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2023-24 Formal Legislative Session Wrap-Up

The formal legislative session ended in the early morning hours of August 1st and while few bills ultimately made it across the finish line, we saw progress on a number of vital policies. First, Access to Counsel was included in the FY25 state budget, with $2.5 million included to establish a statewide pilot program! Supported […]

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Help stop the wrongful separation of families. Demand language access for all!

In the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) where children may be removed from their families, the consequences of language barriers can be profound. Limited English proficient parents are deemed noncompliant and uncaring when, because critical documents and information are only provided in English, they simply do not understand the steps they must take […]

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STATEMENT: MA Appleseed Condemns U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in Historic Homelessness Case

Boston, MA — Today, the U.S. Supreme Court made its decision in the historic Johnson v. Grants Pass case, allowing cities to punish people with no choice but to sleep outside for using things like pillows, blankets, or cardboard boxes to protect themselves from the elements and dealing a devastating blow to the civil rights […]

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TAKE ACTION: Two Major Bills Open the Door for Youth-Focused Policy Change!

  The end of the formal legislative session is fast approaching, and we need to make the most of these final weeks! The legislature is currently considering two major bills: the economic development bill and the housing bond bill. Key amendments to these bills filed by our legislative champions in the State House have given us […]

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Education Over Exclusion: Stop Discriminatory Treatment of Students Based on What They Wear

  We celebrated a major victory in 2022 when the CROWN Act was signed into law, establishing civil rights protections against natural hairstyle discrimination to prevent the over-policing and surveillance of Black and brown girls as young as five years old. But we cannot stop now – just a few months after the passage of […]

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2024 Good Apple Reception

Honoring Yasmin Ghassab, Compliance Director at Vertex Pharmaceuticals On Thursday, April 11, MA Appleseed held its 2024 Good Apple Award Reception at the Boston Harbor Hotel to celebrate and honor Yasmin Ghassab, Compliance Director at Vertex Pharmaceuticals. A civic leader, a pro bono champion, and a steadfast advocate of diversity and inclusion, Yasmin’s dedication to […]

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