Puerto Ricans who have fought hard for the U.S. federal government to take responsibility for the environmental damage it caused through more than 60 years of military target practice in Vieques were turned down by the a U.S. Appeals Court in Boston this week.  The court  ruled that the federal government has immunity from any lawsuit over its actions. The lawsuit was filed because the health of... 

By Natalia Muñoz GOP presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney agreed that ballots should be available only in English, a position that goes against the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The law, passed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, dismantled many of the obstacles that intentionally impeded blacks and other disenfranchised communities from voting. It was sweeping in its intent and enforcement.... 

Op-Ed by Natalia Muñoz Corporate and even independent media outlets have been leading the national conversation on GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s vast wealth. What no one points out is that Romney’s millions is a cornerstone of the American Dream pitch, where all one has to do is work hard in dogged pursuit of wealth and happiness becomes a constant in your life. Romney has not broken... 

By Pilar Gonzales I’m in the field of philanthropy. I not only advise on fundraising with organizations but I also advise donors on how best they can give away their money. It’s a great marriage of reciprocity and I’m honored to do this work. I love seeing the transformative effect on people who share their money with the world, and I love the effect of generosity on the people, issue, or cause... 

Editor’s Note: The holiday season is great for businesses and media outlets that depend on those businesses to advertise in their outlet. Poet María Luisa Arroyo offers another perspective: Let’s support our local artists this holiday season – and throughout the year – by buying their books, artwork, music, their very own gifts, and share them with our loved ones.    By María... 

By Naomi Klein I was honored to be invited to speak at Occupy Wall Street on Thursday, October 6. Since amplification is (disgracefully) banned, and everything I said had to be repeated by hundreds of people so others could hear (a.k.a. “the human microphone”), what I actually said at Liberty Plaza had to be very short. With that in mind, here is the longer, uncut version of the speech. I... 

North End native and Springfield resident educated in Springfield Public Schools and at Colby, Tufts, and Harvard, María Luisa Arroyo is an award-winning poet, educator, teaching artist and family literacy advocate. Currently, María Luisa enjoys working with families to support and engage them in their children’s learning at the Peck Full-Service Community School in Holyoke. mlarroyo67@hotmail.com By... 

By Amanda Cohen The National Geographic show “Border Wars” depicts the daily activities of border patrol agents stationed along the U.S./Mexico border. Border Wars focuses on The Río Grande River, Tucson and Nogales, Arizona.  The realism of the show is immediately evident by the footage of searches conducted by U.S. border agents upon cars and people crossing into both the U.S. and Mexico.  Although... 

Dear Friend, Massachusetts is only one of five states without anti-human trafficking laws. It is a heinous crime that disproportionately disrupts the immigrant community, and victims often face the double stigma of being exploited and undocumented.   Earlier this year the House passed a version of anti-trafficking legislation, and now thanks to your efforts the Senate has passed a comprehensive anti-trafficking... 

By Elga Castro-Ramos How many countries are in the world? Anyone would think this might be an easy question to answer, because it should be a concrete issue. In theory, it would be enough to count them all. Anyhow, the answer varies drastically depending whether we consider the numbers of members provided by the United Nations (UN), those given by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), or if we...