Civil and Human Rights

The Architectural Access Board will hold a Hearing on 18 Architectural Access Code Violations for Arts at the Armory facility on Monday, May 24, at 1 p.m.

back story: On February 8, Building Inspector Eddie Nuzzo provided sworn testimony to the Architectural Access Board (AAB) at a Variance Hearing to support the owner Joseph Sater’s request [...]

[ May 21, 2010; 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. ] Immigrants who gather at Foss Park each morning as early as 5 am looking for work as day laborers are the subject of a new play that will enjoy its community premiere on Friday, May 21st at the Black Box Theater at the Elizabeth Peabody House, 277 Broadway. The program begins at 7:30 pm.

The new play, “They Don’t Tell You Anything!” will be performed as part of an evening of theater, stories and conversation about the struggles and challenges that many Somerville residents face after they are picked up by contractors each morning to paint or perform demolition work. Written by playwright and English teacher Meryl Becker, the play will be performed by student actors from the Somerville Center for Adult Learning Experiences (SCALE).

The AGO, through its Division of Open Government is requesting public comment on proposed alternatives to the notice posting requirement in the Open Meeting Law. Comment should be submitted by April 23, 2010.

[ April 8, 2010; 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. ] We’ll be joined by Acting Somerville Police Chief Michael Cabral for a discussion to include the following topics: * the 2008 Romelus Police Beating Case * Private security contractors in Somerville * DHS Surveillance Cameras * The idea of creating a public oversight board for the SPD

[ April 14, 2010; ] Well, she doesn’t scare this citizen and I doubt she scares you, dear reader, but her sojourn into the birthplace of this here nation sure calls for a strong non-violent response.

The City of Somerville was one of 10 cities honored as an All America City by the National League of Cities in 2009. During the announcement, the audience was informed that, “this is a community that uses information to improve the lives of its residents.” Here’s some information about the inaccessible DPW facility.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick spoke in the inaccessible Somerville High School auditorium this past Monday March 8, 2010, celebrating the fact that Somerville, MA was named one of the 10 All America Cities, 2009, by the National League of Cities.
A week later, the Somerville Arts Council- which enjoys American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding, [...]

[ March 28, 2010; 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] This spring, Somerville is launching its first “one city, one book” campaign, a community reading project in which people all over the City will be encouraged to read and discuss the same book.

The kickoff event will be on Sunday, March 28, 4:00 to 8:00 at the Somerville Armory on Highland Avenue.  The book that has [...]

The City of Somerville, with it’s clear mandates and civil rights obligations from Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, continues to be really , truly, obviously unskilled at inclusive community-building.

[ February 20, 2010; 10:00 am to 11:30 am. February 25, 2010; 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm. March 3, 2010; 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. March 6, 2010; 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. March 7, 2010; 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. March 10, 2010; 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. ] Here are several immediate local opportunities to become trained in how to assist Haitians in completing TPS (Temporary Protected Status) applications and fee waivers. Trainings are being provided by Nancy Kelly, an immigration attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services. All are welcome to attend the trainings and/or webinar. We’re asking people [...]

[ February 24, 2010; 1:00 pm; ] MPO Access Advisory Committee to the MBTA Meeting

Wed. Feb. 24 1:00 PM

State Transportation Building
Conf. Rms. 2, 3
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is the regular meeting of the Metropolitan Planning Organization Access Advisory Committee. This committee was created to improve transit access and services for people with disabilities.

This meeting is [...]

The night before Martin was assassinated he spoke of going to the mountain top and seeing The Promised Land. In a premonitory way, he wondered out loud if he would get there, but he seemed powerfully convinced WE would surely get there. You might well ask: ‘Are we there yet?’

[ January 22, 2010; 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. ] The goal of this meeting is to provide accurate information about Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which was granted last Friday to Haitians living in the United States in response to last week’s earthquake.

