Public News Service

Students and faculty at Northeastern University in Boston surround a pro-Palestinian encampment on their school's campus, which stood for two days before administrators called in police to remove it. (Ehn)

Northeastern University students, staff condemn arrests, charges of antisemitism

Students and faculty at Northeastern University are demanding their school issue a public apology for what they say are false charges of antisemitism …

An analysis of eight U.S. cities found that between 21% and 38% of 911 calls are related to mental health, substance use, homelessness and other quality-of-life concerns, all matters advocates said could be better addressed by people other than police. (Adobe Stock)

MA Considers Unarmed Response Units for Mental Health 911 Calls

Community groups in Massachusetts are calling for an end to armed police response to mental health-related 911 calls. The majority of calls are for …

Rates of severe maternal morbidity for people with disabilities -- including intellectual, vision, and mobility-related disabilities -- were found to be significantly higher between 2011 and 2020 than those for people without disabilities, according to the Department of Public Health. (Adobe Stock)

Report Shows Steep Decline in MA Maternal Health

Racial and gender inequities in Massachusetts have contributed to a steep decline in maternal health, according to a new report. The Department of …

Researchers say access to driver's licenses helps ensure the health of immigrants and other communities. California, for example, saw an 18% increase in registered organ donors the year it started licensing drivers without status. (Adobe Stock)

Undocumented Immigrants in MA Allowed License to Drive

Undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts are now able to apply for a driver's license regardless of their immigration status. The Work and Family …

The federal civil rights complaint filed by Lawyers for Civil Rights states that nearly 70% of Harvard's donor-related and legacy applicants are white, and they receive a substantial admissions boost based on their status. (Adobe Stock)

Civil Rights Complaint Challenges Practice of Harvard Legacy Admissions

Following the Supreme Court's decision to end race-based affirmative action, a Boston-based civil rights group is working to end the practice of …

The cost of free public higher education for Massachusetts has been estimated to be between $1 billion and $1.6 billion per yearm but advocates note that increased public higher education spending also leads to increased tax revenues and savings in state spending programs. (Adobe Stock)

Higher Ed Advocates: Cherish Act Could Help Counter Supreme Court Decisions

Education advocates in Massachusetts say state lawmakers could help counter the Supreme Court's recent decisions to end affirmative action and student…

Research shows children who live in households that receive the Earned Income Tax Credit have better school performance, greater college enrollment and increased work and income in adulthood. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Push for 'Tax Fairness' with Expanded Child Tax Credits

As Massachusetts lawmakers work to finalize tax-relief measures, advocates for low-income families are calling for an expansion of tax credits proven …

Democratic lawmakers are calling for term limits to ensure each president has the opportunity to appoint the same number of Supreme Court justices each term, in an effort to make the high court more democratically representative. (Adobe Stock)

MA Lawmakers Call for Expansion of U.S. Supreme Court

Massachusetts lawmakers in Congress are calling for an expansion of the U.S. Supreme Court due to what they said are "ethical lapses" and "partisan …

Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., says police brutality is a crisis plaguing Black and brown communities. Despite comprising only 13% of the U.S. population, Black people accounted for 26% of those killed by police in 2022, according to the nonprofit Mapping Police Violence. (Office of Rep. Pressley)

MA Lawmakers Aim to End Qualified Immunity, Let People Sue Police

Massachusetts lawmakers in Congress have reintroduced legislation which would allow people to sue police officers and other state and local government…

The U.S. military has released 1.2 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere since the War on Terror began in 2001, despite military leaders citing climate change as a national security threat. (WRL)<br />

War Tax Resisters Redirect Money Towards Peace

Tax Day is quickly approaching April 18 but some Massachusetts residents will resist paying their federal taxes as a war protest. War tax resistance…

Health care advocates fear restrictions on abortion medication could be especially harmful to African American women, who are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (ACLU Mass.)

