The primary in Massachusetts is just five weeks away, and voters will start casting their ballots soon (indeed, some already may have). And the general election is only 14 weeks away.
Amidst the many races on the ballot this year, we want to spotlight one that can be too often overlooked: District Attorney.
The office of the DA is critical to implementing criminal legal reform and ending the culture of mass incarceration. It has the power of oversight over the prosecutors and staff who handle cases, as well as having power regarding sentencing decisions which can alter people’s lives. We, as voters, can elect DAs who want to change the system, or ones who seek to entrench it.
That’s why we’re proud to endorse Ricardo Arroyo for Suffolk County DA and Rahsaan Hall for Plymouth County DA. Both received more than 98% of the vote in our recent member poll.
Ricardo Arroyo for Suffolk County DA
Ricardo brings strong first-hand knowledge to the DA’s office from his role as a public defender and as city councilor. As a public defender, he worked to help stabilize and connect people to the resources necessary to give them a chance to break cycles of inequity. As a councilor, he sponsored and passed ordinances to ban the use of facial surveillance technology by the Boston Police Department, increase oversight of surveillance acquisition, create the Office for Police Accountability and Transparency, limit the use of rubber-covered bullets and tear gas by BPD, and declare racism a public health crisis. He is running to continue the reform work of DA Rachael Rollins in ensuring that we are not criminalizing poverty, addiction, and mental illness and approaching the work with a systems perspective and a rigorous commitment to data.
Here’s what some of our members said about Ricardo:
“Having a former public defender as district attorney will speak volumes about as well as actualize Suffolk County’s purported commitment to criminal justice. Ricardo Arroyo has been an excellent Boston City Councillor and it will benefit us all to see him continue this work as DA. “
“Ricardo Arroyo’s vision and plans would be transformative for Suffolk County, advancing the culture of the DA’s Office toward community justice. I’m especially impressed with his plans for mental health and ‘crimmigration’ departments, and his policy and training plans to make the reforms sustainable.”
“We need a person in the DAs office who will prioritize anti-racist work to ensure our criminal legal system advances justice and does not perpetuate racist norms.”
Rahsaan brings an wealth of experience to the DA’s office including his work as an Assistant DA in Suffolk County where he worked intensively with community stakeholders on developing a coordinated public safety agenda. He also worked to advance criminal legal reform and racial equity at Lawyers for Civil Rights and ACLU Massachusetts. Rahsaan led the ACLU’s “What a Difference a DA Makes” public education campaign, where he engaged with residents and community groups on how the DA’s offices can address injustices and use harm reduction approaches to provide true public safety by addressing people’s underlying needs. He is a national leader in understanding what power lies within the DA’s office and how to make the office a force for reform and a holistic vision of public safety.
Here’s what some of our members said about Rahsaan:
“Rahsaan has done an incredible job as the director of ACLU Mass’s racial justice program. What a truly special experience it would be for Plymouth County to see him continue that work as district attorney!”
“Rahsaan Hall has been a state and national leader on legal system reforms that prioritize justice and community safety. Plymouth County needs his vision, experience, and skills!”
“Rahsaan’s work with the ACLU and as an ADA shows his deep commitment to justice.”
Learn more about Rahsaan at https://www.hall4da.com/.
The Massachusetts state primary is now less than 7 weeks away: Tuesday, September 6. And the general election is less than 16 weeks away: Tuesday, November 8.
With those dates rapidly approaching, we are proud to release our second group of legislative endorsements for this cycle.
Curious about our process?
You can find all of the comprehensive questionnaires we have received from candidates this cycle so far here and here.
We encourage our chapters to vote on endorsements first so that we can align and amplify their work.
As we believe in the importance of small “d” democracy, all of our endorsements get voted on by our members, and candidates must receive at least 60% of the vote for an endorsement.
This list will be growing soon! We are planning to release more endorsements in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.
But now the endorsees….
7th Essex: Manny Cruz
Manny Cruz is a member of the School Committee in Salem and brings an impressive background in public service. He was formerly the Chair of the Governor’s State Wide Youth Council and a legislative staffers to both Representative Matias. He is currently the Advocacy Director at Latinos for Education, through which he created the Educator Diversity Coalition and helped found the MA Alliance for Early College. He has been a strong advocate for the environment, public education, and reproductive justice, and he has been endorsed by our new Salem chapter.
