Greetings friends,

There is nowhere I'd rather be on July 4 than the Center for New Americans’ annual naturalization ceremony on the Courthouse lawn in Northampton, where this year cheers rang out for 53 new Americans from 27 nations as they took their oaths of citizenship, making our region and nation stronger.

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Together we rally, march, sing, and chant — across our district and at the State House — in opposition to draconian budget cuts and policies and in support of a Commonwealth and nation where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

This letter to you is packed with news. Some of it heartening. Some of it really hard. Some of it tragic. Through it all — and thanks to repeated deep breaths — we’re keeping hope alive.

But we know that hope doesn’t protect us from ICE or put food on the table, or buy prescription medication or pay the rent — so we’ll keep pressing, pressing, pressing.

Make it to the end for uplifting pictures and stories and to wish the Dalai Lama a joyous 90th birthday.

Let’s get into it.

TL;DR (that's a "too long; didn't read" digest)

• Answering your urgent questions on state protections
• A $60.9 billion Fiscal Year 2026 budget is now law
• Western and north central Massachusetts getting their Fair Share (of surplus revenue)
• Supplementing fiscal year 2025 spending
• Making government work: Rules, rules, rules 
• Can’t miss opportunity for the environment and climate resilience
• Calling attention to the crisis in rural schools 
• Fighting for reproductive and gender affirming care 
• Committee hearings on legislation
• Celebrating a Commonwealth Heroine Pat Larson 
• A Cup o’ Jo with Senate President Karen Spilka
• Seeing work through to completion
• Timely and important ways to engage
• My team and I were out and about

Answering your urgent questions on state protections

We’ve received over 500 emails and upwards of 75 calls from constituents asking about actions Massachusetts is taking in response to federal decisions, which is understandable given the stakes of this moment.

In the face of a federal government whose values and actions increasingly do not align with the needs of Massachusetts residents, the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy was charged by Senate President Karen Spilka to respond to the federal administration’s Project 2025 agenda. The Senate President characterized Steering and Policy’s “Response 2025” efforts as:

• Assessing federal actions to determine their real-world impact on Massachusetts;
• Identifying policy solutions to mitigate potential harm and safeguard residents; and
• Prioritizing state responses based on need, feasibility, urgency, and effectiveness.

As Vice Chair of Steering and Policy, I am happy to be working on a range of policies that uphold the rights of Massachusetts residents.

You have asked if I support:

A strengthened health care shield law to protect patients and providers in the Commonwealth and those who travel to the Commonwealth for reproductive and gender affirming care.

YES! Please read on for news of Senate passage.

Bills protecting personal and sensitive data and banning the sale of such data.

YES! I am publicly in support of key legislation.

Legislation to better protect immigrants — both students in school settings and adults in our communities.

YES! I am supportive of key legislation including bills that would prohibit what are known as 287(g) agreements between the federal government (ICE) and municipalities.

Proposals to prohibit the banning of books in Massachusetts public schools and libraries.

YES! I am publicly in support of key legislation.

A new bill to require federal law enforcement officers (ICE agents) to identify themselves (some are wearing face coverings).

YES! Senate colleagues and I are researching this issue.

A $60.9 billion fiscal year 2026 budget is now law

On the last day in June, the Massachusetts Legislature passed the final version of the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) budget proposal and sent it to Governor Maura Healey for her consideration and signature. The Legislature’s final budget reduced spending from earlier versions by $800 million as we braced for the impact of the federal Big Brutal Bill that was making its way through Congress. (And eventually passed.)

The Governor signed the FY26 budget into law on July 4. She vetoed an additional $130 million and indicated that she was delaying the release of all local earmark spending, before adding her signature. (The Governor also filed a supplemental budget to give her Administration necessary funding to respond to this moment.)

These state cuts are painful, as are the waves of federal slashes and upheaval.

It is too soon to understand whether there will be additional state belt-tightening. It’s also too soon to fully understand the impact that the federal Big Brutal Bill will have on Commonwealth residents in the short and longer term. 

But I can promise that my team and I are deep in meetings with colleagues and advocates to help chart the path forward — focused on the revenue we need and the well-being of constituents and the communities in our district. 

And, I can promise that there are many transformative policies and crucial spending in the FY26 package that we will maximize on your behalf (and tell you about all along the way).

