On January 17th, Mass Alliance held the (soon to be annual) Progressive Legislative Breakfast. It brought together our member groups and our allies both inside and outside the legislature to celebrate our victories, focus on the progressive agenda, and look forward to building progressive power in 2007. The breakfast served especially to give everyone a chance to meet and get to know former Mass Alliance candidates who are now new progressive Representatives.
Mass Alliance President Patricia Armstrong (Board Member from the Boston Teachers Union) welcomed guests. Georgia Hollister Isman, the director of Mass Alliance, told the audience about the clear and tangible gains Mass Alliance and progressives had made in the last elections – winning three new pro-choice seats, seven new votes for equal marriage, and gaining three real champions for economic justice.
Rep. Carl Sciortino introduced the stars of the incoming freshman class – Representatives Willie Mae Allen and Steve D’Amico. Allen and D’Amico spoke about the importance that the progressive community had on their decisions to run, their victories, and their new work in the State House.
Rebekah Gewirtz (Board Member from National Association of Social Workers) spoke about the accomplishments Mass Alliance and its member groups have had in the last legislative session and laid out the broad progressive agenda for the coming year. Rep. Ellen Story closed the program talking about the hope and energy that characterizes the beginning of this legislative season.
Photo credit: Jessie Gladin-Kramer Photography