Margareth Shepard is a former Framingham City Councilor and was the first Brazilian immigrant elected to a City Council in the US, and she has been endorsed by our Framingham chapter. She has served as a member of the MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women, Chair of the Massachusetts Brazilian Citizens Council, secretary of the Brazilian American Center, and board member of the Brazilian Women’s Group, and she founded Brazilians for Political Education to increase voter registration and civic engagement. In these roles, and in her role as a Councilor, she was a major advocate for the Work & Family Mobility Act and a reliable ally for progressives in Framingham.
Where’s the District? Framingham (Precincts 1-8, 9B, 10-16)
Learn More: https://www.margarethforstaterep.com/
9th Middlesex: Heather May
Heather May is an educator at Emerson College, teaching classes in public speaking, debate, mental health, and healthcare policy as well as a community activist in Waltham. Having been active in the push to unionize the non-tenured faculty at Emerson, she understands the value of organizing (something the House certainly needs), and she is running on strong progressive policies and the need for systemic change in the MA House. She is challenging an incumbent with a record of voting in lockstep with the Speaker, if not worse (given the incumbent’s opposition to the 2020 police reform bill).
Zoe Dzineku brings the experiences as an immigrant, a small business owner, a single mother, and a community organizer. As Chair of the Lowell Election Commission, she successfully fought back the City’s attempt to reduce the number of polling locations in the first election with newly drawn Council districts. She has been involved in community organizing with the African community in the Merrimack Valley and with the Merrimack Valley Project, fighting for racial and economic justice. She has channeled that work in her role as a well-regarded Director of Constituent Services in the State Senate. Solidarity Lowell endorsed her, and we are proud to as well.
Tara Hong is a Cambodian immigrant and a community activist in Lowell. He is the Civic Engagement Coordinator at the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association, where he has worked on voter education and community empowerment. He serves on the board of the Lowell Litter Krewe and Mill City Grows, making sure Lowell is a more sustainable and equitable city. He is running on a strong progressive platform, rooted in transparency, affordable housing, and bold climate action, and he is challenging an incumbent who has voted lockstep with the Speaker (if not worse, given the incumbent’s votes against police reform). Solidarity Lowell endorsed him, and we are proud to as well.
Teresa English is a public school teacher in Lawrence with a lifelong commitment to public service. She is running to fight for increased aid for public schools, bold climate action, stronger worker protections, and a Massachusetts where people can afford to live at any stage of their life. She understands the importance of investing in the future of the Commonwealth and ensuring that government is accessible to the public. She is challenging a Republican incumbent who has one of the most conservative records in the entire State House. Solidarity Lowell endorsed her, and we are proud to as well.
Where’s the District? Billerica
Learn More: https://www.voteteresaenglish.org/
6th Norfolk: Tamisha Civil
Tamisha Civil combines a history of community involvement and strong progressive values. She has been a legal advocate for women and children impacted by domestic violence, a Commissioner for the Eastern Regional Commission on the Status of Women, a committee member for the Diversity and Inclusion for the Massachusetts Trial Court, a volunteer of the Stoughton’s Energy & Sustainability Committee, and a board member of Canton Residents for Sustainable Equitable Future (CR4SEF). She is running against a conservative Democratic incumbent who has opposed the Fair Share Amendment as well as police reform legislation.
Where’s the District? Avon, Canton, Stoughton
Learn More: https://www.tamishacivil.com/
15th Norfolk: Raul Fernandez
Raul Fernandez has been an impressive local leader in the fight for more progressive municipal government, expanding the vision of what’s possible. As a member of the Select Board in Brookline, he chaired the Task Force to Reimagine Policing in Brookline, leading a community process to imagine a crisis response system that puts mental health and well-being first. At Boston University, where he is a lecturer, he co-developed the course “Identity, Inclusion & Social Action,” which helps students to examine systems of oppression and identify opportunities to work toward social justice, and he is a Board Member of the Racial Imbalance Advisory Council at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Through both lived and professional experience, Raul understands the urgency of action on the many crises the Commonwealth faces and the need for systemic change to address them.
