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Five Hub residents earn annual African American Achievement Awards
The city held its 14th Annual African American Achievement Awards last
Thursday evening, honoring a handful of hardworking, dedicated black
Bostonians who have evinced exceptional commitment to their community.
“The African American Achievement Awards is an important annual event
that not only celebrates African American culture, but also honors
those dedicated community members who are making positive contributions
to our community,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino.
At the awards ceremony, hosted by New England Cable News’ Latoyia
Edwards and held at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in
Roxbury, Community Service Awards were given to Dr. J. Keith Motley,
chancellor of the University of Massachusetts-Boston; Cynthia Loesch,
director of community organizing for Codman Square-based FAMILY Inc.;
Danny Hardaway, owner of the Mattapan boutique Final Touch With Class;
and Jeichael Henderson, assistant principal at the John P. Holland
Elementary School in Dorchester and one of the co-founders of the
Diamond Educators mentoring program.
A special lifetime achievement award was presented to Alfreda Harris in
recognition of her numerous community contributions and
accomplishments. Now chair of the John A. Shelbourne Community Council
Inc. and a member of the Boston School Committee, Harris previously
served as deputy commissioner of the Boston Parks and Recreation
Department and head women’s basketball coach at UMass-Boston, Emerson
College and Roxbury Community College.
The event also featured performances from local musical and performing
arts groups the Kingdom Builders, the Goonies and the AAA Kids, and a
special presentation of an African American U.S. Postal Service stamp
by Boston Postmaster Marsha Cannon.
State commission established to improve veterans’ mental health care
The Patrick-Murray administration recently signed legislation creating
the Commission to Study the Hidden Wounds of War on Returning
Massachusetts Service Members, a group charged with investigating the
mental health effects of war on Bay State citizens returning from
active duty.
A study released last week by the RAND Corporation estimates that
300,000 U.S. troops suffer from depression or post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“We cannot allow the brave men and women who serve our country to
struggle with treatable mental health problems,” said Lt. Gov. Timothy
Murray, who chairs the Governor’s Advisory Council on Veteran Services.
“This administration is committed to ensuring that our veterans are
cared for completely.”
The commission will also establish a mental health treatment program
for Massachusetts National Guard members, a state military family leave
policy for caregivers and a statewide education training program to
assist first responders in recognizing the early warning signs of PTSD.
“At a time when our Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi
Freedom veterans are returning not only with physical injuries, but
with many unseen, hard-to-diagnose [PTSDs] and traumatic brain
injuries, we will stand with our veterans and their families to ensure
the veterans are treated with the dignity and respect they have
earned,” said Thomas G. Kelley, secretary of the state Department of
Veterans’ Services.
State Rep. Anthony Verga, D-Gloucester, and state Sen. Thomas McGee,
D-Lynn, were among the legislative leaders instrumental in establishing
the 15-member commission. Gov. Deval Patrick will appoint five members,
with state representatives and senators, the Adjutant General of the
Massachusetts National Guard and emissaries from other state agencies
rounding out the panel.
“Through this commission, Massachusetts could become one of a handful
of states to permanently legislate a comprehensive post-deployment care
program for both our wounded warriors and their families,” said Verga.
“We know that many soldiers coming back struggle with emotional and
psychological wounds, in addition to physical ones,” added McGee. “The
commission … will ensure that policy-makers are well informed of the
extent to which our veterans are struggling with [PTSD], and make
certain that those afflicted by PTSD receive the treatment and support
they deserve.”
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Flaherty, national nonprofit team to offer financial literacy course to city youth
City Councilor-at-Large Michael F. Flaherty last week convened a public
hearing on partnership possibilities between the City of Boston and
local organizations that could expand access to financial literacy
courses. The councilor has secured one such course for youth employed
by the city’s summer jobs program, with training to be provided at no
cost to the city by Operation HOPE Inc., a national nonprofit
organization dedicated to providing economic tools and services to
underserved communities.
“Operation HOPE’s financial literacy program will educate our youth
this summer about how to responsibly cash, deposit and save their
wages,” said Flaherty in a statement. “The city’s role in teaching kids
where to cash a paycheck is just as vital as the city’s role in helping
them earn one.”
During the hearing, Flaherty also called on the city to conduct a study
that determines how many Bostonians do not have a bank account. In a
Jan. 2008 policy brief, the Brookings Institution reported that a
full-time worker has the potential to save up to $40,000 over their
lifetime simply by maintaining a checking account and avoiding the
service fees associated with non-bank check cashing services.
Hub’s Irish and blacks to unite, celebrate progress in race relations
That
relations between Boston’s black and Irish communities have
historically been rocky, or worse, is well documented. But on Sunday,
members of the traditionally separate communities will gather in
Dorchester at the annual “Black and Green” event to celebrate their
often-overlooked common bonds.
For the
past 15 years, the Montserratian and Irish communities and Boston have
come together to build a bridge at the Black and Green. They share more
than they realize: Both groups hail from small islands on opposite
sides of the Atlantic with lush rolling hills and a history of
immigration, and Montserrat, a tiny Caribbean nation, is one of only a
handful of countries that celebrates St. Patrick’s Day as a national
holiday.
At the Black and Green, organizers seek to use those commonalities — as
well as performances by cultural music and theater groups, a buffet
featuring Caribbean fare and a host of activities for all ages — to
mend divisions between the historically divided communities.
“It really is a wonderful day out with the kids,” said Gobnait
Conneely, organizing the event on behalf of the nonprofit Irish
Immigration Center. “It is the perfect opportunity to celebrate what
makes us strong as an Irish community, and to learn from fellow
immigrants.”
The theme for this year’s Black and Green is “O.D.E. to America:
Opportunity, Dignity, and Empowerment.” Nancy Murray, director of
education for the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, and
Jean McGuire, executive director of the Metropolitan Council for
Education Opportunity Inc, or METCO, will deliver speeches at the
event, sharing their personal reflections on how the theme’s three
values serve as American’s building blocks.
Black and Green begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 27, at the Montserrat
Aspirers Hall, 358 Washington Street, Dorchester. Tickets are $10. All
proceeds will be donated to the Montserrat Aspirers
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Bob’s Discount Furniture head honored by American Red Cross
Bob’s
Discount Furniture recently announced that president and founder Bob
Kaufman was presented with the 2008 Biomedical Achievement Award from
the American Red Cross. Given to a blood services volunteer who has
fostered innovative practices to achieve strategic priorities, the
national award was presented to Kaufman during the 82nd Red Cross
National Convention in Baltimore.
In Dec.
2007, Kaufman congratulated the 20,000th donor to join “Bob’s Squad.”
Since 1996, Kaufman has supported the Red Cross in New England by
hosting blood drive at his furniture stores. This year, he arranged to
have the New England Patriots join him in hosting a blood drive at
Gillette Stadium that included participation from past and present
players, cheerleaders and community leaders. Roughly 2,000 units of
blood were collected by the American Red Cross at Bob’s Discount
Furniture locations in 2007.
“It’s been 11 years since establishing ‘Bob’s Squad.’ I am very proud
of every Bob’s Squad member who has joined us in donating blood in
support of the American Red Cross’ efforts,” said Kaufman, head of the
fastest growing furniture chain in the Northeast, with stores
throughout New England, New York and New Jersey. “The 2008 Biomedical
Achievement Award is really a reflection of the endless commitment by
all the members of Bob’s Squad.”
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