State Sen. Lydia Edwards Named Equal Justice Works 40×40 Changemaker
State Senator Lydia Edwards has been named an Equal Justice Works 40×40 Alumni Changemaker. Edwards, a 2014 alum of the program, currently serves as a State Senator for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Equal Justice Works recently launched the 40×40 campaign to mark the organization’s 40th anniversary and celebrate four decades of impact. The nonprofit dedicates itself to mobilizing public service attorneys to bridge the justice gap for underserved communities. Highlighting the scale of their ongoing work, in 2025 alone, 190 Equal Justice Works fellows provided legal services to nearly 14,000 clients and generated approximately 1,900 legal resources and training sessions nationwide.
Senator Edwards’ selection for this anniversary list highlights her roots as a public-interest attorney and her continued advocacy in the Massachusetts legislature. Representing the 1st Suffolk and Middlesex District, she has consistently prioritized constituent needs by championing expanded affordable housing, strong protections for workers and renters, and debt-free community college.
Local residents can connect with Senator Edwards at her upcoming community coffee hour:
Saturday, October 10 at 12:30 p.m.
Simon’s Winthrop Bookstore, 152 Shirley Street, Winthrop
For additional legislative updates, visit lydiaedwards.org
Residents Invited to Leave Their Mark on Flaherty Square
Revere’s Shirley Avenue neighborhood is about to get a whole lot brighter, and city organizers are asking for the public’s help to make it happen. Inspired by the community’s recent Participatory Budgeting process, a new temporary public art installation—named the “Many Hands” Lighting Project—is officially making its way to Flaherty Square.
Funded through a NEFA Making It Public grant, the luminous new display won’t just be for the community; it will be created by the community. Residents of all ages have an opportunity to draw and design custom tiles that will be directly incorporated into the final artwork. It is a chance for locals to showcase their neighborhood pride and lend their own creative flair to Revere’s streetscape.
The deadline to submit drawings is October 16. To learn more about the installation, download the official design template, and submit artwork for consideration, visit the project’s website at behance.net/gallery/254855461/Light-of-Many-Hands.
BHCC Celebrates Third Year of Liberty Mutual Insurance Grant for DISH Food Pantry
Bunker Hill Community College’s (BHCC) is marking the third year of a $150,000 grant from Liberty Mutual Foundation supporting its DISH Food Pantry, which provides food and other essential resources to students and their families.
Since opening in 2019, DISH has grown significantly in both the number of people it serves and the resources it provides. In 2025, the pantry distributed more than 131,000 pounds of food — an increase of more than 300 percent over five years — and served more than 1,000 households. Today, students can access resources through grocery pickup and automated food lockers, as well as programs such as a monthly diaper lottery.
Liberty Mutual has been a supporter of DISH since BHCC opened the pantry. The current three-year grant has helped DISH fill gaps in resources that may not be available through other sources, including culturally relevant and gluten-free foods, hygiene products, diapers and infant care items.
“We are grateful to Liberty Mutual for its stalwart support of the DISH and our students,” said BHCC President Pam Eddinger. “It has always been important to me that we address our students’ basic needs, because you can’t learn if you are hungry. We also know that our students are parents and caregivers, and it’s important that we feed their families, too. We are proud to have helped lead this movement to address campus hunger in America, and we could not do it without committed partners like Liberty Mutual.”
BHCC’s work on basic needs support has helped foster a national movement to recognize food insecurity as a significant barrier to student success. For two decades, the College has been an advocate for addressing student hunger not only through direct services, but also through broader policy and institutional change. The College’s approach emphasizes dignity, flexibility and access to foods and necessities that reflect the lives of the students and families it serves.
“The DISH team is so grateful for the long-term support of Liberty Mutual,” said Chelsea Alexander, DISH Food Pantry Coordinator. “This three-year grant provided significant funding that we could rely on year-over-year, supplementing our purchasing budget in a substantial way. Liberty Mutual’s support has given us the flexibility to fill the gaps and make DISH responsive to the real lives of our students.”
The continued support of partners such as Liberty Mutual has helped BHCC build on this foundation and strengthen the College’s capacity to ensure students have the resources they need to succeed.
