Experiencing Harvey through the eyes of a volunteer

I did a lot of support for Harvey as a Red Crosser working remotely. Not only did I do casework and recovery, I also worked on the digital team, monitoring the social media and connecting people to resources and answers.

Sleeves Up, Hearts Open, All In

Red Cross volunteer Heather Shampine, Senior Project Manager of Emergency Planning with National Grid, spent two weeks in Texas responding to the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Heather wrote a two-part blog entry for the American Red Cross describing what it’s like to respond to a massive disaster, how she made new friends from across the Red Cross, and what it’s like to experience life-changing events while helping people profoundly affected by the flood waters brought by Hurricane Harvey. 

September 15, 2017:

As I penned the story of the first half of my Houston experience, I was working at the George R. Brown Convention Center, set up as a then 2,000-bed shelter. About midway through my Texas deployment, after emailing a few leads to inquire if they needed additional help in other areas, I was able to move into the damage assessment role. This task required us to deploy in 2…

View original post 388 more words

Hunger Action Month | The Greater Boston Food Bank

Join the Hunger Action Month nationwide movement to raise awareness about hunger & inspire our neighbors to get involved. Every action counts!

Source: Hunger Action Month | The Greater Boston Food Bank

Red Cross opens 3 evacuation centers as Louisiana braces for Hurricane Ida

The American Red Cross is opening several evacuation centers across the Southeast Louisiana for residents wishing to seek safety from Hurricane Ida.

Source: Red Cross opens 3 evacuation centers as Louisiana braces for Hurricane Ida

Hunger Action Month | The Greater Boston Food Bank

Join the Hunger Action Month nationwide movement to raise awareness about hunger & inspire our neighbors to get involved. Every action counts!

Source: Hunger Action Month | The Greater Boston Food Bank

Mail Digitization

I provided testimony to the Massachusetts DOC regarding this issue.

Dr. Jeanie Austin

I’ve previously published in First Monday on mail digitization through Smart Communications, particularly in the instance of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC). That research shows that moves toward ICTs in carceral facilities introduce new forms of information control and are typically utilized for surveillance that affects people inside of jails, prisons, detention centers, and other facilities as well as their families, friends, and other contacts on the outside. This means that new ICTs in prisons not only increase coordinated surveillance of people already most likely to experience the brunt end of racism in policing, but also that the algorithms utilized in these new forms of surveillance are refined through compulsory applications in carceral facilities. Due to bias in policing and incarceration, these “data pools” include more Black, Indigenous, and people of color than there are in the general population of the United States. By refining surveillance technologies in…

View original post 612 more words

Curative at center of vaccine snafus in Danvers, Springfield – CommonWealth Magazine

OVER 20 LEGISLATORS  are questioning Gov. Charlie Baker over the usage of Curative Inc, to manage three mass vaccination sites, citing the company’s short existence and recent snags. “This corporation claims to be a leader in on-demand public health service programs … [that] partners with communities to strengthen public health services with turn-key programs, easy-to-access(…)

Source: Curative at center of vaccine snafus in Danvers, Springfield – CommonWealth Magazine

DOC proposing to tighten oversight of mail – CommonWealth Magazine

THE STATE DEPARTMENT of Correction, citing concerns about drug deliveries, is proposing to tighten oversight of incoming prison mail, including correspondence from attorneys. During an online hearing on Friday, agency officials said they currently require all incoming mail at the state’s maximum security prison to be photocopied, and are considering extending the policy to the(…)

Source: DOC proposing to tighten oversight of mail – CommonWealth Magazine