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HomeDrugsSigns of Heroin Use and Addiction
Signs of Heroin Use and Addiction
People who are trying to quit taking heroin might have pain in muscles and bones, get chills, and throw up.
Heroin gives you a feeling of well-being and happiness. It also makes you feel like the world has slowed down. People on heroin think slowly and might move slowly.
Heroin makes people feel sleepy, like they're in a dream.
Heroin makes the pupils (the black circle in the center of each eye) get very small.
A person who injects (shoots up) heroin will have marks on the skin where the needle went in.
Heroin is very addictive because it is usually injected or smoked, which sends it to the brain very quickly. People who get addicted to heroin need to take more and more of it to get the same high.
People who are trying to quit taking heroin might:
Have pain in muscles and bones
Get chills
Be unable to sleep
Feel nervous
They will feel a very strong need to take the drug.
These are just some of the problems heroin can cause:
Sick and Itchy
Heroin can make you throw up and feel very itchy.
You Stop Breathing
Heroin can slow or stop your breathing. It can kill you.
HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis
Sharing used needles to inject (shoot up) heroin can give you HIV/AIDS or hepatitis (a liver disease). People also get these diseases by having unsafe sex. They may forget to use condoms because they're high on the drug.
People overdose on heroin because they can't tell how strong it is until they take it. Signs of a heroin overdose are slow breathing, blue lips and fingernails, cold clammy skin, and shaking. You can die from a heroin overdose. People who might be overdosing should be taken to the emergency room immediately.
Heroin can put you in a coma. That's when nothing can wake you up, and you may die.
It is very easy to become addicted to heroin. Then, even if you get treatment, it's hard to stay away from the drug. People who stopped using heroin can still feel strong cravings for the drug, sometimes years later. Fortunately, there are medicines that can help someone recover from heroin addiction.


Then he pressed on, questioning my typical frazzled state when he walks in the door at night.
He saw ONE day. And it was a day that the kids were actually pretty good. I swear my days are not usually like that. And they were probably being good because they knew daddy was around and wanted to make me look bad. Damn kids.
But his comment got me thinking. Is my daily life really as hard as I make it out to be? If I'm being completely honest, it is getting little easier. And I'm using easy as a relative term – like if you ran a marathon and then for your next race decided JUST to run a half marathon kind-of-easier.
I have one child in school all day long, another child in school three mornings per week, and the little guys is all mine all of the time. If I break it down there are about 2 hours and 20 minutes of my day that are marathon hard: The 20 minutes in the morning as I am trying to rush everyone out the door, and the 2 hours at night when I have to make dinner, feed dinner, clean up dinner, do homework, break up about 13 fights, bathe the kids, clean up the monsoon that occurred in the bathroom, attempt to do homework again because likely the first attempt was a flop, get the kids ready for bed, read books, tuck the kids in, honor 6 silly requests as my kids try to stall their bedtime to me finally turning out the light and flopping on the couch…..with a few audible sighs. And wine. Obviously. And it is at that moment when my husband typically enters from work (is my frazzled state making a little more sense now?) But the middle portion of my day is just half marathon hard…. going to and from activities, play dates, errands… you know, the fun stuff. Except going to the grocery store with a 20 month old. Not fun.
I anticipate that it will continue to get even easier (in terms of being so depended upon) as my kids get a little older. The other day I was out with just my oldest son. We walked to the car. I opened my door; he opened his. We buckled ourselves and off we went. Do you realize how HUGE that is? No I don't think you understand. I went straight to the driver side door and got in. I did not perform acrobatic moves trying to reach over the second row to buckle a child in the third. I did not have to tickle torture a straight bodied toddler who is trying to boycott the rear-facing carseat so that his legs would give out and I could get the buckle around his waist. I got in the car and went. If your child is able to do this now, take a moment and a.ppre.ci.ate. And I couldn't help but think that this was a preview of what my life is going to become very soon. It was liberating. With a capital L.
And since we are being all honest here, this is what freaks me out the most. What in the world will I do? I wrote post not long ago questioning how we know when our family is complete? I struggle with this because I am really afraid of what my life with look like without a baby in it. I'm afraid of not having a squishy body to hold. I'm afraid of not being needed. I'm afraid of not having an excuse for being so tired or not having an excuse for always being so late. I'm afraid of dancing and having my kids be utterly embarrassed instead of thinking I am absolutely hilarious. I'm afraid for the day that Gatorade and gum aren't the coolest treats ever. I'm afraid of having a conversation with another adult without being interrupted and further I'm afraid of having conversation that revolves around something other than sleep schedules, feedings, tantrums, and how tired we are. Do I even know how to converse anymore? Heck, I'm even afraid of the thought of going in the bathroom alone… because that would mean they are okay with me being out of their sight for more than a few seconds. I'm afraid of dealing with problems that a kiss, a bandaid or a timeout can't fix. But most of all, I think, I'm afraid of the day that my littlest one can buckle himself…..
And then it's just a rat race to the day that I am the one in the supermarket telling the young mom in line with three kids whining and climbing all over her that she needs to enjoy it because goes by so fast.
Here's how it all went down… A Birth Story.
What a great post and timely. I think about this all the time and have similar feelings 🙂 I'm already in an easier stage with the kids where it's like whoa! She can do that herself now! But then I get sad about it. I understand your feelings! I'm having another bc I'm not ready to be done yet!
So maybe try that, ha!
I loved this….even though my son is 10 and pretty self sufficient, my in laws live with us my MIL has dementia and my FIL doesn't handle it well. So essentially it is like having toddlers some days. And my husband doesn't really get it unless he is home for a few days in a row (like over Christmas). So I get that part.
Today my son is off school and this made me want to spend the whole day with him (no playdates, no iPads or computers) ….just time for the two of us. Thanks!
They will always need us. My dd8 just had the flu in a pretty bad way. Mom was the one she wanted when she got up in the night to throw up. Only I could rub her back in the right way.
My hubby was at home for more than a month for the Christmas holidays and I think I finally heard him say, " Now I know how you don't have breakfast!" It does not become a reality until they are in it. What a thoughtful post!
Such a great and honest post. Whenever I hear the Natalie Merchant song These are Days it makes me cry-same message.
So…in our house the roles are reversed. I go to work everyday, and occasionally (a few times a month) work from home.
I may not be *quite* as empathetic now that both kids are in elementary school (it's way easier). However, I find myself coming home from work, and also taking care of dinner (my choice; I love to cook), working on laundry, unloading the dishwasher and bedtime too. Still pitching in; understanding the heavy at-home work load.
What's the difference? How can working moms still "get it," while it seems like many working dads don't?
Quickie Meals - A weekly plan.


