“Michelle Wu: Cities Must Lead for the Green New Deal,” The Nation

“Action at the city level is what will make national momentum possible on our most urgent issues, and this is the level of government where we are closest to people, where we can innovate and move quickly. Most importantly, this is the level of government where we uniquely are in the position to earn the trust of our communities.”

“It’s like a slow war, like a slow burn. Like a slow, quiet form of torture,” The Appeal

“Solitary confinement is a punishment that correctional officers wield freely, and its harms are catastrophic. The practice — confinement in a cell for up to 24 hours a day — can lead to psychosis, self-mutilation, and suicide. A study of people incarcerated in North Carolina found that those subjected to solitary were almost 80 percent more likely to die by suicide within a year after their release than those not placed in solitary.”

“Will the Legislature let pandemic mail-in and early voting reforms expire?,” WBUR

“Many municipalities benefited from these reforms, but still, they’re set to expire Wednesday….There was talk of extending them while the House and Senate hashed out a more permanent solution. But with the legislature not in formal session, it appears highly unlikely they will act to do so in time.”

“Edwards beats D’Ambrosio in special election primary for state Senate,” CommonWealth

“While the race largely turned into a turf battle pitting D’Ambrosio’s solid base of support in Revere against Edwards’s strength in Boston and Cambridge, it was also a referendum on whether the district would embrace the progressive wave has that sent Wu, Pressley, and other political change agents into office in recent years or stick to a more moderate Democratic lane.”

“Primary win all but ensures progressive Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards a State Senate seat,” WGBH

“What I’ve been consistent about is talking about how as a senator, you can take a regional approach, which is necessary to deal with housing, to deal with transportation, to deal with environmental justice, to deal with education … dealing with the opioid crisis, there is no one city or town that can do it alone.”

“Earmark process in ARPA bill undermines racial equity goals,” CommonWealth

“But those diversity and equity goals collided with lawmakers’ penchant for using budget negotiations to fund pet projects in their districts. The result: The bulk of arts funding in the huge spending bill is tied up in local earmarks, only a small percentage of which are geared toward organizations led by or primarily serving people of color.”

“Mass. falling behind on marijuana equity mandate,” CommonWealth

“Let’s be real about this: communities all over this state still experience the painful impacts of the War on Drugs today. The families that have been torn apart by over-policing and over-enforcement should be the first to benefit now that marijuana is legal. Massachusetts knows what it takes to make sure equity materializes, and now is the time to carry out its promise by investing in those who deserve to participate in this industry.”

“California Plans To Be Abortion Sanctuary If Roe Overturned,” HuffPost

“The report recommends funding — including public spending — to support patients seeking abortion for travel expenses such as gas, lodging, transportation and child care. It asks lawmakers to reimburse abortion providers for services to those who can’t afford to pay — including those who travel to California from other states whose income is low enough that they would qualify for state-funded abortions under Medicaid if they lived there.”