Martin Ma (馬笑喻), Author at Sampan

Martin Ma (馬笑喻)

Education August 20, 2021 0

Colleges reopening – a sense of normalcy returns

In the coming weeks, colleges will be fully reopened for the first time since 2019. Students will either get the chance to reunite with their friends or finally get a taste of real college life. However, a recent wave of COVID-19 cases propelled by the Delta variant has caused the colleges to restructure some of their guidelines upon the arrival of thousands of students. At Tufts University, “All vaccines approved by another country or the World Health Organization (WHO) will […]

Boston June 25, 2021 0

MBTA announces newest addition to the “Better Bus Project”

On June 8, MBTA announced the Bus Network Redesign plan (BNR) under its “Better Bus Project” to improve the bus service system. The plan marks MBTA’s effort in providing better access to jobs, education, and essential services for the residents of transit-critical communities, such as Roxbury, Everett, Chelsea, Mattapan, and Lynn. As a part of MBTA’s $8-billion, 5-year systemwide capital investment program since 2018, it now claims to deliver a more equitable future of transportation by ameliorating many travel inconveniences […]

Features June 11, 2021 0

A conversation With Gloria Chun

Boston University graduate Gloria Chun, first second vice president for Advocacy and Program of the League of Women Voters Board, and founding editor of Sampan, recently joined a podcast on “The First Amendment” series produced by WGBH Educational Foundation. During the podcast, Chun answered a question and stated her opinions on the issue of breaking the silence of the Asian Americans. “One thing that most Asian communities tend to do is to kind of sweep under the rug some of […]

Features May 7, 2021 0

Biden’s push for renewable energy focuses on industry standards and job creation

(請點這裡閱讀中文版。) On April 22, president Biden announced a new initiative to aim to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and to install renewable energy sources. The announcement was made during the Leaders Summit on Climate, and it is part of president Biden’s plan to create millions of good-paying, union jobs, ensure economic competitiveness, advance environmental justice, and improve the health and security of communities across America. President Biden plans to invest $400 billion over ten years in funding for clean energy, cybersecurity […]

speak out against anti-Asian hate sign protest

Local institutions openly discuss increased visible anti-Asian hate in America

(請點這裡閱讀中文版。) The spa shootings in Atlanta are perhaps the most visible recent act of anti-Asian discrimination, but represent a larger disturbing trend. Research released by Stop AAPI Hate reveals that there were 3,800 anti-Asian racist incidents across the U.S. over the last year—a 2,500% increase from previous years. In Los Angeles, there has been a 114% increase in cases over the last year, while Boston has experienced a 133% increase in cases. In New York, there has been an astounding […]

Protest sign at rally to shut down Confucius Institute

Education April 16, 2021 0

Tuft University’s decision to shut down Confucius Institute led to contrasted opinions

(請點這裡閱讀中文版。) After years of campaigning by local activists, James Glaser, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Tufts University, and Diana Chigas, senior international officer and associate provost, announced the decision to close the Confucius Institute at Tufts University (CITU) on March 17, much to the delight of Tibetan student groups, but not without some measure of other students’ concern. CITU is a non-profit educational collaboration between Tufts and Beijing Normal University (BNU). It was founded on June […]

Features April 2, 2021 1

From Connect Downtown to the Back Bay Association: highlights from the Air Pollution Control Commission Public Hearing

(請點這裡閱讀中文版。) On March 17th, the Air Pollution Control Commission (APCC) hosted a public hearing where they reviewed permits and discussed issues related to the regulation of air quality and noise issues in Boston’s downtown neighborhoods. The panel consisted of Richard Davey, Julien Farland, Sarah Lee and Kat Eshel. The first item on the agenda was an application for a parking freeze permit, the use of which helps reduce air pollution and emissions discharged by cars by capping the number of […]

Education March 19, 2021 0

14 families filed lawsuit against BPS “Zip Code Quota Admissions”

(請點這裡閱讀中文版。) Boston is home to three elite exam schools: Boston Latin Academy, Boston Latin School, and the John D. O’Bryant School. These schools, although public, are different from their counterparts as they require excellence in academic grades and high scores on a standardized test in order for students to attend. They have also long been contested as adding to the inequities of disadvantaged students of color, who are largely disproportionately represented at these elite schools, especially at Boston Latin Academy. […]

Features March 5, 2021 0

Vaccine rollout racial inequalities persist in Massachusetts and the nation

In some ways COVID 19 has brought all together in our vulnerability, but in other ways it has again reflected our stark differences and the existence of institutional racism all around us. A new coalition “Vaccine Equity Now! Coalition” has brought together public health experts, civil rights, and social justice leaders to collectively address the racial inequalities that exist in the coronavirus distribution in Massachusetts. According to recent data from the Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA), white residents had received […]

Boston March 5, 2021 0

Looming MBTA Service Reduction Causes Anxiety Among Local Residents

MBTA riders took 333,000 daily trips in 2020, a fraction of the 1.26 million trips taken daily in 2019, according to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. In response to dwindling ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic, the MBTA announced service changes as part of its Forging Ahead initiative, which was created in response to the organization’s $580 million budget shortfall. On Feb. 23, the MBTA service planning team held a virtual meeting to inform the public about the temporary schedule changes […]

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