Fair Share for western and north central Massachusetts

On June 24, Governor Healey signed a supplemental budget which appropriated $1.39 billion in surplus Fair Share amendment revenue for education and transportation. 

This is particularly timely given that the federal administration just paused $6 billion in federal funding for education — leaving Massachusetts schools with a crushing $108 million potential liability.

There was a strong push to focus almost all transportation spending on the MBTA, but western and north central Massachusetts colleagues and I pushed back. More here.

Supplementing fiscal year 2025 spending

I’ve described the FY26 budget and the Fair Share surplus budget. On June 18, the Senate passed a third spending bill — this one focused on supplementing fiscal year 2025 spending where there were deficiencies. 

Much of this spending went to fiscally strained hospitals and community health centers, while the rest reimbursed childcare providers or home care agencies for money they had already spent. With the impending federal big brutal cuts to healthcare and hospitals, this funding won’t solve everything, but I will remain focused on ensuring community health centers and hospitals have the resources they need.

The House and Senate passed different versions of this FY25 supplemental budget, and so a conference committee will need to be appointed to reconcile the differences between the two versions before a final version can be sent to the Governor. 

Making government work: Rules, rules, rules

I have long shared a desire with constituents to see a more transparent, accountable, and productive state legislature. For years, we have advocated together to make committee votes public, provide more advance notice before hearings or votes, and avoid end-of-session legislative logjams.

Each legislative session, the Senate must adopt Senate Rules, which govern the operation of the Senate, and the Senate also makes a proposal for Joint Rules, which govern the interactions between the House and the Senate.

This session, the Senate again made a progressive proposal for the Joint Rules, and I wrote to you back in February summarizing the Senate’s proposals. 

On June 26, the House and Senate agreed to Joint Rules that make significant strides towards a more transparent, productive, and accountable legislature. 

Much more information about the Joint Rules that now govern the Legislature here.

Building environmental resilience in our communities and beyond

On June 24, Governor Healey filed An Act to build resilience for Massachusetts communities, or the Mass Ready Act, an environmental bond bill that will invest in the state’s natural and working lands, waterways and watersheds, and in our communities to make them ready for and resilient against the impacts of climate change.

This is a can’t miss opportunity for our region. Between Connecticut River flooding, inadequate payments in lieu of taxes for state-owned land, farms and farmers grappling with high costs and climate change, the inequities faced by Quabbin watershed communities, PFAS contamination, and hundreds of culverts and dams needing repair — environmental protection and climate resilience are critical for our district.

My team and I were more than ready for the Mass Ready Act to be filed. Read here for more on our advocacy and a summary of the Governor’s proposal. Here is our testimony.

This legislation will have a hearing before the Joint Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources on July 15. More information on how to sign up to testify is here. (We need to pack the hearing (in person and remotely) with western and north central Mass voices!)

Calling attention to the crisis in rural schools

On June 26, I joined with Representative Natalie Blais to host a briefing and discussion on a bill we filed, An Act to provide a sustainable future for rural schools (S.314/H.517). 

Rural school districts in Massachusetts face unique and long-standing fiscal challenges. The 2019 Student Opportunity Act established the Commission on the Long-term Fiscal Health of Rural School Districts, to identify solutions to these challenges, and our omnibus bill incorporates the commission’s 36 recommendations, to ensure that students in every corner of the Commonwealth receive the resources and opportunity they deserve. 

Listen to a recording of the briefing here. 

John Micek at MassLive summarized the briefing well in his article Massachusetts’ rural school districts are in a ‘death spiral.’ They have a plan to stop it. 

Fighting for reproductive and gender affirming care

On June 26, I joined my colleagues in the Senate to pass An Act strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth — otherwise known as the Shield Act 2.0 — legislation that would fortify protections for those seeking and providing reproductive and transgender care.

Boosting protections that were first passed by the Legislature in 2022 as part of a Shield Act, the legislation prohibits Massachusetts agencies and law enforcement from cooperating with other states or federal investigations into legally-protected reproductive or transgender health care provided in Massachusetts. Shield Act 2.0 also forbids insurance companies from discriminating against or penalizing providers who offer reproductive or transgender health care in Massachusetts, as well as other important protections.

More on the legislation that passed the Senate here. 

Committee hearings on legislation

Public hearings on bills that have been filed this session are well underway, and will continue throughout the summer and fall. 