MA Lawmakers Vow to Protect Abortion Medication Access

Massachusetts lawmakers are vowing to protect access to the abortion drug mifepristone, after two competing rulings by federal judges has left access …

New data found for the third year in a row, the number of overall white supremacist propaganda incidents on U.S. college campuses dropped from 232 in 2021 to 219 in 2022, the lowest since the Anti-Defamation League began tracking campus incidents in 2017. (Adobe Stock)

White Supremacist Gatherings, Incidents Hit All-Time High in New England

Incidents involving white supremacist propaganda reached an all-time high last year in the U.S., including a dramatic surge of incidents across New …

Nearly 60% of Massachusetts' incarcerated population is Black - but Black residents make up less than 20% of the Commonwealth's population, according to the Democracy Behind Bars Coalition. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Bills Aim to Restore Vote for People Incarcerated for Felony Convictions

Lawmakers in the Commonwealth are considering legislation to restore voting rights for people incarcerated on felony convictions. One bill would …

A Poor People's Campaign report examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic found the 300+ counties with the highest death rates have a poverty rate of 45%, which is 1.5 times higher than in counties with lower death rates. (PPC)

Advancing MLK’s Dream of Economic Justice in MA

Advocates for low-income workers in the Commonwealth said today is a reminder of the need to continue to advance Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream …

Harvard's Peabody Museum has posted an apology on its website for what it calls

Harvard’s 'Hair Collection' Triggers Demand for Legislative Action

Indigenous activists in the Commonwealth are calling on state lawmakers to pass legislation to strengthen protections for Native American remains…

In addition to a bill to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day, there is legislation in Massachusetts to protect Native American heritage, remove racist mascots from schools, and teach Native American culture and history. (Adobe Stock)

Backers of Indigenous Peoples Day Vow to Keep Working for MA Recognition

While the Commonwealth still recognizes today as Columbus Day, backers of replacing it with Indigenous Peoples Day said it would be an important …

The 2020 census overlooked 0.24% of the U.S. population, compared with 0.01% in 2010. (Antwon McCullen/Adobe Stock)

Report: Census Undercounted BIPOC Communities, Young Children

A new analysis of the 2020 census finds that Latino, Black and Native American populations were statistically significantly undercounted. …

A total of 385 hate crimes were reported in Massachusetts in 2020, and advocates note that's an undercount. (Sam Cheng/Adobe Stock)

MA Groups: Local Hate-Crime Enforcement Needs Beefing Up

This week marks two years since the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, and the three men convicted for his murder have now been found guilty of …

Boston City Councilors Julia Mejia and Tania Fernandes-Anderson have brought forward a proposal for reparations for Black Bostonians. (Wikimedia Commons)

Boston City Council Considers Reparations Commission

A proposal brought to the Boston City Council would create a commission to study the legacy of slavery and the ongoing inequities Black people face in…

The final payments for people who receive a 2021 Child Tax Credit will be included in this year's income-tax returns. (Yurii Kibalnik/Adobe Stock)

Report: Pandemic Policies Reduce Poverty in Massachusetts

A new report shows financial supports made available in the pandemic have led to a direct reduction in poverty in Massachusetts. From expanded …

Massachusetts officials expect roughly 1,000 Afghan refugees will be resettled in the Commonwealth. (jinnifer douglass/Adobe Stock)

A Call for Transparency in Resettlement of Afghan Refugees

BOSTON -- Advocates for human rights and civil rights in Massachusetts are urging more transparency and clear information on plans to resettle Afghan …

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley of Boston is one of the community leaders featured in the Uncornered Boston Photo Project. (Boston Uncornered)

Exhibit Showcases Ties Between Boston Residents, Historic Mayoral Race

BOSTON -- A new photo exhibit in the Seaport District showcases the surprising ties between a wide swath of Boston residents. The Boston Uncornered …

The budget passed by the Massachusetts General Court includes $1 million for VITA, or Volunteer Income Tax Assistance programs. (Centaur/Adobe Stock)

