April 8 was a chilly day in Boston, but temperatures around the Boston Common and State House rose noticeably with the energy of PHENOM’s rally, march, and legislative visits. See video at abc40tv.com
300 people (mostly students) rallied, marched, and advocated for PHENOM’s 2009 agenda:
- increased funding for MassGrant
- funding for the Educational Rewards program
- funding campus operating budgets at FY 2009 (pre mid-year cuts) levels
- passage of Education Equality: in-state tuition for all Massachusetts high school graduates
- raising taxes in a progressive manner so public higher ed and other important services can be properly funded
Speakers included:
Beth Babcock, President, Crittenton Women’s Union
Quin Gonell, Student Government Association President, Salem State College
Nick Medico, Student Government President, North Shore Community College
Stacy Williams, student at Bunker Hill Community College
Cris Lagunas, Organizer, Student Immigrant Movement
Randy Phillis, President of the Massachusetts Society of Professors, UMass Amherst
Aggie Mitchkoski, Executive Board member, University Staff Association, UMass Amherst
Bliss Requa-Trautz, PHENOM’s Organizing Intern
Alex Kulenovic, Student Trustee, UMass Boston
This was PHENOM’s largest event ever, and definitely made an impression on Beacon Hill.