If you would like to be notified about opportunities to testify on legislation, sign up to be added to an email list corresponding with your priority issue area(s). 

Here are just a few highlights.

Pausing new construction of prisons and jails

On May 7, the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight heard a bill I filed in partnership with Representative Chynah Tyler (S.2114/H.3422) – An Act establishing a jail and prison construction moratorium.

The Committee listened to nearly three hours of supportive testimony, which included individuals currently incarcerated at both MCI-Framingham and MCI-Shirley, here and here. The purpose of this bill is to allow for a pause on construction so that diverse stakeholders and necessary community-based investments in alternatives to incarceration, jail diversion, and after incarceration support can be considered.

(You may remember that our team also facilitated testimony last session from individuals who were incarcerated. That was the first time that individuals who were currently incarcerated testified live before the Legislature in its history. It’s imperative that those most affected by any decision be centered and heard.)

On June 30, the Administration released a capital investment plan. This Boston Globe story captures some important concerns.

The Governor’s bill to address energy affordability

On May 13, Governor Healey filed H.4144 – An Act relative to energy affordability, independence and innovation. 

I share the Governor’s interest on lowering energy bills for constituents and there’s a lot to appreciate in this sweeping proposal. I do, however, have some concerns. Read my testimony here.

Banning the use of Native mascots 

On June 17, the Joint Committee on Education heard a bill I filed in partnership with Representative Brandy Fluker-Reid, S.312/H.575 – An Act prohibiting the use of Native American mascots by public schools in the Commonwealth. 

Indigenous leaders in the Commonwealth are calling for an end to public school mascots that make caricatures of Native American words, symbols, and cultures. 

Decades of social science research has shown that these one-dimensional Native American mascots have damaging psychological and social consequences for Native American and non-Native students alike. 

The bill bans athletic team names, logos, and mascots that refer to Indigenous peoples or cultures and creates a process for phasing out any remaining Native American mascots. 

Read my testimony here. You can watch/listen to a recording of my testimony and the truly compelling testimony of Brittney Walley, representative for both the Chaubunagungamaug Nipmuc Band and the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Band, and Western Massachusetts Commissioner on Indian Affairs Rhonda Anderson here.

Margie Cullen at the Telegram & Gazette summarized the hearing well in Will Massachusetts ban Native American mascots in schools? Legislators make another push. 

Blue envelopes 

On June 24, the Joint Committee on Transportation heard a bill I filed in partnership with Representatives Mindy Domb and Sean Garballey, S.2348/H.3655 – An Act facilitating better interactions between police officers and persons with autism spectrum disorder. 

For drivers with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), being stopped by a police officer can be particularly challenging. Law enforcement officers or other first responders may have had little or no training in best practices for communicating with people with ASD. 

The bill creates a voluntary program to make available special “blue envelopes” that hold the driver’s license, registration, and insurance cards, as well as specific instructions for the officer on the driver’s diagnosis and possible impairments or triggers. The envelope also includes space for the driver to provide emergency contact information. 

I first filed this bill in 2021. In 2023, the Massachusetts State Police implemented the Blue Envelope Program. This bill enshrines this program in law. The Senate passed this bill last session and I’m hoping it becomes law this session.

Read my testimony here. The bill has already been reported favorably from the Transportation Committee and is now in the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. 

Student mental health 

Also on June 24, the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery heard a bill I filed in partnership with Representatives Jack Patrick Lewis and Natalie Higgins, S.1384/H.2221 – An Act relative to student mental health. 

The state’s most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that, in 2021, an alarming 18.4 percent of students seriously considered suicide, with 14 percent making a plan and 7.6 percent attempting suicide. Further, only 11.3 percent of students asked for help from a doctor, counselor, or crisis hotline before their suicide attempt. 

The bill directs that newly printed school ID cards for public school students in grades 6-12 and students in public colleges and universities include the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. 

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline directs all callers to trained call takers who are available to provide free, confidential emotional support for those in crisis.

On June 6, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a budget proposal that would eliminate funding for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline’s specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth. It is outrageous that the federal government is proposing cuts to these vital services for young people. Massachusetts must lean into making mental health services universally available to students. 

This bill also passed the Senate last session and I’m hoping that it too becomes law before the current session concludes. 

Read my testimony here. 

