Thoughts on the City Council meeting on January 23, 2024

On January 23, 2024 the City Council met for a regular meeting on a variety of issues, including to ask a few questions to State Representative Paul Donato, who spoke on behalf of our state delegation regarding a migrant shelter that will soon be utilizing a building located at 400 Riverside Avenue in Medford. There were some questions from members of the council about this project, because it is not a city project, but a state one. The state of Massachusetts has contracted with a private real estate owner to use that site as a temporary shelter as overflow for families when they are waiting for placement in more permanent shelter locations. As a City Council, we have no say in whether or not this shelter will open, when, or how, it being a state program.

Massachusetts is a Right to Shelter state, which means if you come here, you have a right to be sheltered, safe, and warm. As a state, we provide that for everyone who comes here. I believe this to be the right thing to do and am proud to be a Massachusetts resident because of this policy, among many others. We are facing a crisis in Massachusetts at the moment because of broader issues across the country and the world, but that is neither here nor there. None of these broader issues were created by Medford residents or the Medford City Council, nor are they issues we can solve today. What Medford residents can do is welcome migrants if they come through or settle in our city, open our arms to people who need help, and offer what support we can.

I have heard from neighbors and friends that they would like to help and are eager to welcome new or temporary residents of our city. Unfortunately, last night, those were not the loudest voices at the meeting. The majority of residents who spoke last night on this topic spoke about fear and described negative stereotypes of immigrants. I did not speak much on the topic myself, because there isn't much the City Council can do about this shelter. If the state needs a temporary shelter and the building meets their needs and the building's owner is amenable to the agreement, they can go ahead with the deal. I personally will not stop it, and I wouldn't want to try and stop this from happening, even if we could, because I would like migrant families to be sheltered, safe, and warm.

I help run the Malden Warming Center, an overnight shelter that serves unhoused guests in the winter months, when it is too cold to safely sleep outside. This season, we have had quite a few guests from other countries, more than prior years. One of those guests earlier this winter was a young man who recently arrived from Colombia. He and I started sending each other messages on WhatsApp so I could work on my Spanish and he could work on his English. After about a month staying in the warming center, this guest was able to secure an apartment. He sent me a message one day that he didn't have a bed. I went on Facebook and posted in the lovely Everything is Free Medford Facebook group, asking if anyone had a bed they could spare. Many people replied saying they would love to help my friend. I picked up a bed from Medford and drove it to my friend's new apartment. He and his new roommate were so grateful! After I dropped off the bed and they got it upstairs, they chased my car waving, yelling thank you.

The people who offered up a free bed for a stranger to sleep in: that is Medford.

The people asking how they can help; the people eager to open their homes and their lives; the volunteers at the Malden Warming Center from Medford (because Medford doesn't have its own warming center - yet): This is the Medford that I know. This the community, and the values, that I will represent on Medford City Council. 

I'd like to share the message my friend sent after receiving his bed, as a reminder to everyone reading this that we can be the helpers. Medford is big enough for all of us.

Nuevamente por acá para darte gracias
Por tus bendiciones creeme que Dios se fija en todos esos detalles y te va ayudar a hacer tus sueños realidad
Cuando llegue a estados unidos nunca pensé que me fuera a encontrar personas como tú
Enserio muchas gracias por el colchón a ti y a la persona que lo dono
Dormí demasiado cómodo
Muchas gracias y bendiciones para todos tus seres queridos

Translation to English:

Here again to thank you
For your blessings, believe me that God pays attention to all those details and will help you make your dreams come true.
When I arrived in the United States I never thought I would find people like you.
Seriously, thank you very much for the mattress to you and the person who donated it.
I slept too comfortably
Thank you very much and blessings to all your loved ones

Another thing I wanted to hold up from last night, is something my colleague Council Vice President Kit Collins said: we can do more than one right thing. Medford is open and ready and willing to embrace anyone who would like to live here. Thank you to everyone who came out and made their voices heard. I encourage people to come speak any time they feel passionately about something on our agenda.