Posts

Financial literacy leaders

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By addressing nitty-gritty matters of managing dollars and cents, Budget Buddies extends a hand to hardworking local women who are running households and family finances. Joined by a longtime mentor-student pair who are now fast friends, Budget Buddies’ cofounders met recently with State Treasurer Deb Goldberg to discuss financial literacy for women across Massachusetts.

From left to right: Liz Gustin, Budget Buddies coach; cofounder Kathy Brough; cofounder Anita Saville; Treasurer Goldberg; Jacki Rodriguez, Budget Buddies student; and moi.

Budget Buddies Meet with Treasurer Goldberg

Chelmsford, Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail pay tribute to Carol Cleven

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Carol Cleven

My friend Carol Cleven submitted the original legislation to create the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.  Carol passed away recently, and the Chelmsford legislative delegation made a donation in her name to help maintain the rail trail. Read more →

Visit to the New England Organ Bank in Waltham

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Pleased to mark the lifesaving work of the New England Organ Bank, which serves more than 160 hospitals and 12 transplant centers across the region. From left to right: Kenny Laferriere, a heart recipient; Waltham Mayor Jeanne McCarthy; moi; Congresswoman Katherine Clark; NEOB CEO Alex Glazier; advocate Ann Linehan; Matt Boger, Director of State Relations for NEOB; Rep. John Lawn; Rep. Tom Stanley; Mike Slama, a heart recipient; Jim Pazzanese, a lung recipient.

Congresswoman Clark event

 

100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

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Joined Gov. Baker last Friday to mark the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Somber moment, lightened by survivors’ strength embodied in an entire nation. Huge turnout of Armenian Americans, their friends, and their admirers.

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Investing in the Arts Pays Off

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Non-profit cultural organizations spur economic growth. One dollar spent on the arts brings in $2.30 for local businesses. On the left, speaking with constituents with MASSCreative. We agreed to make that case during the debate over the budget for the new fiscal year. On the right, with Rob Mitchell of Concord, Carole Charnow of Bedford, Jerry Wedge of Concord, Allene Kussin of Concord and Belinda Jentz of Waltham.

arts collage

Meeting with the Mass. Coalition for the Homeless

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Met with members of the Mass. Coalition for the Homeless. One of their top priorities is legislation establishing a Homeless Bill of Rights, on which I’m a co-sponsor. You can read more about the bill here.

MA Coalition for the Homeless

United Teen Equality Center in Lowell

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As part of the Senate’s statewide listening tour, my colleagues and I visited the United Teen Equality Center in Lowell. UTEC was founded for local teens in response to gang violence. Had a delicious lunch from Cafe UTEC prepared by some young chefs.UTEC collage

 

Military R&D at Lincoln Laboratory

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The State Senate’s Commonwealth Conversations Tour stopped at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. My colleagues told me later that they were astonished by what they saw. Among other things, the translation of military R&D to non-military uses is as robust today as it was when ARPANET led to the development of the internet.

Lincoln Labs. Visit