner, where over 150 community members gathered in a celebration of unity. Thank you to ISGL for bringing us all together!
Waltham and Weston, two communities I represent, deserve their fair share of credit for their roles in the American Revolution. Both sit along the Henry Knox Trail, named for the route that Colonel Knox followed as he hauled his “Noble Train of Artillery” from upstate New York to Boston for the Continental Army. When Knox passed through in 1776, both Waltham and Weston provided aid.
At a Revolution 250 event, I presented plaques honoring each community to Pam Fox, president of the Weston Historical Society (and pictured above), and Wayne McCarthy, president of the Waltham Historical Society.
Photo credit: Nicole Mordecai/Weston Observer
Brooksby Village, a senior living community in Peabody, is home to some terrific climate advocates. Members of Brooksby’s climate change committee — Dan Greenberg, Jean Wright, and Tom Bracewell — dropped by the State House to discuss EV chargers, solar panels, and other clean energy projects.
If you’re looking for future presidents, Bridge Elementary School in Lexington is a good place to start. I met with fifth graders from Bridge’s student government program, who filled me in on what they’ve been working on. Some of their recent projects: collecting gifts for low-income seniors, cleaning up a local park, and organizing a food drive for the Lexington Food Pantry. Impressive stuff. Thanks to Bridge’s Heather Kinney for organizing.
State Senator Mike Barrett, Lexington League of Women Voters, December 2025
Minute Man Arc, a nonprofit that supports people with disabilities in the Concord area, just unveiled its new fleet of electric vans. I helped lift the giant scissors at the ribbon-cutting.
We can keep pushing forward on climate regardless of the headwinds coming out of Washington. Nonprofits like Minute Man are planting the seeds of progress that will enable Massachusetts to continue decarbonizing through the Trump years.
Massachusetts lawmakers have reached an agreement on a bill that would make it easier for family members to obtain records of their disabled loved ones who lived in institutional housing. The governor is expected to sign it into law.
State Sen. Michael Barrett, who spearheaded the legislation in the Senate, said the goal of the bill is to serve families who have long been left in the dark while balancing privacy concerns.
“I’m feeling very good, that the House and the Senate made sure that this good, kind, sensible idea did not get lost,” he said. “This should give us more confidence that government works once in a while. It certainly is working in this case.”