[ January 30, 2010; 1:30 pm; ] Why Commissions Can Improve Our Community

Sat. Jan. 30 1:30 PM

Somerville Library
79 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This is a workshop from the “How to” Series for Civic Engagement by the Office of Somerville Commissions. It discusses how commissions, such as the Human Rights Commission, can help improve our community.

This workshop is important it discusses how [...]

[ January 18, 2010; 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. ] Ceremony to Honor Local Individual, Organization for Community Service; Program Begins at 10am at SHS

[ January 7, 2010; 6:45 pm to 9:00 pm. ] By way of Abby Yanow with Somerville/Medford United for Justice with Peace:

Inside the Revolution: A Journey into the Heart of Venezuela is a just-released documentary filmed in Caracas in November 2008, on the eve of the 10th anniversary of Hugo Chavez’s controversial presidency.

According to journalist John Pilger, “This is a rare film about Venezuela, a [...]

Judging by the fumbles on Election Day, 11/3/09, we can’t assume that Somerville will provide Accessible Voting on Primary Day, December 8. Despite the fact that the Secretary of State’s Office ordered structural accessibility changes at 7 Somerville polling sites after an audit in July, a spot-check of 9 Somerville Polling sites on Election Day 2009 proved that the current Mayor’s heart is still not in the game.

1.  The Disability Policy Consortium hoped to be able to offer some guidance to its constituency on the candidate most likely to fill the late Senator’s big shoes on disability issues. In mid-November, DPC sent briefing materials to each campaign along with a simple questionnaire. (The 3 page document can be found at:   www.dpcma.org [...]

[ December 6, 2009; 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm. ] Our neighbors are being evicted and our community destabilized by the foreclosure crisis.
The Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) in collaboration with Cambridge & Somerville Legal Services (CASLS) has initiated a post-foreclosure outreach and organizing campaign in Somerville.
We are asking YOU to join us as we go door-to-door to foreclosed properties in Somerville to talk [...]

Community ratifies set of 11 principles for land use planning along the Green Line extension.

Here’s a 12% slope in Union Square, at the crosswalk between 2 HP parking spaces, nearest curbcut to the Union Square Bus stop, necessary to access the commercial area and the SCAT building:

And here’s what that steep slope does to a friend just trying to get out for a meal in Union Square- it [...]

[ October 9, 2009; 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. ] On Friday, October 9 at 51 Winthrop Street, Amy Goodman, host of the award-winning “Democracy Now!” and David Goodman, prominent investigative journalist, will have a lively discussion about the problems and promise of media to bring about social change.

Q:  Why Didn’t the Rolling Somerville Pedestrian Cross the Road at the Crosswalk?
A:  Because the City of Somerville Deciders have been playing chicken with standards.
This photo essay will show 30 lost opportunities to create a safer community on Mayor Curtatone’s watch. All of these streets or sidewalks were reconstructed between 2004- 2008.  This is just [...]

[ September 15, 2009; 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. ] Here is the agenda for our meeting this coming Tuesday.

Somerville Human Rights Commission
Tuesday, Sep 15th Monthly Public Meeting
6:30pm-8:30pm
Super Stop & Shop
2nd Floor Conference Room
775 McGrath Hwy, Somerville

Agenda:

Recent Complaints to the HRC and On-going Investigations (new and updated)
Special guest Eileen Feldman, accessibility advocate, with a report on civil rights in Somerville
Recruitment

Evaluate events since last meeting : [...]

[ August 27, 2009; 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. ] Bullying, is it a problem in Somerville-Why or why not? Prevention and how to deal with bullying in school.

Whoda thunk that a simple sign could be a liar?  Here’s a photo essay of some misleading signage in three City of Somerville facilities.
1.  Somerville Schools Administration Building, 181 Washington Street:   At the inaccessible front entrance, we see a blue International Symbol of Access sign informing folks that “REAR ACCESS PARKING” exists to the right [...]

Our friend reports that her son (22 months) fell while walking on bricks at the Walnut Street Park, fractured his right femur, and is in a cast for four weeks.  She says that bricks at the park were loose and the city attempted to repair them cheaply- and that they were also slick from the [...]