Gov. Baker Urged to Commit to Anti-Poverty Efforts in State Budget

WORCESTER, Mass. -- Community Action Agencies applauded the Massachusetts General Court for its commitments to anti-poverty efforts in the 2022 state …

In a recent Census Bureau survey, more than 40% of Massachusetts households where at least one member planned to pursue higher education canceled or reduced their course load during the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Disparities Persist in MA Despite Top Rank for Child Well-Being

BOSTON -- A new report ranks Massachusetts 'Number One' nationally among states for overall child well-being, but advocates for children and families …

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

BOSTON -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by both the US …

More than 1.5 million Massachusetts residents have been fully vaccinated. (Jacob Lund/Adobe Stock)

MA Groups Urge Expanding Focus on Vaccine Equity

WORCESTER, Mass. - Some groups in Massachusetts want to see more focus on getting COVID-19 vaccinations to people in underserved communities hit …

Boston organizers for racial justice held a protest this weekend, and similar events took place in California, Florida, Georgia, New York, Ohio and Texas. (Ali/Adobe Stock)

MA Activists Join National Protest Before Chauvin Trial

BOSTON -- Advocates for families who've been impacted by police brutality in Boston joined a nationwide call to protest, the weekend before the start …

A new coalition has formed to address the fact that Black and Latino residents of Massachusetts have received comparatively fewer doses of the COVID-19 vaccine than white residents. (STOATPHOTO/Adobe Stock)

New Coalition Urges Commonwealth to Prioritize Vaccine Equity

BOSTON - This week, a new coalition of civil-rights, immigrant-justice and public-health groups has laid out a path toward more equitable vaccine …

Black and Indigenous women die at rates three to four times the rate of Caucasian women due to pregnancy-related causes. (Wikimedia Commons)

Sen. Warren, Rep. Pressley Push Anti-Racism in Public Health

BOSTON -- Massachusetts members of Congress are among the sponsors renewing the push to pass the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act. It would expand …

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is cutting 20 bus routes and consolidating or shortening 16 additional routes. (Wikimedia Commons)

Most MA Residents Oppose Cuts to Public Transportation

BOSTON -- The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is laying off workers and cutting services in the face of a budget deficit. A new survey …

Boston is one of the many cities across the country that erupted in protests over police brutality this summer. More than half a year later, a police reform bill nears passage in the General Court. (Fitz/Adobe Stock)

Scaled-Back MA Police-Reform Bill Awaits Final Approval

BOSTON -- Massachusetts is on the verge of joining the 36 other states that have independent, civilian-led commissions in charge of decertifying …

It's estimated that globally, about 2,220 metric tons of mercury are emitted each year. (Denny Franzkowiak/Pixabay)

Harvard Prof.: EPA Off-Base with New Mercury Rule Analysis

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The Environmental Protection Agency says air-pollution controls placed in 2016 on mercury emitted from coal-fired power plants …

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., dropped out of the Democratic presidential primary race last week after performing worse than polls expected. The question of her

Expert: Warren May Have Lost Because Voters Overestimate Others’ Bias

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Why are the last two major Democratic primary candidates older white men? According to a Massachusetts Institute of Technology …

Discrimination based on natural hairstyles disproportionately affects black women and girls. (Whoisdejalynn/Pixabay)

MA Bill Banning Hairstyle Discrimination Gets Public Hearing

BOSTON -- A bill banning discrimination based on natural hairstyles is getting a public hearing today at the Massachusetts Legislature. State …

In Isabelle Doerre-Torres' curriculum, students learn about El Salvador's civil war (1980-1992) that killed more than 75,000 people, and that the U.S. funneled more than $4.5 billion to the right-wing Salvadoran government in the name of fighting communism. (Wikipedia Commons)

How a Boston Teen Changed the Way Teachers Approach Immigration History

By Anna-Cat Brigida Broadcast version by Laura Rosbrow-Telem Reporting for the YES! Magazine-Media-Commonwealth News Service Collaboration BOSTON -- …

