Dear Friends,

I write in the midst of turmoil, fear, hate, and violence engulfing all of us, while we seek to find a path to travel together towards a world that respects each of us, regardless of who we are. The time is dark, we must create the light. Here are some of the challenges, including events that shatter the peace of a community and bring sudden death to the innocent. These are just some of the reasons we need to act now.

Bending the Arc: Advancing Human Rights in the Commonwealth

The Massachusetts Human Rights Coalition (MAHRC) held their first annual meeting at the State House on Friday, October 12, "Bending the Arc: Advancing Human Rights in the Commonwealth."

Photo: Bending the Arc participants gather on grand staircase at State House

The lesson of the day can be stated simply,

No one is free unless we are all free.

In this new Ask the Oracle series, we pose a problem situation typical of life in multifamily public and subsidized housing and will present the best answers in the next newsletter. This time, the case of the unwanted tenants.

Free at Last

Pamela Goodwin has decided that living in a tent is preferable to seeking peaceful enjoyment in Upton public housing where she experienced bullying and hostile environment harassment.

Goodwin is an advocate for tenants' rights who has also been fighting for her own rights in the public housing in Upton, Mass.  She is a bright, energetic person whose knowledge of rules and regulations often exceeds that of the government officials and experts.