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NewsVancouver
John Cena Declares His Love For Canadian Food In This Adorable New Instagram Video
John Cena declares love Joe Fortes restaurant in Vancouver, BC in new Instagram video.
Nicole Hui
JoeFortesVan | Instagram
John Cena has been showing off his love for Canada lately and we're definitely not complaining. The WWE wrestler, actor, and comedian shared his love for Canada and our food recently and people are so here for it. John Cena declared his love for Canadian food in an adorable new video that was posted on Instagram yesterday.
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READ ALSO: You Can Actually Meet "Riverdale" Stars At A Fan Expo In Canada Next Week
The video was uploaded to Instagram on February 24. In the video, John Cena shares which restaurant is his favourite in all of Canada and goes on to explain just why he loves it so much. The wrestler even flexed his Mandarin speaking skills in the video when describing his favourite spot to eat in Canada – yes, John Cena actually speaks Mandarin.
READ ALSO: Game Of Thrones Actor Jason Momoa Was Just Spotted Cheering At A Canadian Hockey Game (VIDEOS)
So who's the lucky restaurant winner of John Cena's heart? That spot would go to Joe Fortes, which is a popular steak and seafood restaurant located in Vancouver, BC. In the video, he revealed that this BC restaurant is his favourite in the entire country.
Check out the full video from John Cena below that was posted on Instagram. The entire video is pretty much dedicated to Joe Fortes.
In the video, John Cena starts off by explaining (in Mandarin) that it's the weekend and he has some free time. In the video, he's seen walking down Thurlow Street in downtown Vancouver. He then says that he's going to his favourite restaurant in Canada, and starts talking about Joe Fortes restaurant.
He says that Joe Fortes reminds him of Gary's Kitchen in Yinchuan, which is a city in China. The wrestler and actor lived in Yinchuan just last year for several months, while he was shooting a movie with Jackie Chan, according to Wrestling Inc.
In the video, Cena praises restaurant Joe Fortes for being an old-style restaurant with very good food. The video ends with him standing outside the well-known restaurant.
John Cena has been spotted at Joe Fortes more than once before.
@joefortesvanembedded via
Joe Fortes is located in downtown Vancouver at 777 Thurlow St. The restaurant has been open for over 29 years and is a popular spot for locals and tourists alike. You can find out more information about the restaurant on their website.
John Cena has been in Vancouver recently to shoot for his new film Playing with Fire. So keep your eyes peeled around town for this Vancouver wrestler, especially if you hit up Joe Fortes.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Communication Team
Margherita Movarelli
Head of Communications and Marketing
Margherita Movarelli joined the Martens Centre in 2014. She worked as Senior Project Officer in charge of projects with the Centre's partner organisations. Prior to that, she worked as an assistant to a Member of Parliament in the Italian Senate. She was also Head of Research and Communication at the Italian political foundation Magna Carta.
She started her career as a journalist, covering political affairs for different media outlets, including Italian newspapers and the correspondence office of RAI Italian public television in New York. During her professional activity, she has also undertaken in-depth research into comparative party politics and political institutions. She is the author of a book on the role of Italian centre-right think-tanks in the policy-making process, Think tank all'italiana (Rubbettino).
Margherita graduated cum laude in Political Science at the University LUISS Guido Carli of Rome and completed part of her studies at Sciences Po-Institut d'études politiques of Paris. She holds a postgraduate Master in International Relations from the University LUISS Guido Carli of Rome. She is currently undertaking a PhD in Political Science at the Panteion University of Athens. She speaks fluent Italian, English and French and she has intermediate knowledge of Spanish.
More by Margherita Movarelli
The Week in 7 Questions with Antonio López-Istúriz White
Teaser video: 'Rethinking EU Crisis Management – From Battlegroups to a European Legion?'
Multimedia - Other videos
Online Event 'What is Next? The Future of Transatlantic Relations after the Pandemic'
Online Event 'Is it the Politics, not the Pandemic, that threatens the Eurozone?'
The success of populism, and why it's all about the middle class
Articles and Op-Eds - In the Media
Tackling gender equality – one misunderstanding at a time
Three points to make sense of the Italian elections outcome
From dreams to reality: the challenges of Italy's Five Star Movement
Publications written or edited by Margherita Movarelli
Activity Report 2020


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Die Grönländische Fußballmeisterschaft 2003 war die 41. Spielzeit der Grönländischen Fußballmeisterschaft.

Meister wurde zum achten Mal K-33 Qaqortoq, der damit mit Rekordmeister N-48 Ilulissat gleichzog.

Teilnehmer

Folgende Mannschaften nahmen an der Meisterschaft teil. Teilnehmer der Endrunde sind fett.
 KFC Kangersuatsiaq
 FC Malamuk Uummannaq
 UB-68 Uummannaq
 Disko-76 Qeqertarsuaq
 I-69 Ilulissat
 N-48 Ilulissat
 Kugsak-45 Qasigiannguit
 Ippernaq-53 Kangaatsiaq
 IT-87 Itilleq
 Kâgssagssuk Maniitsoq
 B-67 Nuuk
 NÛK
 Nagtoralik Paamiut
 N-85 Narsaq
 K-33 Qaqortoq
 Siuteroĸ Nanortalik
 Eĸaluk-54 Tasiusaq
 Qavak-59 Aappilattoq
 ATA Tasiilaq
 ATA Tasiilaq II
 ATA Tasiilaq III
 TM-62 Kulusuk
 TM-62 Kulusuk II

Modus
Wie im Vorjahr ist keine Vorrunde überliefert und es ist unklar, ob es noch weitere Mannschaften gab, die in einer vorherigen Runde ausgeschieden sind. In diesem Jahr wurden in der Qualifikationsrunde 23 Mannschaften in fünf Gruppen mit drei bis sechs Mannschaften eingeteilt, von denen sich die besten acht für die Schlussrunde in Qaqortoq qualifizierten. Diese wurde wie üblich in zwei Vierergruppen ausgetragen, wonach eine K.-o.-Phase folgte.

Ergebnisse

Qualifikationsrunde

Nordgrönland
UB-83 Upernavik zog sich vor Beginn zurück.

Diskobucht

Mittelgrönland

Südgrönland

Ostgrönland

Schlussrunde

Vorrunde

Platzierungsspiele

Weblinks
 Karel Stokkermans: Grönländische Fußballmeisterschaft 2003. RSSSF.

2003
Fußballsaison 2003
Qaqortoq

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Here's a video we made recently showing the removal of an Edwardian railway bridge and its subsequent replacement with a new structure.


Such a gorgeous, romantic shoot! The shoot we're sharing with you today is full of natural, seductive beauty. Arion Resort and Spa was the ideal location to achieve a the warm, calm desirable atmosphere. Candles and pretty flower bouquets decorated the space wonderfully and matches the overall scene and the color palette. For sure, this is the best way to find peace, relax and heal your body and mind. Take a look at these impressive, bridal photos and find stillness!


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Mechnikov Peak () is a prominent peak,  high, at the base of the spur separating Schussel Cirque and Grautskåla Cirque in the Humboldt Mountains of Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. It was discovered and plotted from air photos by the Third German Antarctic Expedition, 1938–39, and was mapped from air photos and surveys by the Sixth Norwegian Antarctic Expedition, 1956–60. The peak was remapped by the Soviet Antarctic Expedition, 1960–61, and named after Russian geographer L.I. Mechnikov, 1838–88.

References

Mountains of Queen Maud Land
Humboldt Mountains (Antarctica)


40% of IT support firms will go under. To put this statement into perspective, 20% of the market always churns as IT services firms have a higher failure rate than restaurants. The main reasons will be a lack of differentiation and value for customers, limited technical competency for current technology, and poor business acumen.
Cloud rules. Microsoft, Google, and Amazon will continue to increase features and lower costs to the benefit of customers. Few organizations can compete with the security, productivity, disaster recovery, and cost effectiveness of these major industry players.
Two-step logon. As part of the cloud, two-step logon will start to become the norm eliminating the weakest link of passwords and myriad consumer hacks.
Digital marketing dominates. In our industry, it's pretty easy to point out that if our competition can't regularly update a website or provide weekly blog tips to help customers, then how can they manage your network or respond to business needs? Winning organizations will strive to stay top of mind, regularly offer value instead of promotion, and also convert prospects into customers.
Self-service demanded. Your customers want to get their information from your applications or website on their own schedule. Deliver this functionality or your competitors will.
Apple all or nothing. Even Hollywood has realized that the hundreds of millions in free Mac gear for TV and movies skews reality. Apple still only has 10% of the computer market after toiling over the last 30 years. Apple must decide to fully embrace music and consumer electronics or try to continue to buy its way into mainstream computing. Unfortunately, the newest thing for Apple will be the iPhone 7.
LinkedIn roars. With many organizations having limited options for publishing customer content, LinkedIn will continue to be the darling for business while also offering better return than Facebook or Twitter advertising.
Device security enforced. Sure bring your own device, but if you connect to corporate services we update it, enforce policies, and wipe your device as necessary.
Knowledge engines improve. Search engine optimization firms will get rocked again as both Google and Bing race to seed these knowledge databases. If you or your organization are not notable, then will you be found?
Data loss prevention at the forefront. Compliance and the deluge of SPAM will force all organizations to move to encrypted e-mail for true business purposes and outbound filtering for sensitive financial or personal information.
I feel that limited technical competency, inability to hire qualified manpower personnel, cut-throat competition have increased the failure rate of IT service firms. Cloud and digital marketing have become the most opted technologies and marketing mechanisms respectively.
Agreed. The pace of technology only increases, but few firms do any formal technical training or mentoring. Those same IT firms rarely update their websites or provide anything of value for online.