Supporting youth in foster care 

On July 8, the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities heard two bills I filed with great house colleagues. 

The first bill I filed alongside Representative Michael Finn, S.107/H.235 — An Act establishing a bill of rights for children in foster care. 

Every child in foster care should have the rights inherently belonging to all children. In addition, because of their temporary or permanent separation from birth parents and other family members, children in foster care require special safeguards and resources. 

This bill codifies the rights of children in foster care in state law and requires that foster children and their caregivers are provided with a simplified, centralized resource outlining their rights.

Read my joint testimony with Rep. Finn here. 

The second bill I filed in partnership with Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier, S.106/H.228 — An Act transferring foster care review responsibilities to the Office of the Child Advocate. 

In 2023, there were 7,853 children in placements outside their homes and in state custody due to complex issues facing their birth families. 

Foster care reviews are required every six months to provide oversight and make sure that each child’s service plan is appropriate. Currently, these reviews are performed by the state Department of Children and Families, which also manages the foster care system, creating an inherent conflict of interest. 

This bill transfers responsibility for foster care review to the Office of the Child Advocate, an independent state agency with oversight and ombudsperson responsibilities, to address chronic, systemic oversight issues within the foster care system. 

Read my joint testimony with Rep. Farley-Bouvier here.  

Watch my testimony on both bills here. 

Celebrating Commonwealth Heroine Pat Larson

On June 26, I was delighted to welcome Pat Larson to the State House to receive a Commonwealth Heroine Award from the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. 

My team and I nominated Pat to recognize her decades of work and leadership, especially in the North Quabbin.

Pat worked as a high school teacher and spent many years working with adult students as the director of The Literacy Project’s Orange site. In 2010, she began volunteering with what is now Quabbin Harvest, a community-owned grocery store. Quabbin Harvest became a Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) vendor in 2017 and by 2018, Pat was coordinating HIP applications. She served on the Quabbin Harvest Board from 2017-2023. 

Today, Pat continues to work closely with Quabbin Harvest and leads advocacy work on food access projects and on HIP funding. She assists with HIP processing at the Orange Farmers’ Market, and serves community meals. Pat is also a founding member and president of Quabbin Food Connector, Inc., a non-profit that leads and funds food access projects. 

Pat’s work led my team and me to advocate for a successful $100,000 earmark in the FY26 budget to support the Connector’s work (which is now on hold until September) and a successful $50,000 earmark to support the community food pantry in the Athol Royalston High School.

Congratulations and thank you Pat!

A Cup o' Jo with Senate President Karen Spilka

Senate President Karen Spilka headlined the fifth episode of Cup o’ Jo. 

We spoke about transparency efforts in the Senate, agriculture and food security concerns across the Commonwealth, the work to equitably serve 351 cities and towns, the urgent need to examine K-12 school funding, the impact of the federal government on our work, and more. 

Check out that latest episode here. 

Seeing work through to completion

You’ve heard me say this before: It’s not enough to pass a bill, we have to see it through to implementation. That’s why we wanted to make sure to let you know of some exciting advances on legislation I filed and passed into law.

Solar over parking lots — Last session, Rep. Blais and I passed legislation to set up a working group on solar canopies, to prioritize solar over parking lots and solar on built and disturbed land over ground-mounted solar. Check out the Solar Canopy Working Group’s progress here.

Modernizing the electric grid — In order to prioritize both energy affordability and a green energy transition, Rep. Blais and I filed and passed into law legislation to establish a Grid Modernization Advisory Council, which released this great explanation of its work to modernize the state’s electric grid.

National and state work on disaster preparedness — On June 13, I participated in a webinar hosted by the Council of State Government (CSG) where I reflected on the lessons we learned in Massachusetts in the wake of the historic floods in July 2023. This webinar focused on fiscal strategies to plan for the rising costs of natural disasters, enable timely responses, and help mitigate federal FEMA cuts. Watch the full webinar here (I begin speaking at 35:00 and discuss the disaster relief fund legislation that Rep. Blais and I passed last session, as well as our ongoing work to secure a sustaining revenue source.) 

Digging into embodied carbon — Last session, I partnered with Representatives Michelle Ciccolo and Steve Owens and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Massachusetts to pass legislation to consider the CO2 emissions embodied in all building materials. This is an exciting and rapidly emerging field, and Massachusetts is leaning in with a coordinating council to help develop and implement this work. More here.

