Around Town

Volunteers Urging Watertown Residents to Change to 100% Green Electricity

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Volunteers Nicole Gardner, Deborah Peterson and Sunrise members Alex, Lana, Leyla talk about the effort to urge residents to opt for 100 percent renewable electricity. (Photo by Griegg Abadon)

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Environment and Energy Efficiency Committee:

Volunteers are hitting the streets of Watertown to urge residents and small businesses to opt up to 100 percent renewable electricity through the Town’s official Watertown Electricity Choice Program. On Sunday, June 20, 16 organizers and other volunteer distributors met at noon to enjoy frozen treats, share their experiences, take photos to share with the press, and choose a turf to cover if they had not already or were ready to do another, leaving just six turfs left for signup. The Town of Watertown and several local endorsing groups are taking advantage of the nice weather while promoting the most affordable way to reduce one’s carbon footprint: Opting Up to 100 percent Green in Watertown’s electricity program. The campaign seeks to reach all of Watertown’s 12,000 households and small businesses by signing up volunteers to hand deliver an info-filled door hanger to a Watertown neighborhood.

Letters

OP-ED: The Lavender Bamboo Ceiling — LGBT+ x AAPI Perspectives on the Workplace

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Jason Ng

By Jason Ng (he/him)Director of PRIDE, NAAAP Boston & Civil Engineer, Sasaki Associates

I’ll admit, it sounds weirdly specific to say I lead a group dedicated to LGBT+ Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) professionals. But on the heels of AAPI Heritage Month, in the thick of the growing #stopasianhate movement, and marching through Pride Month, this is our moment and we have a unique story to share. 

I write this piece to show you what I’ve gathered as common themes that affect LGBT+ AAPI individuals in the workplace. These stem from conversations with various folks I’ve met through my life and career, from personal experiences, and from my own NAAAP PRIDE team and community. However, I should clarify that this list cannot possibly encompass the vast diversity of LGBT+ AAPI experiences. I speak mostly from my perspective as a cisgender, gay, mixed Chinese- and Vietnamese-American man in the built environment industry, and it would be irresponsible to ignore the specific privileges and limitations of my worldview. 

Let’s dig into how these three aspects of identity overlap.

Arts

Watertown Cultural Council Welcomes Eight New Council Members

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Cultural Council:

Beginning in June 2021, the Watertown Cultural Council will add eight new members, doubling its present size. The new Council members will enrich the scope and capability of the WCC as it expands its programs and outreach in the greater Watertown community in 2021-22. Roberta Rosenberg, new Chair of the WCC, notes that: “The WCC is very fortunate to have the artistic, cultural and administrative abilities of this new group. We look forward to having a successful year. These new members will add to the already excellent work of our returning WCC officers who include: Gretchen Neeley, Secretary, and Sheri Kennedy, Treasurer, as well as Aramais Andonian, Elizabeth Kent, Emma Clement, and Stephanie Hackett.”

During 2021-22, the 15 members of the WCC will be evaluating and funding new grants projects funded by the Mass Cultural Council.

Entertainment

Mosesian Center Bringing Live Music, Comedy, and Earfull Series to Town This Summer

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Will Dailey will give his first live performance since 2019 at the Mosesian Center for the Arts Live at the Mansion. The following announcement was provided by the Mosesian Center for the Arts:

The Mosesian Center for the Arts is thrilled to bring live, in-person events back to the Arsenal on the Charles. Despite being shuttered since March 2020 and now closed for major lobby renovations, the arts organization will be presenting five fabulous evenings of entertainment on the grounds of the historic Commander’s Mansion on Wednesday evenings this summer. On June 23, seven-time Boston Music Award-winner Will Dailey will take the stage fresh off Boston’s Hot Stove Cool Music benefit as he gears up for Eddie Vedder’s Ohana Music Festival later this summer. This will be Will’s first live show back in front of an audience since 2019.

Arsenal Yards

Pure Barre Holding Soft Opening in Watertown, Free Classes for Limited Time

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The following information was provided by Arsenal Yards:

Arsenal Yards announced that Pure Barre, the largest barre concept in North America, is officially opening the doors to its new studio space located at 53 Bond Street on Monday, June 21. Pure Barre delivers an effective total body workout focused on its proprietary low-impact, high intensity movements that lift and tone muscles to improve strength, agility, and flexibility for every body. The new Pure Barre studio at Arsenal Yards will celebrate with a “soft opening” from June 21 – June 27. Members-only classes will be offered Monday, June 21, through Wednesday, June 23, followed by free classes open to the community from Thursday, June 24, through Sunday, June 27. As part of the soft opening celebration, the Arsenal Yards studio is offering an unlimited membership of classes for 20% off the first three months. Anyone from the community interested in learning more or looking to try Pure Barre with a free Foundations class can email arsenalyardsgm@purebarre.com.

Around Town

Group Collects Over 4,000 Pounds of Clothing at Watertown Recycling Event

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HelpsyPartnering with Helpsy, the northeast’s largest clothing collector, the Watertown Department Public Works collected over 4,000 pounds of textiles at a recent Recycling Event. The following announcement was provided by Helpsy:

The clothing drive, held as part of a Watertown Recycling Event on Saturday, June 12th, was a huge success! HELPSY, the northeast’s largest clothing collector, was on hand to help with the collection of textiles and welcomed a steady flow of cars that resulted in 4,393 pounds of textiles being diverted from the local landfill. For ongoing textile recycling, new collection bins have been placed at the Watertown Recycling Center at 76 Stanley Ave. Contracted by the town, HELPSY will service the bins on a regular basis.

Cartoon

Small Saves Gives Insight into the Life of a Goalie in This Week’s Cartoon

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James DeMarco grew up in Watertown and became a goaltender at age 5. It’s his life’s passion to stand between the pipes and keep the puck out of the net. Combining this with the love of cartooning Small Saves emerged in 1991 and took on a life of his own. “To play goal–then come home and draw Small Saves — is my ideal definition of a good day.”

Charity

More Than A Dozen Watertown Residents to Ride Pan-Mass Challenge

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Pan-Mass ChallengeOne of the 6,000 riders taking part in the 2021 Pan-Mass Challenge, which raises money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The following announcement was provided by the Pan-Mass Challenge:

On Aug. 7 and 8, more than 6,000 riders, including 13 participants from Watertown, will take part in the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC), a two-day 211-mile bike-a-thon across Massachusetts, with the goal of raising $52 million for cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Dana-Farber). The PMC is the nation’s single most successful athletic fundraiser, donating 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar to Dana-Farber as its largest single contributor, accounting for 64 percent of its Jimmy Fund’s annual revenue. For the first time since 2019, more than 6,000 riders from 47 states and 11 countries will once again hit the road together during the first weekend of August with the common goal of making an impact in the fight against cancer.