Where’s the District? Brookline (Precincts 1-4, 5A, 6-12, 17)
The Massachusetts state primary is now less than 10 weeks away: Tuesday, September 6. And the general election is less than 19 weeks away: Tuesday, November 8.
With those dates rapidly approaching, we are proud to release our first group of legislative endorsements for this cycle.
Before rolling out the list, a few words about our process:
You can find all of the comprehensive questionnaires we have received from candidates this cycle so far hereand here.
As we believe in the importance of small “d” democracy, all of our endorsements get voted on by our members, and candidates must receive at least 60% of the vote for an endorsement.
This list will be growing soon! We are planning to release more endorsements in the coming weeks, and endorsements in primary challenges or races where we have an active chapter conducting their own process are mostly still to come.
But now the endorsees….
Norfolk, Worcester & Middlesex State Senator Becca Rausch
State Senator Becca Rausch has a 100% on our Progressive Scorecard, and she’s earned it. She has been a powerful advocate for reproductive justice, climate action, public health, voting rights, and government transparency. She has put forth the most comprehensive plans to modernize our election laws and was one of the most outspoken voices against the inequities of the state’s COVID response, introducing the most comprehensive legislation to advance vaccine equity. She’s an independent voice in a Legislature where independent voices are rare and centers the most marginalized in her policymaking. She’s done great work in her two terms so far and will continue to do so if re-elected. Read Becca’s questionnaire here.
State Representative Erika Uyterhoeven has a 100% on our Progressive Scorecard, and it’s not hard to see why. She is best known as the House’s most vocal advocate for transparency (vital in a chamber that could use some sunshine), but is far more than that. She has put forth the boldest legislation on addressing the climate crisis, championed labor rights and worker ownership, and fought to make sure big companies and large institutions are paying their fair share of taxes. An outspoken voice on housing justice and decarceration as well, she understands that a state like MA needs to be passing agenda-setting policy to meet the urgency of the crises before us. Read Erika’s questionnaire here.
When you talk with Central Mass activists, you’ll often hear Robyn Kennedy’s name. She’s known as a champion of progressive women running for office, helping with all the behind-the-scenes work necessary for first-time candidates to get up and running. She’s also a force in the community: as the Chief Operating Officer of the YWCA of Central Mass, she has played a key role in securing resources for the unhoused during COVID. With deeply held progressive values and the depth of policy and government experience that comes with being the former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Children, Youth and Families, she would be an excellent state senator. Read Robyn’s questionnaire here.
James Arena-DeRosa has an impressive background in public service. Whether as a regional director for the Peace Corps, a regional administrator for USDA Food and Nutrition, or a director of policy advocacy for Oxfam America, he has consistently advocated for the most underserved. His activism spans from the local to the national, from serving on the local Finance Committee and the board of Mass Farmers Markets to advising Democratic presidential candidates on food insecurity and nutrition policy. He understands how issues like poverty and climate change are systemic problems in need of systemic solutions and is ready to fight for them. Read James’s questionnaire here.
Where’s the District? Holliston, Hopkinton, Millis (Precincts 2, 3), Sherborn
Vivian Birchall is a first-generation immigrant from Uganda and a persistent champion of accessible government. When in Uganda, she mobilized members of the Ugandan parliament to pass transparency and anti-corruption legislation. Locally, she produces shows on local and global issues with ActonTV and works with the Town of Acton to increase public access to information about town projects. She has fought to close racial and gender disparities in health care access and empower students of color to use their voices for change, and she would be a powerful voice for economic and racial justice on Beacon Hill and a state representative eager to strengthen small “d” democracy. Read Vivian’s questionnaire here.
Rita Mendes is a first-generation immigrant from Brazil who worked her way up through law school, a City Councilor At-Large in Brockton, and the first Brazilian-American to hold office in the city. She has been a go-to resource for new Americans in Brockton to navigate the homebuying process and the immigration system, and she has played a pivotal role in ensuring that underserved communities in Brockton were able to get the resources they need during the pandemic. Her lived experience and progressive values would make her a powerful advocate for racial and economic justice on Beacon Hill. Read Rita’s questionnaire here.
