LETTER TO ALL CANDIDATES
June 14, 2021
Dear Candidate:
Last Monday, Alex Oliver-Dávila resigned as the Chair of the Boston Public School Committee after private text messages between her and Dr. Lorna Rivera were leaked to the press. Alex and Lorna are facing personal attacks, threats and ongoing defamation. We believe that this leak was an attempt by status quo supporters to diminish the important work Alex and Lorna have done on the School Committee — and in particular their fight to ensure equitable access and opportunities for Black and Latino students, as well as English Language Learners. This course of events also underscores the painful historical context of racism in our City.
For more than twenty-years, Alex has worked tirelessly to ensure that Boston's Latinx and BIPOC young people are receiving the same educational opportunities as their peers in Boston Public Schools. Her impact includes: organizing youth to advocate for citywide bans on single use plastic bags and tobacco advertisements in neighborhood groceries and organizing relief for hundreds of families after Hurricane Maria. And, as School Committee Chair, she ensured the adoption of MassCore standards; changes in attendance, promotion and grading policies that aid in student retention; and the provision of the interpretation of School Committee meetings into nine major languages including ASL — the only City department to do so.
As the Director of the Mauricio Gastón Institute and an Associate Professor of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at UMASS Boston, Lorna's calling as an educator and advocate goes beyond university classrooms and into the community. As an award-winning writer of books, articles, research, and publications, she has consistently brought issues of literacy, poverty, and inequity to the forefront. Her commitment to supporting educational access for Latinx young people has been the foundation of her volunteer activities, including her service in the School Committee.
While Alex and Lorna are receiving widespread support from the at-large community for their courage in the work that they have done at the School Committee, we are extremely concerned that their departure has resulted in a huge void of Latino voice and representation in the School Committee, especially at a time when stakes are so high around the vote on the permanent changes to the exam schools admission policy. We also are alarmed about the leak of these texts to the media and see it as a breach of trust and communication protocols by someone within City government. Finally, we are worried about the environment of harassment that permeates the School Committee deliberations.
Given that 20% of Boston residents, and 42% of Boston Public Schools students are Latino, we are writing to request a meeting with you and members of the Latino community in the next week to address the following concerns:
• Latino representation in Cabinet positions, Boards and Commissions in city government under your administration
• Latino equity in Boston Public Schools and School Committee
• Economic opportunities for the Latino community

We, the undersigned, want you to acknowledge the racial context underlying this course of events, which attempt to perpetuate the system inequities that have long plagued Boston Public Schools. We ask for a meeting with you to hear about your proposals to address our concerns. We will reach out to your office to schedule said meeting.
Sincerely,
Abdi Mohamed Warsame Dirie, East Boston Anti-Racism Coalition • Adrian Velazquez, Esq., Mass Dems • Aixa Beauchamp, Latino Equity Fund • Betty Francisco, Amplify Latinx • Dr. Carmen Veloria, Suffolk University • Celina Miranda, Hyde Square Task Force • Cynthia K. Orellana, PEAS Latinx Steering Committee • Daniel Enriquéz Vidaña, Innovation Studio • Divina E. Nieves Masso, Hyde Park/Chief Operating Officer - Home Care Agency • Eneida Roman, Amplify Latinx • Evelyn Barahona, Amplify Latinx • Grace R. Moreno, Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce • Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal
James Jennings • JC Morales, Surfside Capital Advisors • José C. Massó, Hyde Park/JCMIII Consulting LLC • Josiane Martinez, Archipelago Strategies Group, (Asg) • Juan Fernando Lopera, Latino Equity Fund, The Boston Foundation • Karen Chacon, Latino STEM Alliance and Greater Boston Latino Network • Kevin Whalen, Center to support immigrant organizing • Marisol Amaya, La Alianza Hispana • Marta Rivera, Sociedad Latina Board President 3 • Marta T. Rosa, PEAS Latinx Steering Committee • Mary Jo Marion, PEAS Latinx Steering Committee • Miren Uriarte, Professor Emeritus, UMass Boston • Phyllis Barajas, Conexión Inc. • Priscilla Rojas, Boston Planning and Development Agency • Rita Lara, Maverick Landing Community Services (MLCS) • Vanessa Calderón-Rosado, IBA-Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción • Veronica Robles, Veronica Robles Cultural Center - VROCC
Zamawa Arenas, Flowetik *Signatories as of June 14, 2021




LETTER TO ACTING MAYOR KIM JANEY

June 14, 2021
Dear Acting Mayor Kim Janey:

Last Monday, Alex Oliver-Dávila resigned as the Chair of the Boston Public School Committee after private text messages between her and Dr. Lorna Rivera were leaked to the press. Alex and Lorna are facing personal attacks, threats and ongoing defamation. We believe that this leak was an attempt by status quo supporters to diminish the important work Alex and Lorna have done on the School Committee — and in particular their fight to ensure equitable access and opportunities for Black and Latino students, as well as English Language Learners. This course of events also underscores the painful historical context of racism in our City.
For more than twenty-years, Alex has worked tirelessly to ensure that Boston's Latino and BIPOC young people are receiving the same educational opportunities as their peers in Boston Public Schools. Her impact includes: organizing youth to advocate for citywide bans on single use plastic bags and tobacco advertisements in neighborhood groceries and organizing relief for hundreds of families after Hurricane Maria. And, as School Committee Chair, she ensured the adoption of MassCore standards; changes in attendance, promotion and grading policies that aid in student retention; and the provision of the interpretation of School Committee meetings into nine major languages including ASL — the only City department to do so.
As the Director of the Mauricio Gastón Institute and an Associate Professor of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at UMASS Boston, Lorna's calling as an educator and advocate goes beyond university classrooms and into the community. As an award-winning writer of books, articles, research, and publications, she has consistently brought issues of literacy, poverty, and inequity to the forefront. Her commitment to supporting educational access for Latino young people has been the foundation of her volunteer activities, including her service in the School Committee.
While Alex and Lorna are receiving widespread support from the at-large community for their courage in the work that they have done at the School Committee, we are extremely concerned that their departure has resulted in a huge void of Latino voice and representation in the School Committee, especially at a time when stakes are so high around the vote on the permanent changes to the exam schools admission policy. We also are alarmed about the leak of these texts to the media and see it as a breach of trust and communication protocols by someone within City government. Finally, we are worried about the environment of harassment that permeates the School Committee deliberations.
Given that 20% of Boston residents, and 42% of Boston Public Schools student are Latino, and the concerns stated above, we are writing to ask that you do the following:
1. Appoint two equity-focused Latino leaders to the School Committee immediately, as we strongly believe that our voice and representation must be present before a vote on the exam schools admission policy can take place;
2. Conduct a full investigation and public report into how these text messages were leaked, as whoever within City government did this presents an on-going risk and must be identified and terminated. The investigation should make public any involvement of any and all organizations in the dissemination of said leaked messages; and
3. Adopt immediate governance measures that address racist behaviors and accountability procedures for the School Committee, as well as safety and security supports, so that School Committee members can work in an environment that is free from harassment.
We, the undersigned, appreciate that you have acknowledged the racial context underlying this course of events and your commitment to appoint Latinos to the School Committee. We ask for a meeting with you to hear about your plan to address our requests. We will reach out to your office to schedule said meeting.

Sincerely,
Abdi Mohamed Warsame Dirie, East Boston Anti-Racism Coalition • Adrian Velazquez, Esq., Mass Dems • Aixa Beauchamp, Latino Equity Fund • Betty Francisco, Amplify Latinx • Dr. Carmen Veloria, Suffolk University • Celina Miranda, Hyde Square Task Force • Cynthia K. Orellana, PEAS Latinx Steering Committee • Daniel Enriquéz Vidaña, Innovation Studio • Divina E. Nieves Masso, Hyde Park/Chief Operating Officer - Home Care Agency • Eneida Roman, Amplify Latinx • Evelyn Barahona, Amplify Latinx • Grace R. Moreno, Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce • Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal • James Jennings • JC Morales, Surfside Capital Advisors • José C. Massó, Hyde Park/JCMIII Consulting LLC • Josiane Martinez, Archipelago Strategies Group, (ASG) • Juan Fernando Lopera, Latino Equity Fund, The Boston Foundation • Karen Chacon, Latino STEM Alliance and Greater Boston Latino Network • Kevin Whalen, Center to support immigrant organizing • Marisol Amaya, La Alianza Hispana • Marta Rivera, Sociedad Latina Board President • Marta T. Rosa, PEAS Latinx Steering Committee • Mary Jo Marion, PEAS Latinx Steering Committee • Miren Uriarte, Professor Emeritus, UMass Boston • Phyllis Barajas, Conexión Inc. • Priscilla Rojas, Boston Planning and Development Agency • Rita Lara, Maverick Landing Community Services (MLCS) • Vanessa Calderón-Rosado, IBA-Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción • Veronica Robles, Veronica Robles Cultural Center - VROCC • Zamawa Arenas, Flowetik *Signatories as of June 14, 2021