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January 6th, 2020 by Joe Kriesberg
As we enter a new year and a new decade, MACDC is preparing for one of the busiest and hopefully most impactful policy years in recent memory. The Massachusetts state legislature has seven months before the session ends on July 31 and a wide array of housing and community development priorities are on the docket. MACDC and its members will be focused on these nine priorities:
Major new revenue for housing and climate investments: MACDC is a founding member of the HERO Coalition – Housing and Environmental Revenue Opportunities – which is comprised of housing, climate, faith-based, labor, and social justice groups working together to secure a major new revenue stream to support investments in affordable housing, and climate resiliency and mitigation. Our proposal is to double the deeds excise tax and dedicate 50% (approx. $150 million/yr.) to housing and 50% to climate. This could be the biggest new investment in housing in decades and lay the foundation for more collaboration among housing, climate, and social justice advocates. MACDC is also actively supporting state legislation that would empower cities and towns to adopt their own, local transfer tax to generate new revenue for affordable housing.
Neighborhood Stabilization: MACDC continues to work with MassINC, the Gateway Cities Caucus, and others to enact legislation to accelerate the renovation of vacant and blighted homes in weaker market areas of the state. This effort also includes launching the new Neighborhood Stabilization Hub at MassHousing thanks to funding we secured in the FY 20 budget.
Land Use and Zoning: MACDC is actively working with many others to help secure passage of Housing Choice legislation that would lower the threshold for cities and towns seeking to enact smart zoning and land use practices.
Economic Development: MACDC will be advocating for:
An increase in funding for the Small Business Technical Assistance program from $3 million to $4 million per year. This program now funds 47 CDCs, CDFIs and other community-based organizations all of whom are helping underserved entrepreneurs launch and grow small businesses;
Funds to provide capital grants to CDFIs that offer small business loans, a program we helped launch a few years ago.
New capital funding to support the Mass Food Trust, a program administered on behalf of the state by Franklin County CDC and LEAF, which provides grants and loans to expand access to healthy foods in lower-income communities.
Lead Poisoning Prevention: We are making a major effort this year to recapitalize the highly successful Get the Lead Out program administered by MassHousing and the Department of Housing and Community Development. The program has helped thousands of families and children since its inception 25 years ago, but it is now dangerously close to running out of money. The state recently adopted new regulations that recognize that lead poisoning is even more dangerous than previously understood, so we must fully fund this vital public health program.
City of Boston Home Rule Petition on Linkage and Inclusionary Development: We are working closely with Mayor Marty Walsh to secure legislative passage of the City's home rule petition that would allow it to make modifications to these two successful programs, without seeking prior approval from the state legislature.
Tenant protections: MACDC is supporting legislation to create a right to counsel for tenants facing eviction as well as legislation that would enable tenants to band together to buy their own buildings when they are put on the market.
Closing the Racial Homeownership Gap: We will be working closely this year with MassHousing and DHCD to roll out new initiatives to help expand homeownership opportunities for first-time homebuyers in general and people of color specifically. These efforts include the new $60 million homeownership development funding initiative announced by Governor Baker last year, as well as a new down payment assistance program and potentially other initiatives.
Rural Policy: In October 2019, the MA Rural Policy Advisory Commission (RPAC) released its Rural Policy Plan for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This Plan suggests policy recommendations related to the unique issues and challenges faced by rural communities across the Commonwealth and addresses 14 focus areas that were identified through listening sessions held across the state in late 2018. MACDC will work with the members of the RPAC and rural Regional Planning Agencies in its efforts to engage legislative and administration stakeholders to fulfill and implement the Plan recommendations, in particular the creation of an Office of Rural Policy.
MACDC cannot make progress on such a robust and diverse agenda without many partners. We are grateful for our allies and partners in the legislature; the Baker-Polito Administration who share many of these goals; our coalition partners at other advocacy organizations; and of course, our members who take the time to join us in advocating for these proposals. Our 2020 policy campaigns will include our annual "Doughnuts with your Delegation" campaign in February and March when our members will meet with their legislators in their home districts and our Annual Lobby Day on April 28, 2020 at the State House. It will also include countless meetings, phone calls, letters, and other communications over the next seven months.
2020 offers the opportunity to make community development history here in Massachusetts. Let's make it happen!
Commenting Closed
Closing the Racial Homeownership Gap
October 29th, 2019 by Joe Kriesberg
At the MACDC Convention in October 2018, we gave Governor Charlie Baker (and his opponent at the time, Jay Gonzalez) a copy of a new book by Richard Rothstein called "The Color of Law." This book documents the centuries of discriminatory housing and land use laws that systemically segregated our communities and denied African Americans and other people of color the opportunity to buy homes, accumulate equity, and to pass that wealth onto their children. We wanted our Governor (regardless of who won the election last November) to understand that history so he could understand why white people in Massachusetts are more than twice as likely to own their own home as a person of color. This represents the 3rd worse homeownership gap in the country.
Policy makers – as well as advocates and community leaders – need to understand that history so we can change it. Indeed, the community development movement was created, in part, to redress some of these discriminatory policies and practices – urban renewal, redlining, and housing discrimination. For 50 years, we have fought to expand access to safe and fair mortgages, to educate first-time homebuyers and to build homes that moderate income people can afford to buy.
Last year, MACDC adopted a strategic plan that made closing the racial homeownership gap a top priority. Our first step in advancing that effort was at the October 2018 Convention where we pushed the candidates for Governor on how they would close the racial homeownership gap and presented them with the Color of Law. A few weeks after the Convention, the Baker Administration asked us to prepare a white paper outlining potential strategies for addressing this challenge. The Administration then established the Racial Equity Advisory Council for Homeownership and appointed MACDC and other housing experts to serve on the Council early in 2019.
Over the next nine months, MACDC – in partnership with many allies, has made significant progress:
The Legislature has increased funding available for homeownership education and foreclosure counseling from $2.05 Million to $2.85 Million in the FY 2020 budget;
Governor Baker has announced a $60 million new homeownership development program with the specific goal of reducing the racial homeownership gap through the development of 500 new affordable homes;
The Governor and the Legislature appear poised to appropriate $10 million in new money to provide down-payment assistance grants to first time homebuyers;
MACDC partnered with four member CDCs, Winn Companies and Compass Working Capital to secure from HUD the first in the nation CDC Collaborative to implement the Family Self Sufficiency program for CDC residents;
The REACH Council has adopted and is now working to implement four new initiatives designed to help people of color and others obtain homeownership, including:
Targeted Marketing of My Mass Mortgage and State Mortgage Products
Rental to Homeownership Pilot
Downpayment Initiative and Interest Rate Buydown
Relief for Borrowers with Student Loan Debt
The racial homeownership gap is the result of decades and centuries of discrimination. It won't be easy to reverse. But we are excited by the renewed attention to this issue and the growing momentum to adopt policies, programs and funding to begin moving the needle in the right direction.
Building Homes; Living with Walls: Reflections on an affordable housing learning journey to Ireland
"A nation that keeps one eye on the past is wise. A nation that keeps two eyes on the past is blind" – mural on a wall in Belfast, Ireland
Earlier this month, MACDC brought a group of 20 affordable housing professionals to Ireland for an 8-day learning journey hosted by the Irish Council for Social Housing which represents non-profit affordable housing organizations throughout the Republic of Ireland a.k.a. the "MACDC of Ireland"! For me it was an exciting opportunity to visit Ireland for the first time, to learn about the deep connections between Ireland and the Irish community in Massachusetts, to learn how housing challenges are being addressed in a different context and to build new and stronger relationships with my colleagues. I brought home many memories and wanted to share a few of them in this blog.
Our trip, which was wonderfully organized by Crystal Travel in West Roxbury, began in Wexford where we attended the Council's biennial conference with 300 housing professionals. ICSH Executive Director, Donal McManus and ICSH Membership Coordinator Catherine McGillycuddy made all of us feel incredibly welcome – joining us for dinner, inviting Chrystal Kornegay and Rob Corley to speak on panels, introducing a few of us to the Irish Housing Minister, Eoghan Murphy, and inviting some of us to sit at the head table during the Awards Gala (I was able to sit next to a member of the Irish Parliament and meet the Mayor of Wexford).
Throughout the conference, there was significant discussion about environmental sustainability and green building design as well as rigorous discussion about new regulatory oversight of the non-profit sector. Ireland is even considering banning natural gas hook ups, a policy already adopted in the Netherlands. Housing Minister Murphy talked about escalating rents in Dublin and compared it to Somerville, MA just to help us understand (apparently, he has been to Somerville!) At the evening gala dinner, we watched the awards ceremony which frankly blew away anything that MACDC has ever done, with inspiring music and an exciting light show accompanying each award announcement! The next day we drove to Galway with a visit to a supportive housing facility developed by NOVAS called the Brother Russell House in Limerick for people living with addiction and then a stop at the Cliffs of Moher.
In Galway, we had a wonderful seminar at the National University of Ireland – Galway with Professor Padraic Kenna. Dr. Kenna has written a 1,000-page book on the history of Irish Social Housing and he is a wonderful speaker and teacher. He also joined us for a pint at a local pub on Saturday night! After lunch, we visited a couple of family housing schemes (their word not mine) developed by Tuath Housing – one of the largest housing nonprofits in the country.
On Sunday, we visited the Connemara region where we visited a senior housing development in Clifden developed by another large nonprofit agency called Cluid. Many of the people we met had spent years living in Boston or other parts of the United States, before returning home in retirement (see photo below). Driving through the region, we enjoyed the beautiful rural countryside which is unlike any place I can recall being. Rob Corley, the CEO of NeighborWorks Housing Solutions and one of the organizers of the trip is originally from this region and we got to see his grandparent's house and learn about his family history. On the road to Dublin, we sang Irish Ballads together (albeit poorly) and then Michael O'Conner honored us by singing one song himself. His beautiful voice and beaming smile told us everything about what it meant to be in his home country. A few hours later, as we pulled into Dublin, we put U2 on the speaker and sang together once again!
Our next visit was to Dublin where we had a 13-hour day of visits, meetings and meals with different housing leaders. We toured the Bull Alley Estate, an affordable housing development built by The Iveagh Trust over a hundred years ago! The Trust was founded by the Guinness Family in the 1890s and is still run by the family with the mission of providing social housing to those who need it. We later met with the Housing Agency, the government agency that provides funding and oversight for the social housing sector in Ireland. Here we learned a bit more about how projects are financed (hint: it is simpler than in the USA), about the challenges of austerity, and even the emergence of short term rent control in Dublin as a way to deal with skyrocketing rents. (Dublin's rent control is focused on neighborhoods with particularly high rent increases and the cap is 4% per year until 2021). Our final visit in Dublin was to the Ballymun neighborhood. In the 1960s, the government built tall, dense social housing in this neighborhood which quickly declined much like similar developments in the United States. Twenty years ago, the neighborhood began undergoing a complete and total redevelopment that sought to deconcentrate poverty and improve neighborhood amenities. Progress has been slow – especially due to the economic crash 10 years ago – and the neighborhood leader who we met was clearly frustrated and angry with the pace of progress. But like neighborhood leaders here, he was undeterred and remained passionate about the place he and his family have called home for over 50 years.
Our final day was spent in Belfast. Crossing into Northern Ireland is both simple - (we just drove across the border like crossing into New Hampshire) and emotional – you feel the weight of history the moment you arrive. We began with a visit to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, a massive government agency with 3,500 employees and 88,000 units under management. We were able to meet with Peter Roberts who is essentially in charge of all housing funds in Northern Ireland. They no longer build their own housing due to government austerity in the United Kingdom, but they finance housing developed by non-profit housing associations. The NIHE was created in 1971 specifically to address the housing issues emanating from the "troubles" and seeks to offer housing on a non-discriminatory basis throughout the region. NIHE leaders took us on the tour of the neighborhoods and we got to see first hand the "Peace Walls" that divide Catholic Nationalist and Protestant Unionist neighborhoods throughout the City (to learn more about the Peace Walls, I highly recommend this PODCAST). These walls were built to reduce violence but they remain today, 20 years after the Good Friday Peace Agreement. Many of the walls are covered with murals that honor those who died and align with other social movements across the world. The walls evoked strong emotions in all of us and raised deep questions about security, peace, cohesion and justice. NIHE officials are working with local communities to build the trust necessary to remove the walls but they only move as fast as the slowest people in the neighborhoods. Some of us thought that was too slow, but of course, none of us will have to live with the consequences of removing the walls. We did visit one neighborhood where the wall has been successfully removed so perhaps there is reason for optimism.
Our next visit was to a mixed housing community where Catholic Nationalists and Protestant Unionists live together in social housing developed by a local nonprofit. Housing schemes that are no more than 70% of one group are able to receive extra funding to support programs and services that promote integration and cohesion. 78% of the people on social housing waiting lists have expressed preference for mixed housing. The housing in Northern Ireland is financed under the U.K. system where the developer receives a grant for 50% of the TDC, a loan for the other 50%, and an operating subsidy to cover the gap between tenant rents and operating costs. Many tenants pay no rent and the average is around 15-18% of their income.
The final visit of the day and the trip was perhaps the most inspiring and exciting. Thanks to an introduction from the Oak Foundation which funds housing groups in Boston and Belfast, we were able to visit an Irish Language Institute called Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich in West Belfast. According to their website, the Institute is "home to a range of different Irish language, artistic and cultural activities for everyone in the community. Irish language classes, art workshops, céilithe, events for young people, concerts and art exhibitions all take place throughout the year." The current executive director told us that his parents and other activists in the 1960s formed an Irish Language School in defiance of the British Government. He was educated there and the school became a symbol of the resistance movement because the government refused to acknowledge or fund the school. Nationalists were able to point out the hypocrisy of the government claiming they wanted peace while they denying support for an Irish Language School.