Where’s the District? Brockton (Ward 1 Precinct A; Ward 2; Ward 3 Precincts A, B; Ward 7)
As a Chelsea School Committee member and a political organizer at the Boston Teachers Union, Roberto Jiménez Rivera has been fighting to make sure that our state delivers on its promise to fully fund public education and ensure that all students have the resources they need to thrive. He has been a central player in statewide coalitions to push back against education privatization and was an active member of the Drawing Democracy Coalition that helped to expand the number of opportunity districts in MA, including this new Chelsea-based district. He understands the importance of organizing both inside and outside the building and will bring a strong equity focus to the work. Read Roberto’s questionnaire here.
Where’s the District? Chelsea, Everett (Ward 2 Precincts 1, 2A)
Sam Montaño brings nearly a decade of community-centered, tenant-focused organizing on issues of housing and equity in Jamaica Plain, bringing deep knowledge of housing legislation from their work with the JP Neighborhood Development Corporation. Beyond housing, Sam has been a community leader. As co-chair of the JP Neighborhood Council and its Public Services Committee, as a board member at the Hyde Square Task Force, as an advisory board member of the Southern JP Health Center, and now serving as the Organizing Director at the environmental justice organization Greenroots, Sam has been fighting for the most marginalized on the ground and will continue to do so in the State House. Read Sam’s questionnaire here.
Where’s the District? Jamaica Plain and part of Mission Hill in Boston (Ward 10 Precincts 4-9; Ward 11 Precincts 4-10; Ward 19 Precincts 1, 4-7, 9)
Some other progressives agree, including Jonathan Cohn, policy director for Progressive Massachusetts, which endorsed Chang-Díaz.
“She’s been a leader on a number of the marquee progressive victories in recent sessions — where she’s been somebody who really did go to bat for those issues,” he said.
Cohn said Chang-Díaz has led on education, transgender rights, criminal justice reform and police accountability. And unlike Maura Healey, he points out that Chang-Díaz supports other big progressive goals, including single-payer health care and debt-free public college.
And with a growing air of inevitability around Healey’s ascension to the governor’s office, Democratic activists are now starting to look ahead to January. Jonathan Cohn, policy director for Progressive Massachusetts, which had endorsed Chang-Díaz, said now is the time for activists and progressive groups to begin having conversations about early priorities for a progressive Democratic governor and a Democratic supermajority Legislature that skews more moderate.
“It’s not clear what are the first things a governor Healey wants to do, or wants the Legislature to do,” Cohn said. “There need to be discussions among groups about what can be pushed early on in her term, both when it comes to executive actions and what having a Democratic governor means for shaping what action looks like in the Legislature.”
Sonia Chang-Díaz has been a proactive, prolific, and progressive state legislator and an ally to movement organizers, which is why our members overwhelmingly voted to endorse her earlier this year. We are disappointed to see that she will not be continuing her campaign for Governor. Throughout her campaign, she has emphasized the need for bold action on ending racial disparities, combating climate change, and investing in our future as a Commonwealth, and we know that she will continue to do so. — Jonathan Cohn, Policy Director of Progressive Massachusetts
The Legislative session will be over in just under six weeks, but there’s one key deadline that’s earlier than that: the state budget deadline, which is just around the corner on June 30.
The Legislature doesn’t always meet that deadline (pushing things into July), but it still exists. And that means action has to happen quick.
*Equitable Approaches in Public Safety: The Senate budget included language to increase funding to $3.5M for the Equitable Approaches to Public Safety (EAPS) program (line item 4512-2020). This language and funding will allow municipalities to create community-based alternative crisis response models centered around social and emotional health professionals like social workers and peer support specialists.
*Early Education and Child Care: The House and Senate both included new funding for early education and child care in their budgets. They increased funding in different ways, but, as the Common Start Coalition has argued, if the priorities of both chambers make it into the final budget, it would represent a substantial step toward implementing the coalition’s full vision of a high-quality early education and childcare system that is affordable and accessible for all families.