Thanks to SomervilleVoices for providing this venue to post our Public Information Requests -and to share the responses (or lack therof) that we receive.
Here’s one example of a PIR response that raises red flags.
June 15, 2009 Request for ADA Transition Plans of 10 City facilities
“TO:  Carlene Campbell,  ADA Coordinator for City of Somerville,  
93 Highland [...]

Election Day in July?  Yes, for residents of Clarendon Hill Public Housing Development.
This summer, the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) helped the Clarendon Hill Tenant Association (CHTA) to hold elections.  Twelve candidates ran for the CHTA Executive Board, making this the most competitive election in recent memory. 
Tenants Jose Rivera, Jocelyn Scott, Abdul Reyes, Cindy [...]

[ August 11, 2009; 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. ] 2nd Floor Conference Room
Super Stop & Shop
775 Mcgrath Hwy

Agenda:

Director’s Report

Immigrant Police Dialogues
Snow Removal Committee
Other activities

Recruitment

Evaluate events since last meeting : Art Beat, Commission’s Cookout, and National Night Out
Next recruitment steps

Recent Complaints to the HRC
The Romelus case
Investigation Process
Other business

This is a public meeting and everyone is welcome. This is a wheel-chair accessible venue.

See the original meeting [...]

Over 60 people filled a lecture hall at the Fletcher School of Diplomacy at Tufts University on Thursday (Aug 6) to hear a panel of Honduran social movement leaders speak about the growing resistance movement against the recent coup d’etat in their country.

[ July 14, 2009; 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. ] The Somerville’s Human Rights Commission invites the public to its monthly meeting to discuss: * Recruitment (we currently only have 4 serving commissioners out of a possible 12) * Director’s Update
* Complaints before the commission * Any other business

…what say this Lady, Dear SomervilleVoices Reader?…

[ June 18, 2009; 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. ] Public meeting of the Somerville Human Rights Commission
Thursday, June 18th, 2009
6:30pm-8:30pm
2nd Floor social hall, Tufts Administration Bldg, 167 Holland St., Somerville

Agenda:

Introductions (10 min)
Discussion on DHS Surveillance Cameras in Somerville w/ SPD Chief Holloway, City Solicitor Gannon, Health Dept. Dir. Paulette Renault-Caragianes, and Nancy Murray of the MA ACLU (60 min)
Membership and Recruiting for the HRC [...]

The Acting Director of the Office of Somerville Commissions and the Somerville Health Department have announced their plans for the celebration of National PRIDE week.
While the Pride flag will be flying all week on the City Hall Concourse the local LGBT community has expressed a preference for the City to, in lieu of a flag [...]

[ June 12, 2009; 7:00 pm; ] Join us for an Interfaith Pride service on Friday, June 12 at 7:00 pm at Havurat Shalom Congregation, 113 College Ave., Somerville, MA. The service, in English and Hebrew, will celebrate the theme of this year’s Boston Pride, “Trans-forming our Communities.” Services at Havurat Shalom are egalitarian, lay-led and usually involve a lot of singing! [...]

Join us for an Interfaith Pride service on Friday, June 12 at 7:00 pm at Havurat Shalom Congregation, 113 College Ave., Somerville, MA. The service, in English and Hebrew, will celebrate the theme of this year’s Boston Pride, “Trans-forming our Communities.” Services at Havurat Shalom are egalitarian, lay-led and usually involve a lot of singing! [...]

[ June 12, 2009; 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. ] Drop off from 9 to noon, 1:00 to 5:00 – see list of items needed

Please join The Welcome Project on June 7 for a graduation celebration for some special people from cultures and countries all over the world. These are the students in our youth language interpretation and adult language learners programs who have just completed a year’s worth of learning as language interpreters and English language learners.

