Happy spring! Coming soon will be sunnier days, warmer weather, greenery, flowers, and more. It can’t come soon enough.

Also coming soon in the spring? Fun opportunities to take action in person. Read on for some great events coming up over the next few weeks. 

NEXT THURSDAY: Immigrants’ Day at the State House

Each year hundreds of immigrant and refugee constituents from across the Commonwealth come together in the State House to celebrate their contributions and advocate for their legislative and budget priorities.

This year, Immigrants’ Day at the State House will be next Thursday, March 28, from 9 am to 1 pm, with a focus on advocating for new arrivals, language access, the Safe Communities Act, and internationally trained physician licensure.

Despite legal barriers and an increase in hate towards immigrants and refugees, we continue to move forward together, fostering the courage it takes to fuel change.

At Immigrants’ Day, you will hear personal stories from political and community leaders, as well as have the opportunity to speak directly with legislators about policies that affect our communities.

RSVP HERE

Mark Your Calendars! Progressive Mass Annual Lobby Day

Join fellow activists from across the Commonwealth to build momentum for key progressive priorities on Beacon Hill!

Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 16, at 10 am in Room 428 at the State House.

Stay tuned for more information.

Never lobbied at the State House before? Don’t worry — we’ll have a training session before sending you off to meetings.

RSVP HERE 

Coming Up Soon: Activist Afternoons

Want to help build momentum behind key progressive priorities around housing affordability, economic justice, climate action, and criminal legal reform? Then join us for Activist Afternoons as we make calls to voters about key legislation.

Mark your calendars for April 7 and April 21 and then May 5 and May 19.

RSVP HERE
 

Join us and allies on Sunday, February 4, at 4 pm in Porter Square to take action with our partner organizations to promote civic engagement in the company of your friends and neighbors. You will write postcards, make phone calls, and take other actions on a range of issues from voter registration, voter turnout, and progressive state policy.

We will be phone banking in support of key bills on housing and climate in the state legislature.

We’re excited to see you — in person — at our 2024 member meeting (open to all!) on Saturday, January 27. Don’t forget to let us know that you can come by RSVPing here.

Do you know what else we’re excited about? Our speakers. We’ll be featuring a discussion between Robert Kuttner, co-editor and co-founder of The American Prospect, and Sonia Chang-Díaz, former state senator, about the state of progressive politics in Massachusetts, inspired by Kuttner’s recent extensive column “Massachusetts Blues.”

Saturday, January 27
1 pm to 5 pm
Lasell University, DeWitt Hall
1844 Commonwealth Ave, Newton
RSVP FOR OUR ANNUAL MEETING

What else is in store for the annual meeting? We’ll be featuring breakout sessions on the following themes (titles in progress):

School committees as a key battleground
Healing the Movement & reimagining a more caring & equitable Mass
How to address the housing crisis
Changing the narrative around immigration
The state of the labor movement in 2024
Think Reproductive Rights are Safe in MA? Think Again!
MA's Climate Goals: How to Meet Them
Making Your Voice Heard in a Media Desert
Strengthening Democracy in MA

I hope you had a happy and restful holiday season — and are even more energized to take action in the new year.

This Sunday’s Activist Afternoon Launch Party has been rescheduled due to the incoming storm. But don’t worry–you can still join fellow activists online this Sunday, January 7th from 3:30-5pm in making calls to voters about important issues before the State House, including tenant protections and climate action. RSVP here.

Stay tuned for a new date for the Make Polluters Pay Holiday Party, which was previously scheduled for this Sunday as well. And see below for more opportunities to take action including our 2024 Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 27th from 1-5pm at Lasell University in Newton!

Sunday, 1/21: Activist Afternoons Launch Party

We’ll be joining with other groups for a re-launch of an in-person Activist Afternoons on Sunday, January 21st, at 4 pm at St. James’s Episcopal Church in Porter Square. The launch event will have some socializing and networking before people go off to take action.
RSVP here

Wednesday, 1/10: Mass. Housing Crisis Forum

At this forum, you will hear stories from people facing personal housing crises. You will learn how many people in the Commonwealth are unhoused and which populations are most at risk. You will learn about emergency measures, including rent control, that are needed now, and strategies for implementing them. You will also learn how many new units of housing need to be built to make a significant difference to people who need suitable housing. You will also learn what for-profit developers can provide to solve the crisis. Finally, you will learn about two new programs, community land trusts and social housing that provide practical solutions to some of our biggest challenges.

This forum — on Wednesday, January 10, at 7 PM, on Zoom — is brought to you by the Mass Progressive Action Organizing Committee (MPAOC).

The Forum includes presentations by Caroline Bays (PM),Martin Omasta (DSA), Katie McCann (CL/VU), Carolyn Chou (HFA), Minnie McMahon (Dudley St. Community Land Trust), Mark Martinez (Mass Law Reform Institute), and Representative Mike Connolly.
RSVP here

 Saturday, January 27: Annual Meeting

Join us on Saturday, January 27, at 1 pm at Lasell University in Newton for our 2024 annual member meeting — back in person! — where we will review accomplishments from the past year, talk about the work ahead in 2024, and host a variety of breakout sessions focused on building skills and digging deeper into policy and action.
RSVP here

• Attend our 2024 Activist Afternoons launch party on Sunday, January 7th, 4-6 pm at St. James’s Episcopal Church in Porter Square.
• Join 350 Mass and the Make Polluters Pay Campaign on Sunday, January 7th, 1-3 PM at the Democracy Center, 45 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge, for an afternoon of strategizing and socializing.
• Join Mass Progressive Action Organizing Committee (MPAOC)’s Mass. Housing Crisis Forum on Wednesday, January 10th, 7-9pm (online) where you will learn more about the multifaceted housing crisis and two new programs that provide practical solutions to some of our biggest challenges.
• RSVP for Progressive Mass’s 2024 Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 27th, 1-5pm at Lasell University in Newton. We’re excited to see you in person this year.

Join us for our 2024 annual member meeting — back in person! — where we will review accomplishments from the past year, talk about the work ahead in 2024, and host a variety of breakout sessions focused on building skills and digging deeper into policy and action.

Saturday, January 27
1 pm to 5 pm
Lasell University, DeWitt Hall
80 Maple Street, Newton
RSVP today!

Our Annual Meeting is open to everyone. However, you must be a member to vote for members up for election or re-election to the Board. You also must be a member to nominate yourself or someone else for election.