Edwards to Host Annual Women’s Event, Selected as Boston’s Most Impactful Black Women
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards is hosting her annual “Lead with Lydia” Women’s Event on Thursday, March 25, at 5:30 p.m. Co-hosts include U.S Senator Elizabeth Warren, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins as well as a long list of State Senators, State Representatives, City Councilors, and women activists.
“I owe a great deal to the women in my life,” said Councilor Edwards. “My mother, an air force veteran, raised both my sister and I to speak out against gender injustice and lead with an eye towards equity. This event will celebrate women like her and all trailblazers whose shoulders we stand on as we continue this important work in achieving true parity.”
Councilor Edwards has a long history representing and advocating for women. She led a statewide campaign for domestic workers, predominantly nannies and house cleaners, for back wages and workplace fairness. She also represented labor-trafficked domestic workers who were disproportionately immigrant women of color. Recently, Councilor Edwards was named one of Boston’s Most Impactful Black Women of 2021 by GetKonnected!, a career advancement and opportunity provider for women and people of color. Past endorsements of women’s organizations include Emily’s List and the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus.
To RSVP for this virtual event, please visit bit.ly/LeadwithLydia or contribute online at www.actblue.com/donate/leleads21.
BHCC Language Institute Awarded Five-Year Accreditation
Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) Language Institute and its Intensive English Program have been awarded by the Commission on English Language Accreditation (CEA) an initial five-year accreditation that extends through December 2025. The full-time Intensive English Program is designed to provide a pathway for international students to acquire a higher level of English proficiency needed to enroll in a BHCC certificate or degree program.
“Normally, the Commission grants a one-year provisional accreditation, so we are very excited and grateful that we have been granted the five years,” said Kristen McKenna, Dean of Workforce Development. “This achievement was a collaborative effort across many departments at BHCC and an important announcement for the recruitment of international students.”
Students in the Intensive English Program study in blocks of 7-week sessions and engage in this preparation right before enrolling into either academic ELL or a degree or certificate program. The Intensive English Program’s mission is to support English Language Learners in their educational, professional, and personal goals by providing rigorous multi-level English Language instruction and accommodating the needs of both traditional and non-traditional students through affordable access to language instruction.