The City of Somerville, as an Entitlement Community, receives millions of Federal dollars from HUD each year from the Community Development Block Grant, Emergency Shelter Grant, and HOME programs.  These monies must be spent on activities that primarily benefit low and moderate income Somerville residents in three areas:  
Provide decent affordable housing;
Eliminate slums and blight;
Enhance [...]

With summer just around the corner and tens of thousands of young people entering the workforce in Massachusetts, Governor Deval Patrick has proclaimed May “Safe Jobs for Youth Month” to focus attention on preventing workplace injuries and deaths.
The proclamation was announced at a youth leadership conference organized by youth leaders from the Jovenes Latinos program [...]

[ April 30, 2009; 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. ] ‘Villens, as one of the culminating events of our church’s “Sacred Conversations on Race” justice project, we are hosting a panel discussion on Thursday, April 30. The presenters are all fantastic, and should stimulate excellent, truth-telling conversation about racism as its persists in Somerville and surrounding communities. We hope you can come!

First Church Somerville UCC [...]

‘Villens, as one of the culminating events of our church’s “Sacred Conversations on Race” justice project, we are hosting a panel discussion on Thursday, April 30. The presenters are all fantastic, and should stimulate excellent, truth-telling conversation about racism as its persists in Somerville and surrounding communities. We hope you can come!
First Church Somerville UCC [...]

The Board of Directors of the Somerville Teachers Association (STA) voted to endorse HR 676 at its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 7.
“Health care reform is finally on the national agenda,” said Linda Vitiello, President of the Somerville Teachers Association. “We are excited to be part of a national grassroots movement for Medicare for [...]

On March 19, 2009, the City of Somerville was one of the 118 recipients of an “e-government Award,” from Common Cause. This citation is given for providing online access to Board of Alderman agenda and minutes, budget information, and general by-laws. But, on closer inspection, Somerville came in “number one” for the most inaccessible website, [...]

[ April 16, 2009; 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. ] Public meeting of the Somerville Human Rights Commission
Thursday, April 16th, 2009
6:30pm-8:30pm
2nd Floor social hall, Tufts Administration Bldg, 167 Holland St., Somerville

Agenda:

Introductions (10 min)
Director’s Report (10 min)
Update on the hiring process for Human Rights investigators (20 min)
Immigrant-Police Dialogs (10 min)
Immigrant Support Network (5 min)
Police Surveillance Cameras (30 min)
Advisory Committee (25 min)
Snow Removal Committee (5 min)
HRC [...]

Dear Chairperson Bill White and distinguished aldermen, I strongly object to the installation of surveillance cameras in public spaces around our city and urge you to request their immediate removal. I believe this surveillance program, which was roundly rejected in Cambridge, MA, violates American ideals of freedom and liberty and the Constitutional right to privacy…

A small group of union members converged on the Rite Aid drugstore in Davis Sq. on Friday, April 3 to condemn the company’s abuse of workers’ rights and urge Congress to pass the “Employee Free Choice Act” — a law backed by President Barack Obama that would better protect employees who want to form unions [...]

Rite Aid has been abusing the rights of employees – and provides a “textbook example” of why Congress should pass the “Employee Free Choice Act,” reform legislation that would better protect employees who want to form unions by limiting employer interference in the process.

[ March 31, 2009; 7:00 pm; ] Reminder:  Tonight at 7:00 at City Hall is the hearing on surveillance cameras.  Below is an op-ed that appeared in last week’s Somerville Journal.  Please come and give your opinion tonight!  Thanks,

Melissa

______________________________________________________________________________________
Opinion: Cameras infringe on your right to be left alone
Somerville —

On March 31, there will be a City Hall hearing on the surveillance cameras [...]

Reminder:  Tonight at 7:00 at City Hall is the hearing on surveillance cameras.  Below is an op-ed that appeared in last week’s Somerville Journal.  Please come and give your opinion tonight!  Thanks,
Melissa
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Opinion: Cameras infringe on your right to be left alone
Somerville —

On March 31, there will be a City Hall hearing on the surveillance cameras [...]