Editor

Community March: Justice for Malcolm Gracia

NOTE:Due to erroneous media reports it is necessary to clarify that the NAACP New Bedford Branch is not the organizer of this march. BREATHE, whose name appears on the flyer, organized the march and we re-posted it in solidarity with their efforts to obtain justice for the Gracia family. Save the date: NOON - Saturday, October 24th Magnet Park Basketball Court - United Front (Temple Landing)

Schools

Looking at the race problem in NBPS hiring, school by school

In 2017, the Standard-Times ran an article, "New Bedford school officials pleased with job fair turnout," which covered the School District's 4th Annual job fair at Keith Middle School and described the District's hiring process: "The setup reflects the hiring process. Dr. Pia Durkin, the superintendent, has the legal mandate to hire personnel. First, Durkin has principals screen applicants and interview them. The one a principal recommends will be sent to the Human Capital office to be vetted and interviewed [by Heather Emsley]. Then the nominee is sent to the superintendent for approval... As the job fair wound down, Deputy...

Join the effort to support Safe Communities

On Tuesday, October 20th and Wednesday the 22nd the Episcopal City Ministry will be hosting a phone bank to support the Safe Communities Act. You can find a list of the bill's supporters here. You can help by participating in and promoting ECM phone banking on October 20th and October 22nd. Also consider endorsing the Safe Communities Act. For details, go to the Massachusetts Legislature's website for the text of H.3573 (Balser & Miranda) and S.1401 (Eldridge). The Safe Communities Act restores community trust in public institutions by avoiding entanglement in immigration matters and protecting due process for all: No...

Community Zoom to discuss evidence in Malcolm Gracia shooting

Community Zoom to discuss evidence in Malcolm Gracia shooting Wednesday, October 7, 2020 @ 6:00pm The New Bedford community is invited to attend and ask questions. Attorney Don Brisson, who has represented the Gracia family, will be on hand to answer questions on behalf of Malcolm and his family. Mayor Jon Mitchell, Police Chief Joseph Cordeiro, DA Thomas Quinn, Assistant DA Patrick Bomberg, and retired Massachusetts state trooper Sgt. Christopher Dolan have also been invited to discuss their role in the 2012 investigation. Register for Q&A by emailing: MalcolmGraciaEvidence@gmail.com

Community SRO Conversation

Join us for a COMMUNITY School Resource Officer Conversation hosted by the New Bedford Public Schools Wednesday, October 14th 5:00pm - 6:30pm Join us virtually to share your personal experiences with School Resource Officers in New Bedford Public Schools. To join this event, please register with this link. Can't attend? We still want to hear from you! Click here to share your experiences. Download the flyer here.

I don’t have qualified immunity; Why should police?

By Jeanette Callahan, MD IN JULY, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed their version of a police reform bill that has languished in a conference committee ever since, reportedly because of a deadlock over the issue of qualified immunity. Qualified immunity is a legal doctrine that shields police officers from civil liability even when they violate someone’s constitutional rights—unless the violation was already “clearly established.” In other words, unless another officer has already been held liable for a nearly identical violation in the past, a victim of police misconduct who sues will likely have their case thrown out in civil...

Community Reading Circle and Book Discussion: Our Time is Now

Community Reading Circle and Book Discussion Tuesdays, October 6th, 2020 - November 10th, 2020 5:30 - 7:00 pm on Zoom facilitated by Andrea M. Garr-Barnes, MSW and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Facilitator Join us for a community collaborative with the NAACP New Bedford Branch and YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts. Register below for our next 6-week series: Stacey Abrams' Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America. We have an amazing panel discussion on 10/6 "What Is At Stake on November 3, for BIPOC and Modest Income Folx" — Gail Fortes, Executive Director - YWCA Southeastern Massachusetts,...

Police

The Malcolm Gracia Story: part 5 and wrap-up

An examination of the evidence: the shooting & wrap-up. Sunday, October 4th @ 2PM. Please register by visiting MalcolmGraciaEvidence@gmail.com. In case you missed Part 4, here is a summary: Introduction On May 17, 2012 15 year-old Malcolm Gracia was shot by New Bedford police. The circumstances of the killing are something that today would receive a more thorough investigation than the Gracia family got in 2012. Following a $500K settlement for the unconstitutional stop that triggered Gracia's murder, police and DA reports which exculpated the City and New Bedford Police, an effort to conceal information from the public, and finally...

Police

Final push for police accountability

We are forwarding a message from Ending Mass Incarceration Together. Sent: Monday, September 28, 2020 8:31 AM To: EMIT-Mass@googlegroups.com Subject: A phone call to your legislators is crucial for reforming police practices in Massachusetts Dear Participants in Ending Mass Incarceration Together, I urge you to call your State Representative, your State Senator, Speaker DeLeo, and Senate President Spilka regarding legislation for police reform which is now in conference committee. HOW TO PHONE YOUR LEGISLATORS: You can Google the name of your Representative or Senator or find their phone number here: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator State Senate Pres. Karen Spilka is at 617-722-1500....

New Bedford a No Show at meeting on Racial Equity and Police Reform

On Thursday, September 24th more than 130 residents of Fall River, New Bedford, and surrounding towns met to put forward proposals on police reforms for racial justice and more effective community policing. The theme of the meeting, organized by United Interfaith Action (UIA) and New Bedford NAACP, was from "Protest to Policy to Power" for our communities. Fall River Police Chief Jeffrey Cardoza made several commitments, and we thank him for his presence and community engagement. However, UIA and New Bedford NAACP were disappointed that New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell, Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan, and New Bedford Police Chief...