Our region’s elected leaders and Network Steering Committee partners represented: front row, left to right: Pamela Schwartz, Western MA Network to End Homelessness, Nancy Dorian, Easthampton tenant speaker, Rep. Kelly Pease, Brad Gordon, Hearthway, Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Rep. Natalie Blais, Rep. Pat Duffy, Rep. Mindy Domb, Rep. Leigh Davis, Gerry McCafferty, City of Springfield, Westfield Mayor Mike McCabe, Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, Keith Fairey, Way Finders, Maura Geary, Franklin Hampshire Career Center, Denise Jordan, Springfield Housing Authority | second row, left to right: Ben Ostiguy and Jeffrey Hayden, Holyoke Community College, Candice Healy, Office of Rep. Brian Ashe, Casey Pease, Office of Sen. Paul Mark, Senator Jo Comerford, Bennita Watford, Springfield tenant speaker, Senator Adam Gomez, Mark-Antonio Williams, Office of US Senator Elizabeth Warren, Julia Mathis, Office of Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, Jeff Olivet, keynote speaker, formerly of US Interagency Council on Homelessness, Shaundell Diaz, Three County Continuum of Care, Emily English, Gandara Center, Jack Redman, Greenfield Housing Authority, Steve Connor, Central Hampshire Veterans Services
You can also catch the media coverage thus far here. Our message—and our numbers behind it—reached hundreds more.
Speaker Bennita Watford, Springfield and recently relocated Pittsfield resident and tenant activist
Speaker Nancy Dorian, Easthampton resident and tenants’ group leader
A big shout-out to Bennita Watford and Nancy Dorian who shared their powerful experiences as they faced down homelessness and urged our state legislature to pass rent control. Our keynote speaker Jeff Olivet and our state legislators—Sen. Adam Gómez, Sen. Jake Oliveira, Rep. Blais, Rep. Davis and Rep. Domb—shared their insight and calls to action, along with many other of our region’s legislators and mayors who showed up in support.
We are grateful for their leadership and our solidarity. And let’s keep going!
Keynote: Federal Lessons, State Action with Speaker Jeff Olivet
