Metro

September 4, 2020 0

Citizenship Applications Encouraged Ahead of USCIS Fee Increase

By Christina Tuttle On October 2, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will increase the immigration application fee from $725 to $1,170. USCIS also plans to eliminate the fee waiver for low income residents. “We see this as just another strategy by the federal government to make citizens unwelcome in this country,” said Melanie Torres, Interim Executive Director of Project Citizenship. Project Citizenship is a nonprofit providing free legal services for 2,000 Massachusetts immigrants per year. On August 17, […]

September 4, 2020 0

Recover Better Together － Taiwan can help

by guest

Contributed by: Jaushieh Joseph Wu Minister of Foreign Affairs Republic of China (Taiwan) In 2020, the world has been hit by an unprecedented public health crisis, with the effects of COVID-19 being felt across every aspect of people’s lives. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the signing of the Charter of the United Nations—the mission statement that stands at the very heart of the inclusive multilateralism the world needs so much at the present moment. Now more than […]

September 4, 2020 0

Parents Face Choices as Early Education Centers and Out-of-School Programs Work to Reopen

by ehsieh

By Edward Hsieh While the whole country struggles to attain some level of normalcy, many parents and early educators are facing the daunting task of continuing to provide needed care for the youngest among us. Governor Baker closed daycares and out-of-school programs statewide on March 23, only allowing certain centers to stay open as Exempt Emergency Child Care programs to service essential workers. In July, daycare centers that opted not to stay open under the extra restrictions placed on exempt […]

September 4, 2020 0

COVID-19 makes obtaining job training even more challenging

by Carey Lin

By Carey Lin Earlier this year, unemployment rates skyrocketed to 14.7% in April, the highest ever recorded since 1948, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, MassHire Career Centers and services have been limited due to mandatory social distancing measures. While not open to the public, MassHire can still be reached over the phone or online. Nonprofits such as the Asian American Civic Association (AACA) also have services available in career advising, job training, and placement. While many services […]

September 4, 2020 0

Seeking Help is a Sign of Great Strength

by guest

Author: A Chinese Individual from Worcester, MA I struggled with my mental health since I was in elementary school. Growing up, I was quiet and did not participate in many extracurricular activities. Most days I was alone but not lonely until my mom intervened by questioning why I had such a limited social life. This was the start of my anxiety that peaked in high school when one day a social worker came to the classroom and called my name. […]

August 21, 2020 0

“I thought I was in control, but I wasn’t.”

by guest

33 year-old Chinese woman from Worcester lives with intermittent psychosis and schizophrenia I thought I was in control, but I wasn’t. The gripping schizophrenia and the intermittent psychosis were front and center in my experiences with everyday life. They were consuming the way I experienced reality, and they were calling the shots. I thought my life was going along perfectly fine in my early 20’s when I realized that I had mental illness. In the years after graduating from college, it […]

August 21, 2020 0

Chinatown Master Plan 2020 covers a broad spectrum of future development and community needs

by Lydia Lowe

The Chinatown Master Plan Committee released Master Plan 2020 with two recent launch events, involving more than a hundred participants from the community, local officials, and other interested stakeholders. Chinatown Master Plan 2020 is a 91-page report, with English and Chinese language versions, that includes data snapshots, updated community development priorities, and identification of four “opportunity areas” where development could support community health and stability. Drafted out of a year-and-a-half planning process involving residents, small business owners, community organizations, and […]

August 21, 2020 0

Learning English online during a pandemic poses challenges for students and programs

by AdenM

The coronavirus is reshaping every level of education as online learning has largely replaced traditional classrooms from daycare to universities. With back-to-school quickly coming, students, parents, and school employees are debating what a return will look like with physical distancing and safety guidelines. Many are also questioning the sustainability, equity, and effectiveness of online learning. Prior to the pandemic, online classes were generally a valid and viable alternative to in-person offerings. However, their sudden necessity and ubiquity demand that everyone […]

August 21, 2020 0

End of semester essay: Writing your life story one page at a time

by Christopher John Stephens

One of the more difficult assignments in my English classes comes near the end of each semester. Sometimes I call it a “transformative” essay, other times “reflective,” and other times a standard “autobiography.” In three pages, students write the simple story of their lives. Who were they yesterday? Who are they now? Who do they plan to be tomorrow? In my ESOL classes, the assignment takes a different variation. What was their relationship with written and spoken English as a […]

August 21, 2020 0

Amid pressure to reopen, Quincy and Malden school administrators balance government and community guidance

by Christina Tuttle

While school administrators heed government and public health reopening guidelines, they have some flexibility in deciding between in-person, hybrid, or remote learning. Fall school instruction plans vary by district. Boston Public Schools have yet to announce reopening plans, postponing the first day of school to Sept. 21. Malden Public Schools plan a fully-remote start on Sept. 16. The Quincy Public Schools district will allow administrators at each school to decide instruction plans. These district-based decisions come as the state government […]

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