Massachusetts Law Reform Institute

Happy Independence Day Boston! 🎆✨ As the fireworks light up the sky tonight, we want to take a moment to wish our amazing community a wonderful long weekend filled with joy, laughter, and freedom! 🎉🥳 Our office will be closed on Thursday, July 4 for the holiday.

🚨 Calling all Massachusetts Doulas! 🌟 The Massachusetts Doula Coalition has teamed up with Northeastern University's Community Business Clinic for an Exclusive "Doula" Webinar Series! 🎓🤝 Psst..... AT NO COST TO YOU! 📅 Date: July 9, 2024 ⏰ Time: 6 PM 📍 Location: Virtual via Zoom Learn to: ✅ Protect your work legally ⚖️ ✅ Set up your doula business 💪 ✅ Write client contracts 📝 ✅ Safeguard client privacy 🔒 .....and MUCH MORE! Limited spots available! 👉 https://lnkd.in/eX8dDbQN Register now to be part of this game-changing opportunity! 💪🤰 . . . . . . . #DoulaServices #NUSL #CBC #MaDoulaCoalition #MaternalHealthcare #ProfessionalDevelopment #HealthcareBusiness #ReproductiveRights #ContinuingEducation #HealthcareEntrepreneurship #BirthSupport #LegalEducation #BusinessSkills

Last week, the Biden administration moved to extend Temporary Protective Status (TPS) designation for Haitians for an additional 18 months. TPS is an immigration status for foreign-born individuals who are unable to return to certain countries due to unsafe conditions such as armed conflict or environmental disaster. In a letter to the Biden administration in May, MLRI's Immigration team urged officials to reinstate TPS designation, explaining why it is unsafe for Haitians to return to "one of the most dangerous countries in the world at a time when it sees record levels of deadly violence." The letter goes on to state "given that Haiti has no formal government, returned families would be vulnerable to gangs who run 80% of Port au Prince and are known for using systemic rape, brutal murder, and kidnapping to control the terrorized and starving Haitians who were unable to flee the country... These are the very sorts of conditions that TPS, a humanitarian safety valve, is supposed to address." Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/ee8CRziW

In this Boston Business Journal Op-Ed, the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and the Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers Project at Central West Justice Center, highlight the injustices of excluding our approx. 14,000 farmworkers from our state minimum wage and extended overtime protections. "Massachusetts only allows farmworkers to be paid $8 an hour – almost 50% less than the state’s $15 an hour minimum wage for every other worker," said MLRI Executive Director, Georgia Katsoulomitis. " The results are completely predictable: Compared to all other families in Massachusetts, twice as many farmworker families live in deep poverty: 17.6% compared to 8.3%." Let's call this what it is: exploitation. Massachusetts can and must do better. Thank you Rep. Gonzalez Adam Gomez Sr., and Jamie Eldridge for your support on this bill. 🔗 Click below to read the full commentary.

Happy retirement Susan! 🎉🩷⁠ ⁠ After a seasoned career in legal aid and over 20 years with MLRI, Senior Child Welfare attorney Susan Elsen, will be retiring at the end of the month. Susan joined MLRI’s Family Law Unit in May 2001. Her focus has remained on children and family issues including child custody and child welfare issues and directs her advocacy towards ensuring that children grow up in homes that are safe, financially secure, and provide a foundation for a healthy, productive adulthood. ⁠ Your passion for your work is inspiring and you have left a long-lasting impact on child welfare advocacy in Massachusetts. ⁠ Enjoy your retirement, Susan, we will miss you! 👏🏽

Join us in raising awareness on #NationalHIVTestingDay 💉💙🌎️ ⁠ ⁠ Did you know that regular testing is key to preventing the spread of HIV? Today, we're dedicated to providing you with essential resources and safe practices to protect yourself and your loved ones. 🤝⁠ ⁠ Together, we can break the stigma and promote a healthier future for all. ✨ ⁠ ⁠ 🔗 If you are Boston located, visit Multicultural AIDS Coalition, Inc. for local resources and no-cost testing. If you're located outside of the Greater Boston area, click the link below to visit Together TakeMeHome, which provides free HIV self-test kits that can be mailed to anyone 17 and older living in the United States. ⁠ ⁠ #HIVawareness #KnowYourStatus https://lnkd.in/eFXTthRx

Our team at Project Bread had an incredible week at the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference with Food Research & Action Center! We joined over 1,000 advocates to push the boundaries of innovation in fighting hunger. From Capitol Hill meetings on the Farm Bill to insightful discussions on food insecurity challenges, every moment was about driving meaningful change. Together with Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, we co-hosted a meet-and-greet where Congressman Jim McGovern and policy experts delved into the Farm Bill's impact on Massachusetts. It was inspiring to see leaders and advocates unite to confront these critical issues head-on. Our leadership also had productive sessions with USDA, CMS advisors, and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, emphasizing our commitment to health equity and sustainable anti-hunger policies. These discussions underscored the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to ensure everyone has access to nutritious food.

Our team at Project Bread had an incredible week at the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference with Food Research & Action Center! We joined over 1,000 advocates to push the boundaries of innovation in fighting hunger. From Capitol Hill meetings on the Farm Bill to insightful discussions on food insecurity challenges, every moment was about driving meaningful change. Together with Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, we co-hosted a meet-and-greet where Congressman Jim McGovern and policy experts delved into the Farm Bill's impact on Massachusetts. It was inspiring to see leaders and advocates unite to confront these critical issues head-on. Our leadership also had productive sessions with USDA, CMS advisors, and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, emphasizing our commitment to health equity and sustainable anti-hunger policies. These discussions underscored the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to ensure everyone has access to nutritious food.

Last week MLRI Director of Racial Justice Advocacy, Virginia Benzan, participated in a round table on internet affordability with Senator Ed Markey's office, the Massachusetts Digital Equity Coalition, fellow advocates, and representatives of Internet Service Providers (ISPs).⁠ ⁠ After funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) ran out last month, over 370,000 enrolled households in Massachusetts lost federal support for their monthly internet bills. The ACP was established in 2021 managed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to ensure that every household in the United States had affordable internet access.⁠ ⁠ “Given how essential internet access is today, it is vital to understand the available affordable options for Mass residents," said Virginia. "Sharing these options is also an important tool to safeguard against exploitation and misinformation."⁠ ⁠ Thank you Senator Markey for hosting!⁠ ⁠ https://lnkd.in/eASAcDZa

Happy Juneteenth! 💚💛❤️ Juneteenth, officially Juneteenth National Independence Day, is a federal holiday in the United States. It is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the ending of slavery. Though the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, not everyone in Confederate territory would immediately be free. It wasn't until June 19, 1865, when ~2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, that the army announced the 250,000+ enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. In 2021, the day was finally recognized as a federal holiday when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. Juneteenth became the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was adopted in 1983. 🔗 Click the link below to learn more about the history & importance of Juneteenth 📲💚 https://lnkd.in/e8XfsxRE.