Boston Pride’s Human Rights & Education program is dedicated to creating discussion-based spaces and engaging events focused on critical issues facing our community. Through advocacy and education, we believe that our community will continue to fight effectively for equality for everyone, everywhere.

Upcoming Event

Monday, June 5th, 2017 –

2017 Boston Pride Political Forum

6pm at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate (210 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA)

As part of Boston Pride’s activities during Pride Week, Boston Pride annually holds a political forum focused on human rights and education of the LGBTQ community. This year, the forum will focus on advocacy and activism within the LGBTQ community in the wake of the 2016 presidential election. The theme of this year’s Boston Pride Parade and Festival is “Stronger Together,” which was nominated and selected by the community in Boston. Boston Pride is partnering with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate for the event, which will be held at the Institute.

Panelists will include current and former elected officials as well as long-time LGBT activists to discuss the meaning of “stronger together” in terms of advocacy and activism within the community and strategies for moving the community forward. The event will be moderated by Alison King of NECN and NBC Boston.

Panelists

Kevin J. Dumas
Mayor (R-Attleboro)
Kevin J. Dumas is a life-long resident of the City of Attleboro. He attended Attleboro Public Schools and is a proud graduate of Attleboro High School, Class of 1994. After graduating High School, he received a Bachelor’s Degree from St. Michael’s College. Upon graduating from St. Michael’s in 1998, he held a variety of positions in the financial private sector. In 2003, Kevin Dumas became Attleboro’s 17th Mayor and continues to proudly serve in this capacity, now in his 7th term. Mayor Dumas has always believed in an Attleboro all can be proud of. His vision for Attleboro is clear: To continue moving the city forward. In short, Mayor Dumas believes that Attleboro must continue to be an attractive, vibrant and affordable place to live, work and raise a family. The preeminent vision of his administration is keeping Attleboro affordable for families while fostering an environment that will allow businesses to excel. The redevelopment of the downtown and advancements in the Industrial Business Parks are evidence that Attleboro is a City on the move, and will continue to advance as a modern 21st century community.

Arline Isaacson
President, Isaacson Political Consultants and Co-Chair of Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus
Arline Isaacson is President of Isaacson Political Consultants and a volunteer Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus. She has served as lead strategist, public relations director, lobbyist and spokesperson for numerous non-profit, advocacy and grassroots organizations including teachers associations, tax and budget organizations, labor unions, the City of Boston, environmental groups, LGBT organizations, as well as ballot question and candidate campaigns. A graduate of Tufts University, Isaacson has worked extensively in the areas of state and municipal finance, tax policy, education, LGBT equality, energy and the environment, immigration, higher education, pensions, health insurance and children’s issues. Before opening Isaacson Political Consultants, she lobbied for the Massachusetts Teachers Association, served as Director of Governmental Services for MTA, President of TEAM (Tax Equity Alliance of Massachusetts) and Director of Governmental Affairs for the Mayor of Boston. She has taught at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, served on gubernatorial commissions, committees and transition teams for both Democratic and Republican governors, participated in debates on television, radio and at colleges, served as spokesperson to local and national media, and lectured at colleges including Boston University, Babson, Tufts, Brandeis, Northeastern, Suffolk Law and New England School of Law. Her work has been recognized by numerous organizations and media experts including Campaign and Elections Magazine’s list of “Top Influencers,” Boston Magazine’s “50 Most Powerful,” Lawyers Weekly “Women of Justice Award,” Massachusetts Women’s Bar Association “President’s Special Recognition Award,” MTA’s Human and Civil Rights Committee’s “Creative Leadership in Human Rights Award”, and the Greater Boston Business Council’s Recognition Award. Recently Isaacson worked with a variety of clients on issues ranging from alternative energy to the establishment of an African Institute on Ethical Leadership and organizing forums for African leaders to discuss questions of ethical leadership in government, business, academics and the arts.

Carl Sciortino
Executive Director, AIDS Action Committee and former State Representative (D-Medford)
Carl Sciortino is the Executive Director of AIDS Action Committee. Until early 2014, he was a state representative in the Massachusetts Legislature. There, he was the leading legislative advocate on HIV-related legislation. These include measures to increase funding for HIV-related services; a bill that would require health insurers to cover the costs of treatment of lipodistrophy; and a law that expands HIV testing in Massachusetts. Sciortino, who is living with HIV, has championed social justice issues throughout his career, including the right of same-sex couples to marry; banning discrimination against transgender people; expanding access to health care; and increasing resources for anti-poverty programs.

