“It felt impossible! I had quit school and I really want to get my life back on track. I took HiSET prep classes with one of those online schools that advertise on the Orange line. It seemed easy, and cheap, but the charges for classes and taking the test were ridiculous. I wasn’t able to finish because I didn’t have the time or money. Not having my high school diploma has held me back from a lot for the past […]
When her daily pay rate finally increased after 17 years, Gema Schaff bought a new pair of shoes. The 75-year-old Spanish language court interpreter originally from Havana was able to upgrade her wardrobe with new flats for work. It was part of her goal to replace “some really worn out” warm weather shoes. “The [other shoes] look really old, and the first thing I thought was: I can get new shoes,’’ Schaff, who currently lives in Cambridge, said. The new shoes […]
“I’m a recovering substance abuser,” William told Sampan. “My friends know this, my family knows this. I am all too aware of the problems that come when an addict’s drug of choice, like tobacco and alcohol, is legal and easily available. I’m also aware of the regulations in place for sale and distribution and the resources available for treatment to prevent addiction.” He is 67 yrs old, and has owned a Cannabis Shop in Lowell for over 6 years. He […]
The latest signs of the end of the pandemic are upon us. The Biden administration plans to let coronavirus public health emergency provisions expire in May, and individual states are ending various COVID mandates as well. New York is dropping hospital mask mandates and vaccine mandates for city workers, while California has decided against enacting vaccine mandates for schoolchildren and is ending its own state of emergency on February 28. For most Americans, COVID is no longer a top concern. […]
If you receive a felony, it’s like a life sentence that hangs with you for the rest of your life, making re-employment difficult, if not impossible. This disparity is even greater for immigrants, who often face language barriers and discrimination in the job market, where the hurdles to finding work are even higher. Statistics show that criminal aliens – illegal immigrants who engage in other criminal acts – account for more than one in five federal prison inmates, even though […]
