COVID-19 vaccine booster clinics will be held January 19, and 26 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the City Hall Annex, 50 Evergreen Ave. The Moderna booster will be offered. Registration is required. Please register at tinyurl.com/SomervilleVax or call 311. The clinic is free, and open to all people 18 years or older, regardless of immigration status or health insurance. Identification is not required. Please bring your vaccine card with you to your appointment, and arrive at the time of your appointment to avoid overcrowding in the building.

Alexandra Rozenman’s “Diving into Modernism” will be among the works on display at Brickbottom Gallery January 27 – February 26.

From January 27 to February 26, Brickbottom Gallery will be presenting Space Color Movement: Lyrical Realism into Poetic Abstraction, featuring the work of three painters – Alexandra Rozenman, Jo Ann Rothschild, and Philip Gerstein, friends and allies in real life.

The artists come together in this show, delighting in the seeming contradiction of their styles.  The intention is to present both realist and abstract paintings together, grouped in trios.

The Somerville Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will be holding a public meeting and hearing on Tuesday, January 25, concerning the requested demolition of two structures on Broadway, the building where Lyndell’s Bakery is located (274 Willow Ave. / 720 Broadway) and the house next to it at 722 Broadway. This is the first of two steps in the Demolition Review Process.

The annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day reminds us of the importance of tolerance and embracing diversity in this modern age, just as it was in the days when Dr. King walked among us.

The civil rights movement of the 60s may seem like a distant and detached part of American history for some, perhaps as remote as the civil war itself in the minds of the young who did not live in that time. And yet, there was never a time in our history when the principles involved in that struggle were more relevant and meaningful than today, and even more so as we step forward into the future.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation today announced it has awarded the first grants through its new Racial Justice in Health program that will support grassroots nonprofit community organizations led by people of color.  These grants were part of the Foundation’s overall grantmaking activity in 2021 that totaled nearly $4 million and continued philanthropic support for dozens of statewide initiatives involving behavioral health and health care access.

Today as we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it’s important to remember that reflecting on his legacy and quoting his powerful words is not enough.

Members of the King family have asked that rather than celebrate MLK Day we take inspiration from Dr. King and put in the work to build a more just, equitable society. In particular, they have asked Americans to stand up for voting rights. In a statement, Martin Luther King III said, “MLK Day has always been a day on, not off. When we call for ‘no celebration without legislation,’ we’re not urging Americans not to honor this day – we’re asking people to honor Dr. King through action to protect the right to vote.”