Rep. Michael E. Capuano
Representative (D-MA 7th District)
Michael Everett Capuano is serving his tenth term as a Representative in Congress for Massachusetts’ Seventh District, which includes Chelsea, Everett, Randolph, Somerville, half of Cambridge and Milton and approximately 75% of Boston. He is the senior Massachusetts member on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Financial Services Committee. When Democrats took back a majority in the House, Mike was appointed to head the Transition by Leader Nancy Pelosi. He was also appointed to chair the Special Task Force on Ethics Enforcement, which resulted in the establishment of the Office of Congressional Ethics, and what the Washington Post called “a significant improvement over the current process.” In March of 2008, his resolution establishing an Office of Congressional Ethics passed, involving non-Members of the House in ethics matters for the first time in history. An attempt was made by House Republicans early in 2017 to severely weaken the office, but the outcry was so great that the effort was halted. Mike works for his constituents on local, national and international levels. As a member of the Transportation Committee, he has successfully protected the state’s share of federal transportation dollars. In 2012, Mike’s measure establishing a nationwide tunnel safety inspection program became law. In 2015, the Federal Transit Administration made its nearly $1 billion federal funding commitment to the Green Line Extension official with the signing of a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA), something Mike has been working on for years. He continues working hard to protect that funding and ensure that the GLX advances. Moved by the story of a young man forced out of school and into hiding after telling authorities of a crime he witnessed, Mike filed the “Young Witness Assistance Act” to create a grant program at the Department of Justice for locally developed juvenile witness assistance initiatives. Mike also succeeded in passing a law to require Medicare coverage for vision rehabilitation services. These services help restore safety and independence to seniors who suffer from vision loss. Mike co-founded and co-chairs the Congressional Caucus on Sudan and South Sudan. He has emerged as a leading Congressional voice, traveling to the region, securing $50 million for peacekeepers and advocating for a strong response to the humanitarian crises there. He is working with his colleagues to end the violence and suffering, pushing for an arms embargo and working to avert famine with adequate humanitarian relief. Prior to serving in Congress, Mike was the Mayor of Somerville, MA from January of 1990 through January of 1999. He was born in Somerville to Andrew Capuano of Somerville and Rita Garvey Capuano of Allston-Brighton and Dorchester. He graduated from Somerville High School, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College in 1973, and a law degree from Boston College Law School in 1977. He passed the Massachusetts Bar in 1977. Mike is married to Barbara Teebagy Capuano. Barbara also graduated from Somerville High School, received a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston State College in 1974 and earned her MBA from Babson College in 1976. Barbara became a Certified Public Accountant in 1978. They have two sons, Michael and Joseph.

Moderator

Alison King
Political Reporter, NECN and NBC Boston
Alison King joined NBC Boston and necn in 1995 as the station’s first Connecticut Bureau Chief. Nine months later she moved to Boston to become the station’s Political Reporter. Since then, Alison has covered six presidential races and a wide range of New England political stories, including a documentary on the late Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy. Prior to joining NBC Boston and necn, she was a reporter at WFSB-TV in Hartford, Connecticut. She has also worked as an anchor/reporter at News 12 in Norwalk, Connecticut and WECT-TV in Wilmington, North Carolina. Alison worked on programming for ABC Sports during the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary and at ABC’s Good Morning America. She has earned a number of awards for her work including three Emmys, two Gracies, several Associated Press Awards, and she was a contributing member to necn’s 2000 Dupont award. Alison was the reporter and producer of the May, 2007 documentary, “The Education of Deval Patrick, The First 100 Days,” which exclusively chronicled the first tumultuous months of the administration of the Massachusetts governor. She has traveled around the world, from Bosnia with the Massachusetts National Guard in 1997 following the war to a Trade Mission to Israel with Gov. Patrick. A career highlight occurred in 2014 when Alison traveled to Washington for a behind-the-scenes visit to the White House, including a one-on-one interview with President Obama. She holds an undergraduate degree from Colgate University, and a master’s degree from New York University’s School of Journalism. Alison is a native of Orange, Connecticut. She and her husband live in Boston with their two children.

Past Events

Monday, June 6th, 2016 – 2016 Boston Pride Political Forum
6pm at Historic Faneuil Hall (1 Faneuil Hall Sq, Boston, MA)
Read more about this event here.

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016 – Community Forum on Intersectionality
6:30pm at BCYF Blackstone Community Center (50 W Brookline St, Boston, MA)
Read more about this event here.