A new national report says progress is being made in closing racial gaps in prison populations. Among women, the disparity in black and white imprisonment rates has dropped from 6-to-1 to 2-to-1. (Ichigo121212/Pixabay)

Racial Gap Remains in MA Prisons, Despite National Progress

BOSTON – There's been positive movement in reducing racial gaps in prison populations across the United States, according to a new report…

The new Voter Protection Corps expects the 2020 election to be more volatile than past races, and says states face a variety of challenges to ensure everyone can cast a ballot. (Voter Protection Corps)

Voter Protection Group Launches Ahead of 2020 Election

WESTON, Mass. – Massachusetts is home to the man who heads the Voter Protection Corps, a new national nonprofit that has launched to address …

�Congress is refusing to stop the president and his policies,

Almost 3 Dozen MA Cities Plan 'Lights for Liberty' Vigils

BOSTON – People in more than 600 cities across five continents are holding vigils tonight to protest the Trump administration's immigration poli…

Only 6 percent of freshmen at publicly funded U Mass Amherst are Latino. (pxhere)

Latinos Underrepresented at Top Public Colleges

BOSTON — A new study shows that selective public colleges nationwide admit disproportionately low numbers of black and Latino students…

About 70 percent of Massachusetts voters supported preserving the state's transgender nondiscrimination law. (katlove/pixabay)

Election Showed Strong Support for LGBTQ Rights

BOSTON – Voter approval of Question 3 on the Massachusetts ballot was a victory for transgender rights in the Bay State. Approval of the …

A study found no increase in criminal incidents in public restrooms from gender nondiscrimination laws. (evitaochel/pixabay)

Study Finds No Threat in Transgender Bathroom Access

BOSTON – A study released Wednesday found including gender identity in nondiscrimination laws does not increase privacy or safety violations in …

Volunteer lawyers rallied to help Indra Sihotang, one of hundreds who have fled anti-Christian oppression in Indonesia. (QuinceMedia/pixabay)

Immigration Court Ordered to Review Denied Asylum Petition

BOSTON – A federal appeals court in Boston has ordered a review of a Bureau of Immigration Appeals ruling that denied a rehearing to a man seeki…

Sites at the bases have been used for munitions disposal and as firing ranges. (Sgt. Paula Taylor/Wikimedia Commons)

Toxic Risks at Immigrant Detention Centers Raise Alarms

BOSTON — A coalition of immigrant, labor and environmental groups is demanding details on government plans to detain migrant families at …

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, on the steps of the Supreme Court, told the crowd,

Dems Sound Off on Supreme Court Replacement

BOSTON – A fight is already brewing over the replacement for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, who announced his retirement this week…

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is hearing this week from his counterparts in more than 20 states. (Wikimedia Commons)

Mass. AG to Sessions: Stop Draconian Border Policy

BOSTON – A coalition of state attorneys general, including Maura Healy in Massachusetts, sent a letter on Tuesday to U.S. Attorney General Jeff …

The Boston Poor People's Campaign held a rally at the Massachusetts State House in Boston on Monday, calling for a $15 minimum wage, paid family and medical leave, and a

Poor People's Campaign Has Champion in Warren

BOSTON – Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., held a hearing at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday afternoon that focused on issues raised by the Poor …

The cake shop owner argued he should not be forced to create a cake for a wedding that violates his religious beliefs. (twinklelacsamana/Pixabay)

Advocates Fear More Discrimination After Supreme Court Ruling

BOSTON – Civil rights advocates fear the Supreme Court's ruling in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case will encourage more attempted discrimination ag…

In 2016, women working full-time earned an average of $41,557, compared with $51,640 for men. (Pixabay)

Equal Pay Day Shows Pay Gap Persists

BOSTON – Today is Equal Pay Day, marking the 99 extra days women have to work this year to equal the pay men were paid last year. Data from …

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MA: Human Rights/Racial Justice