Next Wave and Full Circle students have been volunteering at the Boston homeless shelter, the Boston Rescue Mission, for many years now. Unable to have volunteers during the height of the pandemic, when the Mission opened back up Next Wave and Full Circle students stepped up to help out. The students made over twenty visits to the shelter this school year. On Friday afternoons, after school ends, these students give up their free time to volunteer at the shelter.

Civic leaders, veterans, and private citizens alike gathered on Memorial Day to pay homage to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in serving for the good of their country. — Photo by Claudia Ferro

By Luda Tang

On Monday, May 30, the City of Somerville hosted the Memorial Day remembrance event at Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery to commemorate those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while in service of the United States.

Ted Louis-Jacques, the director of Veterans’ Services at the City of Somerville, served as the host of the commemoration. He invited Rev. Alejandro Lopez Cardinali to offer the opening invocation. During the invocation, Cardinali affirmed that freedom is not free saying, “Never let’s forget those who pay so terrible a price to ensure that freedom will be our legacy.”

Iceland’s First Lady Eliza Reid and author Ann Hood speaking at Reid’s live author event at the Somerville Theatre last week. — Photo by Mina Rose Morales

By Mina Rose Morales

The First Lady of Iceland, Eliza Reid, came to the Somerville Theatre on Thursday, May 26 for a signing of her book Secrets of the Sprakkar.

The event was organized by Christina Pascucci-Ciampa, the founder and owner of All She Wrote Books. Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne gave a speech about women at the event before the interview began. Reid was interviewed live during the event by author and former flight attendant Ann Hood.

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

By State Representative Erika Uyterhoeven

Displacement is an issue our district knows all too well. Uncontrolled rent increases, luxury developments, and commodification and financialization of housing has led to rising rents that are forcing Somervillans to be displaced and forcing potential first time homeowners to look elsewhere.

The City of Somerville and Fenway Health invite you to a virtual community forum to discuss a local supervised consumption site (SCS) on Wednesday, June 1, at 6:00 p.m. This forum will discuss what SCSs are, what the need is in Somerville, and ongoing efforts to explore establishing an SCS. This is an opportunity to learn more, ask questions, and share feedback. The meeting will be hosted on Zoom. Registration is required. Questions for the forum may be submitted in advance during registration. The meeting will be recorded and posted online following the event. To learn more and register to attend, go to somervillema.gov/scs.

By Luda Tang         

Somerville Cares About Prevention (SCAP) held its 18th Annual Meeting virtually on May 26. Lovelee Heller-Botarri, the Program Director at SCAP, introduced the meeting as a celebration of the work they have done over the past year.

Thirty-fourth Middlesex District State Rep. Christine Barber.

After a historic vote in the House of Representatives in February and state Senate in early May, the Work and Family Mobility Act was just voted for final passage in the House and Senate. The bill, filed by Representative Christine Barber of Somerville and Medford, with Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier and Senators Brendan Crighton and Adam Gomez, enables all state residents to apply for a standard Massachusetts driver’s license regardless of immigration status.

After the long winter months and the ups and downs of spring weather, we are clearly running headlong into the bright, sunny days of summer.

For kids, summer vacation is a well-deserved reward for all the hard work and irreplaceable time invested in the previous school year.

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Review by Hecmely Ferreiras

In an anthology of emotionally captivating poems, I was introduced to five female Latin American poets. These poets have carefully, yet effortlessly captured similar themes of motherhood, dreams, and quiet sadness. I enjoyed reading the Spanish versions of each poem and comparing how the English translations somehow miss out on a bit of the passion and intensity that the Spanish tongue offers. I chose two poems from each author to analyze and digest the depths of each line.

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While living at the Shim Gwang Sa (Mind Light Temple) from 2005-2021, Zen Master Sebastian Rizzon had the unique experience of living with and learning directly from enlightened Zen Master Chang Sik Kim for over 16 years. Currently working as a visual artist and writer while finishing editing his upcoming book, Into the Mind, a poetic exploration of the Zen practice. He is a Zen Sword and Martial Arts Master in the art of Shim Gum Do (Mind Sword Way) and Shin Boep (Body Dharma) and the founder of the Zen Art Center at the Joy Street Studios in Somerville, teaching students how to use meditation to find inspiration and enhance the art of life.