For blind and low-vision nature lovers, birding is 'by ear' — This article from Meghan Smith at GBH News highlights the importance of a bill I filed with Rep. Ciccolo to make trails accessible for all (An Act expanding access to trails for people with all abilities) and the ongoing work of the Trails for All Working Group. 

Making schools green AND healthy — An early bill I passed in partnership with Rep. Domb and AIA Massachusetts convened a multi-agency working group charged with an enormous lift: Study and articulate the ways in which Massachusetts school buildings can be sustainable, green, and healthy environments for students’ learning and teachers’ and staff members’ work. The comprehensive report, titled Methods, Best Practices, and Standards for Achieving Green and Healthy Schools in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is well worth the wait. I look forward to maximizing its results in the years to come. Read it here.

Ways to engage

New opportunities to engage and take action on the issues that matter most. 

• Office hours in July — Director of Constituent Services Jessie Cooley will be hosting remote office hours via Zoom on Wednesday, July 23 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Sign up here. Thanks to Jessie for leading.

• Next steps in the hydro relicensing of FirstLight Power — The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has prepared a draft environmental impact statement based on the applications for relicensing submitted by FirstLight for the Turners Falls Dam and Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage facility. On Wednesday, July 16, FERC will be holding two public comment sessions at Greenfield Community College from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. and from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. where members of the public will be able to share oral comments with FERC staff. Members of the public can also submit written comments before 5 p.m. on July 29, 2025. More information about the public comment sessions and how to submit written comments here. 

• Making SMART smarter — Draft regulations for version 3.0 of the SMART program, the state’s solar incentive program, are out. This is pretty dense stuff, read a summary here. At our team’s request, an in-person comment session will be held on July 25 at Greenfield Community College. Here’s how to sign up.

Out and about

As always, we’re only able to share a few highlights from the past month of our team out and about, across the district and the State House. As you scroll through, please know that I also attended a youth policy summit hosted by the SPIFFY and Communities That Care Coalitions, the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting, a gathering of Village Neighbors in Shutesbury, a Habitat for Humanity celebration welcoming a family to their new home, a farm visit with Greenfield’s Just Roots staff and board, a meeting with the Cannabis Control Commission, and regional public health leaders on forthcoming social consumption regulations, and much more. 

On June 10, I was proud to receive recognition from the Bay State Birth Coalition and the Mind the Gap Coalition for the work my team and I did on the maternal health omnibus legislation that was signed into law last session. I share this award with great legislative colleagues, advocates, and providers, all focused on achieving maternal health equity. I am in this work for the long haul with all of them. 

On June 20, District Director Elena Cohen attended the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Breakfast where discussion ranged from issues of housing, agriculture, education, transportation, and tourism.

(Picture credits: Paul Franz, Greenfield Recorder) 

Later that day, Jessie attended the 41st Annual Meeting of the North Quabbin Community Coalition (NQCC). Congratulations to all of this year's award winners who are serving their community in remarkable ways! Thanks to Heather Bialecki-Canning, pictured here, for her stellar leadership of this community-wide alliance, and to all the NQCC staff and coalition members making a positive impact every day in the North Quabbin region.

On June 21, Chief of Staff Jared Freedman attended the ribbon cutting for the North Leverett Sawmill Heritage Park and Nature Trails. Congratulations to the Town of Leverett and thanks to the Leverett Community Preservation Committee, Greenfield Cooperative Bank, and all of the volunteers who worked on this project.

On June 22, I joined Representative Aaron Saunders at the Village Neighbors' annual meeting. In 2024 Village Neighbors volunteers completed 379 services for neighbors in Leverett, New Salem, Shutesbury, and Wendell. That translates into hundreds of volunteers working thousands of hours annually, tackling everything from technology to home repair to transportation. I am delighted that my team and I secured $10,000 for each of the 11 villages in the region with cheers to LifePath for distributing the funds, which made getting them possible. (We will press for the release of these earmarks, along with the other earmarks we secured.)