We then heard from Dessie Donnelly the executive director of Participation and the Practice of Rights (PPR), a community organizing organization. Dessie described their human rights approach to tenant organizing and how they are building power for low income people in both Catholic and Protestant communities. His organization is challenging the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the government in general to confront the deep inequities in their society and the structural obstacles that perpetuate them. He pointed out that Catholics must wait longer for social housing than Protestants because there is much greater need in the Catholic Community (in two adjacent neighborhoods the need was 938 homes in Catholic district and 38 homes in Protestant district). While all of us were tired at the end of the day and the end of a busy week, we left the visit inspired and energized at the idealism and tenacity of these activists.
Spending eight days travelling with colleagues in Ireland was a privilege that I won't soon forget. Let me share a few of my lasting impressions and memories.
I love to travel and I certainly love to travel with my family. At the same time, travelling with a group that is diverse in age, race, language, gender, and family history is particularly enlightening. Each of us saw things through the lens of our own particular history and experience. For the Irish in our group, this was home. I could sense how much they enjoyed sharing their home country with the rest of us and I was able to gain a better understanding of the country and the culture by experiencing it with them. At our final dinner, some of the people of color on the trip remarked how being in Ireland felt dramatically different than being in the United States even though the country is 99% white. I think all of us gained new insights to oppression, religious conflict and power dynamics by being there together. I believe seeing these dynamics play out in another country can help us understand the dynamics in our own country.
One particularly fun aspect of this group was the mix of ages and experience within the group. Thanks to a grant from the Kuehn Foundation, we were able to offer scholarships to younger professionals who would not otherwise be able to afford such an experience. Everyone enjoyed hanging out with people from different generations. Not only was it a great opportunity for young professionals to spend quality unstructured time with senior leaders in our field, but it was a chance for the "OGs" (old guys & gals) to learn some new things too! And it was a chance for all of us to expand our networks and enhance our ability to work with different people and understand different perspectives. The magic of travel is that our job titles melt away and we are just friends having fun together. This trip was designed to be a professional development opportunity and I'm confident we achieved our goals in that regard. Community development is fundamentally about relationships and all of us now have deeper and stronger relationships with each other.
One clear take away from the trip is that we are not alone in our affordable housing challenges. While the financing details are different, both of our countries struggle with the same challenges – low wages that can't sustain market rents; long waiting lists for subsidized housing; large and growing numbers of people suffering from addiction; an aging population; and resistance to new housing development. I would like to report that we found the silver bullet we are seeking, but I can't. But I can report that Ireland, like Massachusetts, has thousands of dedicated and passionate colleagues who work hard every day to make sure everyone has a place to call home.
There are about 500 nonprofit social housing organizations in Ireland ranging in size from purely volunteer associations with 10-20 units to large, national organizations with thousands of units. It does not appear that Ireland has organizations like CDCs that bring a resident driven comprehensive approach to community development at the local level. The groups tend to be focused entirely on housing, with some focused on special needs populations. The government is declaring some nonprofits to be governmental entities because they are so reliant on public funding – a designation that most of the groups do not want! All nonprofits are facing stiffer oversight with respect to governance, financial management and performance similar to what NeighborWorks America requires for its affiliates. The government has divided the sector into three tiers based on sized and the regulations are scaled on that basis. I was intrigued by the idea that agencies must "comply or explain" why they don't comply. This gives groups some flexibility and helps them move toward compliance in a structured and realistic manner.
The trip caused me to reflect on the power of history. Irish history is filled with sadness, oppression and struggle and that history clearly manifests in Irish culture. Like other groups that have faced challenges, the Irish seek to remember and honor those who sacrificed and struggled. No doubt this is important and necessary. At the same time, history can also be a trap and this felt particularly true in Northern Ireland where the memory of the troubles and the centuries of British rule can be an obstacle to reconciliation and peace. The mural quoted above succinctly summarizes that tension – one that I feel challenges the Jewish people and so many others. Belfast is filled with murals honoring the dead – do those murals provide a foundation for moving to the future or do they hold the community back? I don't know the answer to that question.
I have lived in Boston for over 30 years, so I'm certainly familiar with the Boston Irish community but this trip expanded my understanding and appreciation for this community in new ways. While I had never thought about it before, I think I had always viewed the Irish community as being similar to the Jewish Community, albeit much larger, in that both communities arrived in this country as immigrants. Jewish immigrants like my grandparents came to America and left the old country behind. We were not really from Russia or Belarus anyhow – we were Jews and the Jewish Community we left behind no longer exists. We don't have a home country – we only have America. I think I implicitly figured that the Irish were similar. But being in Ireland – with my Irish friends – drove home for me the deep and ongoing connections between Boston and Ireland. Nearly every person we met had been to Boston or had relatives in Boston or both. My fellow Irish travelers have cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents still living in Ireland. It is one community living in two places but united by history, culture and blood. Yes, I probably always knew this, but now I understand it in a new way. And it gives me a better understanding of what so many immigrants experience – feeling attached to two places and always missing one or the other while loving both.
During one of our first bus rides, I was sitting with a colleague who asked me what I like about working at MACDC. Not surprisingly, I had a long list to share. But one thing I neglected to say seems particularly important to say now. One of the great things about working at MACDC is that I get to travel abroad with colleagues and come home with new insights, memories and friends!
Joe's Summer Sabbatical
September 9th, 2019 by Joe Kriesberg
Thanks to the generosity and support of the MACDC board and staff, I was able to take a two-month summer sabbatical this year – my first full summer vacation in a very long time. I was able to spend lots of time with various family members, read books, travel, and enjoy countless hours of biking, swimming and hiking! For those wondering "what did you do all summer" I figured that I would share some of the highlights.
Syracuse - The sabbatical started with a 4-day trip to Syracuse to see my dad. My wife Dina and I picked up our son Mike in Albany and drove to Syracuse to hang with my dad and his partner. On the way back to Boston, we packed up Mike's apartment in Albany (he had just quit his job) and brought him home to continue his search for a job in New York City.
Backpacking - After celebrating the 4th of July in Boston (including attending the Rolling Stones Concert at Gillette Stadium!), I flew to Idaho to meet up with my brother for a backpacking trip in the White Clouds & Saw Tooth Mountain area. The scenery was incredible; it was great to hang out with my brother; the hiking was challenging but not exhausting; and I was able to sleep (sort of) on the ground in my tiny tent!
Boston - I then had 11 days in Boston with no travel. This was certainly the longest "stay-cation" of my life but I was able to get into a routine of biking, swimming, reading, visiting with a few friends and helping my son with his job search (mostly nagging).
My Dad's Birthday - In late July, my family and my brother's family met up with my dad and his partner in Beacon, NY (the Hudson Valley region) to spend a weekend celebrating his 93rd birthday by going to not one, but two art museums (he loves art!) It was great for him to catch up with all four of his grandchildren and for the cousins to reconnect for the first time in many months. His quote of the day: "Birthdays are fun – I should have more of them!" I agree!
Cape Cod - Dina and I finally were able to take our own vacation on Cape Cod in early August (she was NOT on sabbatical after all!). We were unable to go last year so it was great to be back on the beaches where we only had two shark alerts! My Dad and Paula spent a couple of days with us (yes, our third visit of the summer!) and then Mike made a surprise visit as well to tell us that he had accepted a job offer from the New Israel Fund in New York City!
Reading books – not memos - After the Cape, we came back to Boston for a few more days of hanging around. I was able to make progress on my goal of reading more books than I usually do. Over the course of the summer, I was able to read: Washington Black, the Cairo Trilogy (Palace Walk, Palace of Desire and Sugar Street), The Bluest Eye, Evicted, Just Mercy, and Say Nothing. I enjoyed some good podcasts (check out Crimetown to learn about the mob in Providence) and TV shows (City on a Hill; Six Feet Under) and watched a fair number of Red Sox games (although not as many as I would have thought) Of course, none of this interfered with biking or swimming (or both) virtually every day I was in town. I don't think I swam so much during the summer since I worked as a lifeguard in 1984!
Glacier National Park - My next adventure was to go to Montana with my sons Mike and Josh. We started our trip in Kalispel where we attended our first ever Rodeo. The scene was exactly what you might imagine with lots of families, women wearing awesome boots and men wearing their cowboy hats. There was much pageantry, including honoring our military and recognizing Native American heritage and culture. The competition was either incredible or awful, depending on your view of Rodeos, but it was definitely a great opportunity to experience a different piece of American culture. My kids loved it. We then spent four days hiking in Glacier National Park. We saw amazing scenery, lots of wildlife (including a Wolverine!) and walked along and over the Continental Divide. Spending four days hiking with my kids was a great way to spend time together (no cell phone service!), create memories and share new experiences. My son called the trip "magical" and it was.
Seattle - The three of us then drove to Seattle and they got to see for the first time how expansive and empty the American West can be. In Seattle, we met up with Dina and most of her family so we could celebrate her sister's 60th birthday.
My Sabbatical Buddy - One special treat this summer was spending time with my 23-year-old son Mike. As noted, he quit his job on the same day that my sabbatical began and he began his new job with the New Israel Fund on the same day that I returned to work so we were both home and "unemployed" for the same 9 weeks! He has been in Albany for the past five years so we have not had nearly so much time to hang out and honestly, we will probably never have a summer like this again. We talked, we played basketball, we ate, we cooked (Dina loved coming home to our (mostly his) meals!), we worked on his job search and then his apartment search. Dina says he was my "sabbatical buddy"! It was bittersweet to drive him to New York City on Labor Day weekend and help him set up his new apartment in Astoria, Queens. I am proud that he had the courage to quit a job he disliked, to pursue something that he really cares about (peace and democracy in Israel) and to take on the adventure of living in New York. But I'm really going to miss having him around.
If you are wondering whether I really avoided work during the sabbatical, the answer is "mostly". While I contacted the staff on one or two occasions early on, I did not talk/email/text with any staff for the last five or six weeks. Yes, I occasionally checked my email, but I did not respond to them and very much enjoyed reading an email and saying to myself "I don't have to deal with that!" Overall, I've been pretty checked out and was able to enjoy my summer without thinking about work very much.
None of this would have been possible if MACDC did not have such a terrific and dedicated staff. I want to especially thank Shirronda Almeida for serving as interim executive director and to everyone on the staff who picked up my workload over the summer. I think it was a great learning opportunity for them and the experience will make our organization stronger, more stable and better prepared for the future.
I am eager to get back to work (starting with those emails and memos that are waiting for me) and I am excited about our agenda for this fall. But if you catch me day dreaming at a meeting, you can probably guess that I'll be reliving my summer memories!
Housing report documents shortage of affordable housing – but with a silver lining
March 20th, 2019 by Joe Kriesberg
Last week, the National Low-Income Housing Coalition released, The GAP – A Shortage of Affordable Homes, its annual report documenting the shortage of housing available for low-income Americans. The report provides many depressingly familiar statistics:
7 million extremely low-income (ELI) American households (households with incomes below 30% of the Area Median Income) lack access to housing that is affordable to them, including nearly 170,000 households in Massachusetts;
In Massachusetts, for every 100 ELI households there are just 46 affordable homes;
72 percent of households with incomes below 50% of the Area Median Income are severely cost-burdened, meaning they pay over 50% of their income to rent;
People of color are much more likely to be cost burdened then their white counterparts.
Clearly, we have work to do.
At the same time, if you dig a little deeper into the report, there is another lesson to be learned: smart housing policies work and pay long-term dividends.
According to the report, Massachusetts has one of the smallest affordability gaps in the country with 46 affordable homes per 100 ELI households, compared to a national average of 37. Massachusetts ranks 14th of the 50 states. The Boston MSA ranks third in the nation with the lowest affordability gap, just below Providence (whose MSA includes parts of Massachusetts) and Pittsburgh. In Boston, we have 46 affordable homes for every 100 ELI households – a dire shortage. But in L.A., they have just 18! Dallas has 20 and Phoenix has just 21.
How is it possible that one of the most expensive regions in the country is also the third best in the country in terms of providing actual affordable homes to ELI people? Unlike many housing studies that show Massachusetts to be one of the worst states in the country when it comes to housing affordability, this study considers government subsidized apartments and other homes with rent or price restrictions. In fact, this report recognizes the successful efforts of affordable housing advocates, organizers, policy makers, and developers, over many decades here in Massachusetts, to produce subsidized housing. Policies like Chapter 40B (which encourages all cities and towns to provide their fair share of affordable housing), programs like state-supported public housing, and the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program are making a real difference. In the City of Boston, 20% of the housing stock has long term affordability restrictions and fully one-third of Boston's rental housing has restricted rents. One-third!
Our success relative to other states and regions should not be an excuse for complacency. It should be viewed as a reason to do more, because investing in affordable housing really does make a difference,
I was reflecting on these lessons recently when I attended CEDAC's 40th Anniversary Celebration where Mel King was honored for his legacy in launching the community development field, and again, a few days later, at a wonderful memorial service held to celebrate the life and legacy of Amy Anthony, Governor Dukakis' Secretary of Housing and Community Development and the founder of Preservation of Affordable Housing. As I listened to speakers reflect on their incredible legacies, I found myself thinking about the thousands of people whose lives are healthier and happier because of what they and so many others have done over the decades. The NLIHC report affirms that their legacy lives on in the homes they – and we – helped to create.
As an advocate, I know that we often rely on dire statistics to generate the political will needed to spur policy change. I also know that we must confront the pessimism and cynicism that says governmental action won't help and could make things worse. I hope the NLIHC Report can do both – give us the encouragement and confidence to overcome this negativity, while renewing our sense of urgency that we need to adopt an ambitious housing agenda to help the millions of Americans who remain housing insecure.
