Accomplishments
Secured American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding
Advocated and Secured $1.45 million in funding to local non-profits in industries that were affected by COVID-19
- Accelerating our economic recovery by investing in workforce development programs:
- $350,000 for YouthBuild Boston
- $100,000 for Newmarket Business Association
- Ensuring an equitable response to the ongoing pandemic through operational grants in support of mental health, homelessness, and recovery organizations:
- $400,000 for The Phoneix: National Active Sober Community
- $200,000 for St. Mary’s Center for Women & Children
- $200,000 for NamaStay Sober
- $200,000 for The Gavin Foundation
Led a Home Rule Petition to Guarantee Voting Rights
My 1st Home Rule Petition passed unanimously this year! An act authorizing electronic application and transmission of absentee ballots to better guarantee voting rights for absent uniformed service votes and overseas citizens in municipal elections.
This legislation is a stepping stone to help modernize the voting process in municipal elections, and as the Chair of Veterans, Military Families, and Military Affairs, I am beyond excited and proud to send her petition to the State House!
Council Hearings
I filed and co-sponsored over 13 Council Hearings to discuss deficiencies within the City of Boston:
- To address the Lack of Athletic Opportunities for BPS Students
- To address the Youth Mental Health Crisis
- To discuss a Cradle-to-Career Tracking System in BPS
- To discuss the City's Strategy for the Monkeypox Breakout
- To discuss the Changes to the Memorandum Of Agreement that the Vaccine Mandate Created
- To discuss the Possibility of Allocating ARPA Funds for the Expansion of South Boston Community Health Center
- To ensure a Safe Environment for Students and Teachers in BPS
- To address the Humanitarian Crisis at the Intersection of Mass and Cass and Section 35
- To address the Cleanliness and Safety Conditions at Clifford Park
- To address the Facility Conditions of the BCYF's Pools to Ensure City Services to All Residents
- To address the Current Lifeguard Shortage Affecting the BCYF's Pools
- To address the BPS Transportation System
- To address the Public Health Declaration of 2020
First Annual Veterans Day Roundtable
As the Chair of Veterans on the City Council, I was honored to have hosted the first annual Veterans Day Roundtable at the City Council this year! We had meaningful conversations and heard firsthand what our veterans need from the city government.
Pushed for Name Change of Local Roxbury Park
The Justice Edward O. Gourdin Veterans Memorial Park, formerly Dudley Park, is a community-initiated project in Roxbury made to honor Brigadier General Edward O. Gourdin, African American veterans, and the Roxbury neighborhood.
I proposed a modification to have the City's Parks and Recreation Commission vote to change "Justice" to "General" and to add "African American" in the park's name so that the park will be known as the "General Edward O. Gourdin African American Veterans Memorial Park."
A modification would better reflect the park's goal to honor veterans of African descent, Gourdin's military legacy, and the culture in the Roxbury Community. The modification is personally pursued by the grandchildren, family, veterans, and friends of the park, who have worked tirelessly for the park's completion, achieving many significant milestones and participating in numerous community meetings and public hearings for over a decade.
Council Resolutions
I filed 8 Council Resolutions and over 500 Consent Agenda Resolutions to signal the City Council's support to a specific community or person in Boston:
- Supporting an African American Veterans’ U.S. Commemorative Stamp Series
- National African American Military Heritage Day
- National Community Health Center Week
- National Emergency Medical Services Week
- National Nurses Week
- National Purple Heart Day
- Recognizing Women Veterans During Women's History Month
- National Italian American Heritage Day
