On Beacon Hill, citizens, legislators petition for freedom from bullying

Testimony presented by legislators and citizens

We are living in a Commonwealth where any citizen can petition the legislature, and we did petition and we did testify before the Joint Committee on Housing for freedom from bullying in subsidized housing.

Photo: Our lead panel testifying before the Joint Committee on Housing. Clockwise, (standing): Sen Joan Lovely, Rep Brad Hill, and (seated): Jonathan Gale, Jerry Halberstadt, Rep Leah Cole. Gale is the Associate Coordinator of the Stop Bullying Coalition. Photo courtesy of Rep Brad Hill.

A baker's dozen of us testified by our voices, by our writings, or by our presence at the state house, on July 14, 2015. And that doesn't count the many who could not travel to Beacon Hill and those who rely on us to speak for them.

We testified at the Joint Committee on Housing, chaired by Senator Linda Dorcena Forry and Representative Kevin Honan, on a petition (accompanied by resolve, Senate, No. 709) of Joan B. Lovely, Bradford R. Hill, Leah Cole, William N. Brownsberger and other members of the General Court for legislation to create a commission to study ways to prevent bullying of tenants in public and subsidized multi-family housing.

We were joined and supported by legislators including Senator Joan Lovely, Representative Brad Hill, and Representative Leah Cole.

Citizen-based advocacy groups joined us to testify and support, including the Mass Alliance of HUD Tenants, (Michael Kane, Executive Director) represented by Kathleen Burke and Prendee Knight; while the Mass Union of Public Housing Tenants is considering a formal endorsement. Mary Margaret Moore, Executive Director of the Independent Living Center of the North Shore and Cape Ann, also sent in her testimony, as did the City of Attleboro Council on Human Rights.

We represented situations of bullying across the Commonwealth, including: Attleboro, Canton, Mattapoisett, Nahant, Peabody, Plymouth, Salem, Somerville, and Topsfield; but we know of others who are suffering from bullying.

Much of the written testimony can be read at http://stopbullyingcoalition.org/S709-TESTIMONY

We have been heard by the Joint Committee on Housing.

They understand the problems we face. They, too, are eager for a solution.

We trust that soon they will vote to move S709 forward towards passage.

We are gathering support from legislators by speaking out and by educating the public through the press and advocating to civic bodies like city councils, as in Attleboro and Peabody. We are reaching out to senior centers, community police, managers of housing, and other stakeholders to better understand the problems and solutions, and finding that they also are seeking solutions. We are looking for, and finding, facilities where bullying is not able to flourish, and we want to learn how that happens.

By partnering with our legislators, we hope to create a commission that will bring together all the stakeholders to develop and negotiate a better way for the elderly and disabled to live peacefully and safely in subsidized housing.

We have begun a process that may take years; while changing cultural norms and attitudes may take decades; and our work for justice, equality, and respect may never end.

But together we have made a new beginning.

I am so grateful to each and every one of you for having the courage to come forward. I am proud of each of you and honored by your trust. Together we will make things better. I look forward to working with each of you as we move ahead.

Thank you for what you do.