In Memory of Amy Anthony
December 17th, 2018 by Joe Kriesberg
MACDC joins with others in the Affordable Housing community to mourn the passing of Amy Anthony. Amy was a giant in our field who led the Executive Office of Community Development under Governor Michael Dukakis and subsequently founded and led the Preservation of Affordable Housing. She was a visionary leader who put in place many of the policies, programs and organizations that make Massachusetts a national leader in affordable housing. She also played a major role in the growth of the CDC movement in Massachusetts by helping to create dozens of CDCs during the 1980s that continue to serve their communities to this day. Her legacy will last for decades to come.
2018 Convention: Highlights
More than 700 community development leaders from every corner of the state converged on the Hynes Convention Center in Boston on Saturday, October 20 for MACDC's 2018 Convention. It was a day of celebration, learning, networking, action and inspiration. This was the largest MACDC Convention so far, with hundreds of community residents, CDC board members, staff members, funders, partners, and allies in attendance. Thanks to Bank of America and our generous sponsors, the event was free to our members and to the public.
The day was filled with many highlights, including:
Gubernatorial Forum: Both Republican Gubernatorial candidate, Charlie Baker, and Democratic Gubernatorial candidate, Jay Gonzalez, participated in our Candidate Forum, fielding questions about affordable housing, the racial homeownership gap, small business development, social determinants of health, the Community Investment Tax Credit and more. Jay Gonzalez promised to double the state's housing capital budget, with $50 million earmarked for affordable homeownership and said he would fight to increase the state match for the Community Preservation Act. Charlie Baker affirmed his strong support for the Community Investment Tax Credit and said he would sign legislation to increase the state CPA match. Watch the Forum in its entirety on our website.
Book Presentation: We gave both candidates a copy of the book, The Color of Law, as an appreciation for their participation and to help them learn more about the history of housing discrimination in our country, and its legacy today. If you have not read the book, you should. You can also start with this book review written by Joe Kriesberg. To see how the candidates reacted, watch the video.
Awards: Spencer Buchholtz from Lawrence Community Works received the Ricanne Hadrian Award for his outstanding organizing work in Lawrence, and three CDCs were honored with the first CITC Community Impact award – NewVue Communities, Revitalize CDC, and Asian CDC. Those CDCs produced wonderful videos that were shown at the convention and can now be viewed on our website.
Workshops: The convention include eight workshops on key topics, including:
How to Tell Your Story of Change
Assessing YOUR Community's Housing Need and Strategies
Cracking the Code: Building Support for Affordable Housing in Suburban and Rural Areas
Leveraging Art for Community & Economic Growth
Healthy Food Focused Economic Development
From Awake to Woke - Starting Race Talk
Addressing Fundraising Anxiety: How Board Members and Residents Can Raise Funds
We Are the Now and the Future. Youth Empowerment!
We also were inspired by four wonderful community leaders who shared their stories about why they have become active with their CDC and by the "CDC Roll Call," where every CDC in attendance shared an example of the great work they are planning for 2019.
Of course, perhaps, the best part of the day was the opportunity to be together, to network and talk with colleagues, and to feel the energy of this dynamic movement. We are truly more powerful when we are united and the 2018 MACDC Convention proved that yet again.
Leveraging Arts and Cultural Programming to advance Racial Equity
October 3rd, 2018 by Joe Kriesberg
Reflections of a Learning Journey to Seattle by Joe Kriesberg
Last week, I had a special opportunity to participate in a Learning Journey to Seattle, Washington to study their efforts to ensure that people of color have full access to arts and cultural opportunities and to leverage the power of human creativity to drive racial equity. It was an inspiring and educational trip!
The "Journey" was organized by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) with support from the Barr Foundation and brought 25 civic, government and community leaders to the Pacific Northwest for two action-packed days. The diverse delegation included the Mayors of Lynn, Salem and Beverly; two state senators; two state representatives; a Boston City Councilor; local officials from suburban and rural communities; and nonprofit leaders from groups like MACDC and MASSCreative.
Our visit began at the Wing Luke Museum with welcoming remarks from Ken Workman, the great, great, great, great grandson of Chief Seattle. He reminded us about the people who were here for centuries and whose culture was devastated (but not destroyed) by Europeans. We then heard from city and state leaders about their expansive efforts to ensure that children of color have equal access to a full range of cultural and creative programming throughout their k-12 education, both during the school day and beyond. We learned about an ambitious effort to inventory every cultural space in the city and to create a "dating app" that would allow any "creative" to find space to pursue their craft. The City and County have innovative funding streams to support these efforts, including a five percent levy on all for-profit entertainment venues (sadly, male professional sports are exempted; a mistake we should not make if we seek to replicate this model in Massachusetts!). We toured an incredibly ambitious public art project that includes nearly 60 massive murals along a rail corridor south of downtown. And all of this was on the first day.
On day two, we toured the wonderfully renovated historic Washington Hall where a 17-year-old Jimi Hendrix preformed publicly for the first time and now is home to three community-based organizations that promote the arts. The Hall is in an historically African American community that has been significantly gentrified, so the programming seeks to affirm and support the remaining African American community and to honor the history of the neighborhood. Seattle is growing even faster than Boston; it is a day-to-day fight to slow displacement, preserve neighborhoods, and retain the historic and cultural assets that make the city special. Arts and culture are both a potential victim of this process and a tool for fighting back.
Our last visit was with an amazing program called Creative Justice that uses the arts to engage and support court-involved youth. While their program is having great success with young people, that is not their only mission. We were told that the goal of Creative Justice is not to change young people, but to change the criminal justice system!
A few lessons really resonated for me. First, it was clear how much Seattle values the arts for their intrinsic value. They don't seek to justify investment in the arts solely because of the jobs, economic impacts, and reduced high school dropout rates, although they certainly achieve those results. Arts and culture are intrinsic to human experience and everyone should have access to it everywhere.
It was also hard not to be inspired by the commitment to racial equity. What stood out for me was the fact that they were undeterred by the complexity and uncertainly about what precisely racial equity might mean in different contexts. One speaker noted that racial equity has never existed in the history of the world – just like a piece of art, or music that has not yet been produced. He suggested that we view this work as an act of creativity, where we first envision something and then we create it. Like any creative work, there are no hard definitions, no defined pathways, no absolute right answers, and plenty of trial and error. We were told to "think big, start small, and go fast" even if we don't know exactly where we were going. This is something for me and MACDC to think about as we embark to deepen our own commitment to racial equity.
As if the program itself did not teach me enough about the fight to promote the arts in Seattle, I continued to learn when I was in my Lyft ride going to my sister-in-law's house (yes, I also had family to visit!). My driver was a 50+ year old man who plays in three rock bands and drives Lyft to help pay the bills. He had just gone to his first City Council hearing ever to protest the demolition of an historic music hall, which might be replaced with a 44-story condominium development. Seattle needs more housing desperately, but at what cost? My driver told me that he was a nervous wreck as he waited to testify at a public hearing for the first time in his life. But he was pleased with himself for speaking up. He's hopeful the Hall will be saved, but who knows? There are law suits and political battles to come. Either way, he and others are raising their voices and I'm confident that the creative community in Seattle is here to stay!
As I write this essay on my flight home to Boston, I am still thinking about how this work ultimately fits within MACDC's agenda and what we can contribute to the effort. How can we leverage the power of the arts to advance our goals for community voice and racial equity? How can arts and culture be part of our efforts to address displacement or promote neighborhood revitalization? I welcome your thoughts as my learning journey continues.
State Legislature Wraps Up 2017/18 Session
August 6th, 2018 by Joe Kriesberg
The Massachusetts State Legislature wrapped up the 2017/18 legislative session on July 31 and in the final flurry of activity, there was some good news for community developers and some disappointing news. On July 27, MACDC sent a letter to legislative leaders requesting action on six items.
Here is how we fared:
The legislature overrode the Governor's Veto of the so-called Chapter 206 money that provides grants to CDCs and others for home-ownership education and foreclosure prevention. This action fixes the language that defines the program and provides $2.05 million for the line-item, a $500,000 increase over last year.
The legislature enacted language to exempt bona fide nonprofits from the onerous and unnecessary Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) licensing requirements. This was an issue of great concern to many MACDC members that operate home-ownership programs such as down-payment assistance and lead paint abatement loans. TO make this happen, we worked closely with our impacted members, CHAPA, Habitat for Humanity, the Division of Banks and the Mass. Mortgage Bankers Association.
The legislature authorized $1.25 million in capital funds for CDFIs that lend to small businesses. We had hoped to secure $5 million, but this will still provide important capital to many of our members.
The Governor's Housing Choice bill did not pass. The House and Senate could not agree on a path forward regarding zoning and housing production. The House wanted to pass the Governor's bill. The Senate wanted to add some zoning reforms for which we had advocated. They could not reach an agreement. This is very disappointing as so many people worked so hard over the past two years to enact meaningful housing production and zoning reform.
Legislation to enable the creation of Community Benefit Districts also did not pass. MACDC has worked with the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance for four years to get this bill enacted so this too was disappointing.
The Legislature did not act on the Governor's Supplemental Budget request which included $10 million in CPA matching funds. That could still be done in informal session later this year.
The Legislature also adopted strong legislation to regulate and tax Short Term Rentals, like Airbnb. We are urging the Governor to sign this into law. The legislature also created an economic mobility commission that will look at best practices for helping affordable housing residents gain economic stability.
Considering that MACDC had already won our three top policy priorities for the year we are very pleased with what has been accomplished over the past two years (the Community Investment Tax Credit legislation, the Affordable Housing Bond Bill and restored funding for the Small Business Technical Assistance program).
MACDC is thankful to our members for the calls, emails, and visits that they made to advocate for this agenda. We are grateful to have so many amazing partners like CHAPA, the Mass. Smart Growth Alliance, and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council with whom we work closely. And, of course, we have many friends in the House and Senate – far too many to list here – that do the hard work inside the building to turn good ideas into law.
Saturday, October 20 is going to be the best day of the year!
July 12th, 2018 by Joe Kriesberg
What's your favorite day of the year? Your birthday? Christmas? Thanksgiving?
For me, this year, it will be Saturday, October 20.
No, it is not my birthday (which is October 7th – thanks for asking). October 20 is the date of the MACDC Convention - by far my favorite event of the year.
Since 2002, MACDC has hosted six Conventions, with the last one held in 2014. The Convention is unlike any other event in the community development field – it is a conference, a celebration, and a political action all rolled into one exciting, fun, inspiring day. Everyone and anyone associated with community development and community building is going to want to be there. We expect 700, or more people from across the state.
MACDC is committed to removing any and every obstacle to your participation. Thanks to our donors and sponsors, THE CONVENTION IS FREE. We provide free breakfast and lunch, free child care, transportation assistance, language interpretation, and whatever else is needed, so we can welcome everyone in our movement.
The MACDC Convention is special because the event is designed for and attracts hundreds of CDC board members, residents, community leaders, youth leaders, and others who are a part of the community development field. Community development professionals will be there too because this is the one event where everyone in the field – volunteers, paid staff, funders, investors, allies, friends, teachers, students – comes together.
We are still finalizing the agenda, but we already know it is going to be fun, educational, inspiring, and impactful. Some of the highlights include:
Workshops on key community development priorities such as affordable housing, economic development, racial equity, community health, and community organizing;
Awards to CDCs that have leveraged the Community Investment Tax Credit program to launch, or expand a program that is making a difference in the lives of people and communities;
Music and poetry that express our core values and inspire us to work for an inclusive and equitable society;
The "CDC Roll Call," where every CDC in attendance shares an exciting achievement from the past year, thereby demonstrating the diversity and scale of our collective impact;
Testimonials from CDC community leaders that will remind us why we do this work; and
Networking opportunities throughout the day that enable you to meet your colleagues from across the state.
Of course, MACDC is not going to bring 700 people together without using the opportunity to help shape the future of community development policy. We have invited all the major party candidates for Governor to join us on October 20th to field our questions about their policy agenda.
Deval Patrick came to our conventions in 2006 and 2010; made specific and meaningful commitments to our members; and he kept those commitments. Charlie Baker came in 2014 and did the same, including a commitment to fund small business development and support the Community Investment Tax Credit. I am 100% certain the Community Investment Tax Credit would not exist – and would not have been recently increased - without the MACDC Convention. When these candidates see hundreds of diverse and united community leaders from every corner of the state, learn about the tangible ways we are improving the Commonwealth, are asked specific questions about important policy issues, they come to understand that we are a movement to be taken seriously.
Join us! I'm confident you'll be glad you came and it may turn out to be your favorite day of 2018 too!
Governor Baker speaks at MACDC's 2014 Convention
Governor Patrick speaks at MACDC's 2010 Convention
Over the past 10 years, 36,501 youth have participated in MACDC member programs.
Allison Staton
Community Development Partnership Act
Comprehensive Community Development
Don Bianchi
Joe Kriesberg
LISC
Alan Cantor & Gregg Davis
Allison Curtis
Allston Brighton CDC
Andrew DeFranza
Angel Babbitt-Harris
Angel Babbit-Harris & Dillon Bustin
Angie Liou
Anne Kuszpa
Beverly Craid
Beyazmin Jimenez
Breeze Tonnesen
Britt Beedenbender
Cassie Mann
Chris Kazarian
Christine Nguyen
Chrystal Kornegay
David Bryant
David Bryant & John Fitterer
Edison Ribeiro
Elana Brochin
Ellie Gilmore
Evelyn Moreno
Felicity Hardee
Homeowners Rehab
Ira Schlosser
Jackie Giordano
James Fuccione
Jennifer Van Campen
Joanne Campbell
Joe Flatley
Joe Kriesberg & Don Bianchi
John Fitterer
Jorge Colón
Juan Leyton & Tony Hernandez
Julia Prange Wallerce
Kathy McGilvray
Kavya Sekar
Kavya Sekar & Rachel Nagin
Kermshlise Picard
Kimberly R. Lyle & K. Leah Whiteside
Kristina Egan
Leah Bloom
Mahlet Moges
Michelle Hu
Mickey Northcutt
Miriam Axel-Lute
Moira Noonan
Nadine Sanchara
Nam Pham
Nancy Porcaro & Lynn Sanders
Nora Frederickson
Pamela Bailey
Pamela Bender
Pete Kane
Peter Lowy
Philippe Jordi
Richard Thal
Rita Fuerst Adams
Rosa Nin
Sandra West
Sarah Dupere Ostro
Sarah Murphy Gray
Sheila Cuddy
Shirronda Almeida
Stefanie Archer
Steve Laferriere
Susan Fitter Harris
Toby Kramer
Van Hardy
Vanessa Calderón-Rosado and Dave Christopolis


