Over many years, as a participant in Witness Against Torture, wearing orange jump suits and hoods, the role phantasmagoric, embodying a presence of men in Guantanamo, we often practiced for ourselves, an exercise to recall our own privileged lives along with the years of detention without charge or trial, in Mansoor Adayfi's case, a Yemeni detainee known to Guantanamo guards as 441, wrongfully deemed one of the 'worst of the worst' and punitively held 14 years without charge or trial.  Hi Mansoor, Thanks for your work elevating in Poland and Germany, currently, [the Guantanamo  art exhibit ]. I'm writing with an observance that it is a special privilege to write you. We often, in years of Witness Against Torture (WAT) circle, would reflect on words and expressions of men in Guantanamo, and in recent years, appreciating your work from Serbia in solidarity with Gaza and speaking out plans to use the Guantanamo facility to house 30,000 migrants . I imagine you are busy c...

 Breezily, a few good prayer intentions: first a prayer for togetherness, centering. I believe there is a certain power of sympathy that shared breathing deeply in and out within the presence of others. I also know that touch is so often fleeting and that something very engrained, reactive, can be soothed, if lingering in an embrace. A hug that holds with trust may even tap a deep brain, soothing our keyed up alert systems, and in the calm with our inner electric pulse syncopating beta waves are transmitted. At least it's true that heartbeats can align with others metaphorically: What if we might all sync, in breath, ah, sweet, clapping hearts, beating wings! Trumpet blasts loud?  I won't add further expository introduction to each prayer, but there are so many wonderful ways to practice the art of expectation. One of them comes to us from ancient tradition. I once watched a wonderful film about an orthodox Jew who woke and immediately began his daily practices. He wrapped his...

Submitted by resident: "An incomplete construction across the street from 383 Broadway in Winter Hill has sat roofless and windowless for about two years, with no sign of reaching completion. Besides being an eyesore in a very visible spot in the city, it is also a potential issue for public safety, where structural damage caused by weather element and vagrants could very well cause additional issues for surrounding residences. What is your position on correcting this problem and preventing similar situations from occurring in the future? Should contractors be held responsible for tearing down incomplete constructions if they are not completed within a certain amount of time? Or should the taxpayers pay for the demolition? "Given the massive fire on Thurston Street last week, which occurred in an empty house under construction that might have been due to arson (still under investigation), public safety should be a real concern in unoccupied and incomplete construction sites i...

The City funded and operated a well-run Warming Center this past winter, but it was not permanent and was not used as a Cooling Center.   W ill you commit to creating and financing a permanent, year-round Center?   If so, what steps will you take first?  In Davis Square, I spoke with Health and Human Services outreach who told me the mobile showers unit is not servicing and the Somerville Homeless Coalition bathroom is no longer public.   I am sick at heart that these operational shortfalls go unnoticed. This questionnaire makes my heart happy. Sincerely, if interest I've shown to support unhoused through the Poor People's Campaign and the Somerville Human Rights Commission has limited impact or efficacy, this is why I am in the race for Councilor At-large. Since the 'Eviction' exhibit at the Armory where the warming center was and then Cummings School building site hosting winter warming center. I will research this proactively. While some w...

 Several questions began with a case in Ball Square where it took two years to open the coffee shop.     I received a gorgeous tote bag at the pre-opening of #Pound and spoke to the owner who described the investment of $150,000+ in opening the store.  The owner described commuting from Malden but opening in Ball Square despite the difficulty because "We believe in Somerville." Several years ago, as I joined the Human Rights Commission, we launched a project to recruit immigrant-owned businesses to send in a commercial for their store--an initiative that may have new life thanks to the quorum of 11-members now reached. With that in the back of my mind, and to answer this questionnaire, I spoke with an immigrant/woman-owned business owner, whose account follows. "Empecamos en Junio, abrir en Enero. Siete meses. Nos consequimos muy rapido porque fue Covid." The immigrant-owned cafe owner explained that during the Pandemic City Hall was closed. In their case, openi...

    August 15 7:30am--ICE Burlington HQ   2025 Progressive Mass Municipal Candidate Questionnaire       Name: Christopher Ryan Spicer Office Sought: Somerville City Councilor At-Large Website: www.ElectSpicer.com BlueSky: h ttps://bsky.app/profile/crspicer.bsky.social   (A) Your Candidacy   1.  What would be your top three priorities if elected to serve? I prioritize a human rights approach and direct access to city services for all residents but especially those most vulnerable persons, combating discrimination. I would advocate for not only affordable housing but improved affordability to age in place, and for young families, greater rent stabilization, approving expenditures for wrap-around supports for students facing food and housing insecurity. We need to keep talking about race, implement policy with our collective equity-lens, and enact affirmative value of black and brown neighbors facing displacement. I will move the agenda for l...