On June 24, Jessie visited with the dedicated staff of Clinical and Support Options/Friends of the Homeless programs in Northampton, including the medical respite shelter and a newly-renovated emergency shelter that includes accommodations for residents' pets. Pictured here are the Shelter Program Director, Omar Gonzalez; Medical Respite Manager/Harm Reduction Coordinator, Mark Jachym; Day Center & Recovery Programs Manager Allex Dawn; Shelter Supervisor Alonzo Pompare; and Regional Director of Programs and Homeless Services, Keleigh BenEzra.

Thanks to the UMass Donahue Institute's Civic Initiative for bringing a group of visiting scholars to the State House for a meeting with Jared on June 27. Jared talked with visiting scholars from Laos, Kenya, Ukraine, Nigeria, Guyana, and other countries about the problems their governments are grappling with and how Massachusetts is tackling similar issues. This great program, funded by the State Department, enables leaders from around the world to come to the U.S., learn about our democracy, and bring what they've learned back to their home countries.

On July 3, I participated in the kick-off plenary for the 33rd Annual International Association for Feminist Economics (IAFFE) Conference at UMass Amherst. The panel, “Solidarity in real time: Where do we go now?,” focused on what’s happening nationally and internationally, during the first half of 2025, as a result of the new administration in Washington, D.C. The panel focused on emerging resistance in the courts, legislatures, and executive branches of state governments. I was honored to join an esteemed group (introduced by Dr. Lee Badgett and facilitated by Dr. Lynda Pickbourn) and offer my thoughts on what Massachusetts is doing to protect residents from the worst impacts of the current federal administration’s policies.

On July 10, in the State House, my team and I co-hosted A Year of Compassion: A Massachusetts Tribute to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, in partnership with The Regional Tibetan Association of Massachusetts, the Tibetan Association of Boston, Representatives Mindy Domb and Lindsay Sabadosa, and Congressman Jim McGovern.

We were joined by 28 Senators and 90 House members who signed a formal resolution offered by myself and Rep. Sabadosa honoring the Dalai Lama's life and legacy.



As we celebrated his 90th birthday, we recommitted ourselves to centering justice, peace, and compassion in all we do.

With compassion in mind, we’ll (almost) stop here.

I recognize that even amid the wonder of the Dalai Lama and some Commonwealth progress, this is a sad and heavy time. It’s impossible for me to catalogue all that’s on my mind (and can you imagine how much longer that would make this letter to you!), but please let me close by honoring the memories of Minnesota Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, as well as their dog Gilbert, and raising up State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette who are recovering from an attempted assassination. 

My thoughts are with the families of Melissa, Mark, John, and Yvette, as well as our colleagues in the Minnesota state legislature, as they grapple with the aftermath of this politically-motivated tragedy. 

The work continues in their honor and in honor of countless others leading the way. We're in this together with you. 

And send our love. 

Jo, Rachel, Jared, Katelyn, Elena, and Jessie

P.S. I promised you hopeful, powerful images of people who remember that they hold the power in our democracy. Here are just a few:

On June 11, we raised the rainbow Gay Pride flag over the State House in a joyous celebration headlined by Governor Healey.

On June 14, we chanted “No More Kings,” across our region and the nation. I was in Northampton thanks to inspired young organizers Alice Jenkins, Joey Pisani, and Marisol Pierce Bonifaz. (Thanks to Diane Curtis for the picture.)

On June 18, I joined colleagues from the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus on the State House steps to celebrate Juneteenth — marking the day when news of emancipation finally reached enslaved people living in Texas. Juneteenth is a moment to recommit to the enduring and critical work of racial justice and equity and the yet unfulfilled promise of true justice and freedom for all. Thank you to Mpress Bennu (Greenfield) and Anika Lopes (Amherst) for organizing in the district. (Thanks to the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus for the picture.)

June 26 was the 10th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationally. But of course, Northampton’s Gina and Heidi Nortonsmith led the way in Massachusetts in 2004, showing 'em how it's done. And we're not going back. (Photo: Jarod Lew, NYT)

On June 28, Reps. Natalie Blais and Susannah Whipps and I joined a Franklin County rally in support of immigrant rights before heading to the League of Women Voters Franklin County’s annual gathering with state elected officials. (Thanks to Rep. Whipps for the photo.)

On July 4 in Northampton, Federal Magistrate Judge Katherine Robertson offered passionate and pointed remarks to 53 new citizens, narrowing in on the 14th Amendment's guarantee of protections for citizens — both naturalized and born in the U.S. (Thanks to Center for New Americans for the photo.)

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