E-commerce is exploding right now. If you want to start a real business online then you need to look very closely at Ecom.
But this is no joke. He actually teaches people to build their own e-commerce business working from home and selling product on Shopify.
If this is something that interests you then enrol on the free 90-day challenge. You can do that here.


The On Ramp accelerator program through the Greater Baltimore Technology Council offers all the benefits of a traditional accelerator minus the financial transactions—no fees to get into the program and no equity stake in your startup is exchanged for entrance into the GBTC program.
"The idea is to bring in pre-funded startups … for mentoring, coaching and [to] form a peer-to-peer group," says GBTC's Sharon Paley.
Started in April, five startups meet with Paley and GBTC director Jason Hardebeck about every 30 days for informal group sessions where they discuss "pivots people are considering" and obstacles the founders are contending with, Paley says. Right now, BeerGivr, Crowdstitch, Laudeo, Handteq Mobile and YellY'all are the startups involved with On Ramp.
"What Jason and I really try to do is identify those critical obstacles that are in the way of a company [and] help that company find a mentor in the community," says Paley. So, for instance, if one of the startups just launched a new website, the group will offer their comments before Hardebeck and Paley find a digital marketing expert in Baltimore city, who will offer a few hours of consulting free of charge.


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New Anime based on Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! announced today
Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! is the story of a young boy who has lived his life playing video games and staying in his room, only to be reborn into another world and now spends his days navigating new dangerous places accompanied by the beautiful goddess, Aqua!. Fans of this series will be thrilled to learn that HiBiKi Radio announced that Natsume Akatsuki's Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! (KonoSuba) would be getting a new anime, based off it's light novels. The producer Rie Ogura, announced the news of the new anime production at the end of the KonoSuba themed radio show, Kono Subarashii Radio ni Shukufuku wo!, on Tuesday, July 25th.
(Photo by Ivan Aburto)
(Sources used: HiBiKi and My Anime List)