*No Cost Calls: Both the House and Senate budgets included language to provide persons who are incarcerated with access to free phone calls or similar forms of communication. It is unconscionable that prisons and jails have been price-gouging incarcerated individuals and their families for years, and it’s important that this provision is a part of the final budget.
TONIGHT: Community Forum on Suffolk & Plymouth County DA Races
We’ll be joining community partners from the Justice for Massachusetts coalition for a forum with the Suffolk and Plymouth County DA candidates TONIGHT from 6 pm to 9 pm.
Many of the educational issues and controversies we face today — state takeovers, standardized testing, charter schools, many more — have interconnected historical roots and mutually reinforcing current impacts that result in huge gaps in school quality and huge gaps in student opportunity. Understanding that history is crucial for finding solutions.
Tomorrow at 7:00 pm, join the important discussion with Dr. Rooks about her research on segrenomics, connecting the dots between economics with segregated schooling and community organizers from across the state on their work.
RSVP here.
WEDNESDAY: Education Budget Briefing
On Wednesday at 4 pm, join the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance, MassBudget, and the Massachusetts Teachers Association for a briefing on the education budget, including discussions of the state budget, budget supplemental, the American Rescue Plan (ARPA), and the Fair Share Amendment.
Last week was an exciting week at the Massachusetts State House, as both the House and Senate voted to override the Governor’s veto of the Work & Family Mobility Act, making Massachusetts the 17th state to ensure that all qualified residents, regardless of immigration status, are able to get a driver’s license.
You can see how your legislators voted below.
VOTES Act Advances…But With a Big Gap
Last week, the House and Senate released their final version of the VOTES Act. The bill contains many important reforms, like making the option to vote early-by-mail permanent, expanding early voting options, and strengthening the protections for jail-based voting. Unfortunately, however, the House’s opposition to Same Day Registration carried the day, and Massachusetts will continue to lag behind our neighbors with our arbitrary and exclusionary voter registration cutoff. The bill would shorten the deadline from 20 days before an election to 10 days, but that’s still 10 days too many.
The bill passed the Senate last week and is on track to pass the House soon.
Many of the educational issues and controversies we face today — state takeovers, standardized testing, charter schools, many more — have interconnected historical roots and mutually reinforcing current impacts that result in huge gaps in school quality and huge gaps in student opportunity. Understanding that history is crucial for finding solutions.
Join the important discussion with Dr. Rooks about her research on: segrenomics, connecting the dots between economics with segregated schooling and community organizers from across the state on their work.
Community Forum on Suffolk & Plymouth County DA Races
We’ll be joining community partners from the Justice for Massachusetts coalition for a forum with the Suffolk and Plymouth County DA candidates on Monday, June 20, from 6 pm to 9 pm.
But a number of progressives say Healey is too conservative on some issues, including criminal justice. For example, they point out that Healey pushed to expand the state’s wire tapping law; she supported no-knock warrants and facial recognition software in some circumstances.
Jonathan Cohn, policy director for the group Progressive Massachusetts, is among those critics. The group has endorsed Chang-Díaz for governor, and Cohn says Healey sides with law enforcement too often and is too comfortable working within the current criminal justice system — instead of fighting to reshape it.
“If inequities are baked into a system and you’re accepting the system as it is, you’ll never fully address them,” Cohn said. “Because she’s largely operating as a law enforcement official.”
“The type of voter who pays attention to all of the constitutional offices really early are a subset of a subset. When you have those people, you go in knowing there’s a large pool of people who are undecided,” said Jonathan Cohn, policy director for the group, Progressive Massachusetts. “It ups the stakes.”
Dempsey, for his part during the forum, blasted DiZoglio for her 30% rating on the Senate’s police reform bill, as tracked by Progressive Massachusetts based on a string of amendments to the legislation. The organization, which has endorsed Dempsey for state auditor, gave other statewide candidates — including lieutenant governor candidates Sen. Adam Hinds and Sen. Eric Lesser, as well as gubernatorial candidate Sen. Sonia Chang- Díaz — a 100% rating.
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