(1/11) When I say..."The people closest to the pain, should be the closest to the power, driving & informing the policymaking..." THIS is what I mean. (A) When I wanted to break cycles of #poverty by strengthening pathways to #graduation, preventing #dropout #MA7

(2/11) for expectant & #parenting #teens, (still the #1 reason girls drop out, even with unplanned pregnancies on the decline) I invited them to the table to share their stories, struggles & to inform the #BPS policy we developed to better support them.

(3/11) (B) When I wanted to better understand why we were seeing an increase in #bicyclist & motor vehicle collisions, I contacted @bostonbikeunion I invited them to share their stories & struggles, 4 hrgs later, we had a crash data report & the 1st sideguard ord. in the country

(4/11) (C) When I wanted to better understand how to support #families impacted by #gunviolence after dozens of vigils, funerals & community mtgs w/grieving families, I went to @LDBpeaceInst & asked them

(5/11) this resulted in the 1st City Council hearing in history which was "listening-only" forcing lawmakers, providers & city agencies to listen to 300+ families about their #trauma from fatal & non-fatal shootings

(6/11) resulting in the creation of a bereavement room at Boston Medical Ctr, better coordination of services & a spotlight to support impacted families in their #trauma

(7/11) (D) When I wanted to better understand how to address the #disparities in walkable #amenities in the form of #neighborhood sit down #restaurants I invited aspiring restauranteurs & other stakeholders to the table

(8/11) & worked diligently with 2 Mayors, the Boston City Council & State Legislature to reform a 100 year old law making it easier for #restaurants to open in historically underserved communities & to be owned by #women, #immigrants & #POC, creating dozens of #restaurants #jobs

(9/11) (E) When I wanted to better understand how to strengthen the Boston Residents Job Policy (BRJP) to grow the number of women & POC in the trades, good union paying jobs, critical to closing the wealth & wage gap,

(10/11) I co-convened a working group for 2years, resulting in recommendations & an amendment to the BRJP which grew the # of #women in the #building #trades 3x what it had been, & 50% of those #women are women of color I could further elaborate, & I will

(11/11) but this is what I mean by, "THE PEOPLE CLOSEST TO THE PAIN SHOULD BE THE CLOSEST TO THE POWER, DRIVING & INFORMING THE POLICYMAKING". It's about #cooperative #governing & developing #solutions in #partnership with the people most impacted by an issue #MA7 #changecantwait