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Home / Stories / Latest News / Homes for hundreds of pets in Los Angeles
Homes for hundreds of pets in Los Angeles
By Kelli Harmon | December 3, 2014
We all know that the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) has become a shopping extravaganza for much of America. But this year in Los Angeles, many people skipped the lines at stores and headed to a place where they could get something way better than a good deal.
Beginning at 5 a.m. on November 28, people began lining up at the Best Friends Pet Adoption and Spay/Neuter Center to adopt their new best friend during the #Holiday100 adoption promotion. The center stayed open day and night, straight through the weekend, giving people as much time as possible to come in and find the perfect dog or cat for them. And they did get a good deal, too: The first 100 adopters enjoyed a $10 adoption fee.
The 100th animal adoption
Janelle, a sweet tan Chihuahua mix, was the first pet to go home early Friday morning. Her new mom, Margaret, had driven about 40 minutes in the wee hours to be one of the first to choose a new pup at the center.
By midnight Friday, more than 80 dogs and cats had left the center to spend their first night in new homes. On Saturday morning, everyone watched and waited to see who lucky #100 would be. It happened to be Cher — an ultra-sweet pit bull terrier mix, affectionately known to some as "Cher-Bear."
Cher, one of the center's long-term residents, just hadn't found her forever home yet, even though she loves everyone she meets, is great with other animals, and is the quintessential good family dog. "It couldn't have been better that she was the 100th pet to go home," says adoption specialist Denise Landaverde. "We're all so happy for Cher; it's the perfect family for her. She's going to go to work with them every day and they plan to train her as a therapy dog."
Doubling the impact of the adoption promotion
While the original goal of the promotion was to help 100 pets find new homes over the weekend, the adoptions didn't stop with Cher. People kept arriving throughout Saturday and even on rainy Sunday, eager to meet and bring home a furry new family member. (Watch a video clip on NBC4 news here.)
So it was decided to extend the $10 fee for all adoptions through Sunday evening to get the most pets as possible into great homes. And with good reason, because every pet adopted from the center means one more pet can be pulled from Los Angeles Animal Services (LAAS) shelters.
All animals at the adoption center come from LAAS; it's part of Best Friends' plan to bring Los Angeles to no-kill by 2017. As pets went home and kennels at the center emptied, staff and volunteers headed to LAAS shelters each day to bring in more pets. With 9,000 pets dying in Los Angeles shelters each year, there's no time to waste when space opens up at the Best Friends center.
Adopters could feel extra good about bringing home a new pet during the #Holiday100, because not only did they get a great new family member, they made it possible for Best Friends to get another pet out of the shelter — doubling their impact.
When the center closed Sunday evening, more than 200 pets had found homes in three days. Marc Peralta, executive director of Best Friends–Los Angeles, says, "This adoption event shows that through a lot of hard work, some different ideas and a lot of help from the community, together we can Save Them All."
Be a part of the good news by becoming a Best Friends member.
Learn more about how Best Friends is working to make Los Angeles a no-kill city by 2017.
Photos by Lori Fusaro, Dana Collins, and Best Friends staff


Cynthia is the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at Dodge, overseeing the Foundation's budget, investment strategies, and personnel. Cynthia works closely with the Foundation's Board of Trustees and President and CEO Chris Daggett and manages relationships with investment consultants and financial agents to ensure the Foundation meets New Jersey's future needs.
Cynthia, who has been with Dodge for more than 20 years, also manages the Foundation's office operations and led the move to its LEED-Gold certified building in downtown Morristown, working closely with architects and engineers on design and construction. She continues to provide green building tours to school groups and professionals interested in learning about its energy-efficient features and getting up close and personal with its green roof and living wall.
Prior to joining Dodge, Cynthia worked as a program officer for New York City's Community Development Agency, where she administered Community Service Block Grants for nonprofits. She was also a policy analyst with the General Accounting Office conducting Congressional research on issues including Immigration Policy and Security and Exchange Regulations.
Cynthia is treasurer of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers and serves as an adviser to local non-profit boards including Roots and Wings the Congregational Church of Westfield.
Cynthia received a B.A. from Hamilton College, a M.P.A. from Syracuse University's Maxwell School, and was awarded a Presidential Management Internship.


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Hugh Wise
Born October 12, 1930. At 87 years young, Hugh comes to all of our driving High Performance Driving Events with his 2006 E46 M3. He bought that car new when he retired from the EPA.
Hugh's history is rich in racing. His first car was #74 Alfa Romero 1300 cc Giulietta. He bought it in 19678 from Bob Grossman, President of the Road Racing Drivers Club and who was among the top 10 finishers in the Le Mans 24 hours for four years in a row.
He raced the car at Lime Rock and other local tracks.
His second race car was #67 Formula V. He built it from a kit with the engine and suspension from a Volkswagen Beetle. Hugh was so tall that he had to go to the factory and be fitted just so he could fit in the drivers seat.
Then he moved to Chicago and bought an Elva Porsche #16 from Mike Rahal and raced with Rahal for many races including Road America in 1969. Mike Rahal later bought a Porsche 906 which Hugh co drove. Hugh has remained friends with the Rahal family.
Hugh races the 12 hours of Sebring in 1969, 1970 and 1971. 1969 was the last year of the Le Mans start where the drivers start in the pits and run to their cars. Even though Hugh was a professional baseball player and very athletic, the team owner elected to start the race.
Hugh had a career in college and professional baseball including the American Legion, Vanderbilt and semi pro Iowa State.
He signed with the Jacksonville Braves in 1953 where he played with Hank Aaron. He spent 1953 through 1956 playing minor league baseball.
Though his goal was the majors, he decided when it was clear that he would not make the majors, he retired and went back to college to earn his Ph. D in chemistry.
His real career was in waste water treatment and worked for the EPA from 1978 to 2005.
Hugh is consistently out on the track at every event and I have heard several instructors tell their students to follow the white BMW because they can learn from his line.
Posted in Spotlight


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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