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Learn more about Amy and share your thoughts on the most important issues facing Newton and how you want the next Mayor to address them.
Join us via Zoom!
Sunday, July 11th
4 pm – 5 pm
I wanted to let you all know about my Kickstarter project that I am launching in two weeks.
Everyone deserves to see themselves in the pages of a book. Now, Mia Wenjen brings the accomplishments of Asian Pacific American female athletes to life with incredible stories of their amazing accomplishments. Readers rejoice with these extraordinary women as they overcome obstacles to prevail in their sport. [nonfiction picture book, for ages 8 and up]
Growing up, my teenage daughter played many sports. I asked her if she knew the names of any Asian-American female athletes. She laughed and said that there weren’t any. I searched but found very few books featuring Asian-American female athletes. She was correct! How sad. The few books that existed center on sports that were more dance-driven like figure skating and gymnastics. Where were the role models for girls, especially for popular team sports like basketball, soccer, and hockey?
With seventy percent of all kids quitting organized sports by age 13, and with girls dropping out of sports at six times the rate of boys, it became clear that I needed to showcase Asian-American female athletes. Girls of every ethnicity need to see Asian-American females succeeding in sports to know that everyone can dream of stepping up on an Olympic podium. That was my wake-up call to write this book!
You will meet 18 Asian Pacific American Female Athletes in this book who excel at a range of sports and represent many Asian ethnicities.
To examine any book more closely at Amazon, please click on image of book.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
My books:
BEST #OWNVOICES CHILDREN’S BOOKS: My Favorite Diversity Books for Kids Ages 1-12 is a book that I created to highlight books written by authors who share the same marginalized identity as the characters in their books.
* Both Beds Claimed *
Only the metal twin bed from Pottery Barn is available! It comes with organic mattress and box springs. It does not require screws so it’s really easy to assemble.
We are giving away two twin bed frames from Pottery Barn. One has a pull-out trundle bed. Included are two twin mattresses plus a twin box spring. The mattresses and box springs are ORGANIC! We also have a twin futon for the trundle bed.
If you are interested, please pick up at 60 Greenwood Avenue, West Newton Hills, MA 02465. It’s on our front porch so you can pick up any time. It’s already broken down so it’s easy to move.
For more information, please text Mia at 617 877 7998.
When: 9 am, Sunday, 7/19
Where: 417 Watertown St. (you can park on the street in front or, if you pull back to the parking area, park on the right side next to my white Chevy. Note, I have some new neighbors in the back unit, so they may have a couple of the parking spots.
Format: Warm-up; 8 stations using bands, agility ladder, jump ropes, TRX, etc. – 1 minute at each station with 30-second rest (3 rounds). If we have time, we’ll finish with some abs or an extra cardio HIIT session.
Note: I have a couple of new kettlebells to throw into the mix! 😀💪💪
What to bring: Water bottle, face covering, your own jump rope (if you have one that you prefer)
Cost: $10 cash (unless you already have a pre-paid package).
Safety: I will provide disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, and disposable gloves (if requested). Even though this is an outdoor workout, I do ask that everyone where a face covering. Because we are sharing equipment and because aerosol droplets released during heavy breathing (such as when you’re working out) can carry up to 12 feet, I choose to err on the side of caution for everyone’s safety.
I encourage you to pace yourself and to step away and take a few breaths without your mask between sets.
For more advice on how to safely breathe with a mask, you can check out this YouTube webinar from Patrick McKeown from the Oxygen Advantage; Patrick trains professional and elite athletes how to optimize oxygen use through breathing techniques, which includes working with masks and altitude training.
I’m so excited about Maruichi Japanese Food and Deli Supermarket. There’s also a Ramen Shop inside, Brooklyn Ramen. They sell Brooklyn Ramen as DIY to go kits as well.
Maruichi Japanese Food and Deli Supermarket & Brooklyn Ramen
299 Harvard St
Brookline, MA 02446
They are open for noon to 7 PM
Dear Newton North Community,
Thursday, I shared my concerns about recent student social media posts, and I am writing to follow up on that letter. As I mentioned, recent events have led us all to think more deeply about racism and how it manifests itself in society-at-large, and also here in Newton. The recent incident, when the Newton police stopped a black Newton North and Day parent at gunpoint minutes away from his home, highlights that our work extends beyond the walls of our building and into our community as well. This work often makes students feel a host of emotions: sadness, anger, fear, confusion, and others. These emotions can be difficult to sit with. As a community, we want to help students process feelings in a healthy manner, collectively combat racism, and begin the long journey of healing.
Unfortunately, and at the cost of the safety of our community, several students have used social media as a tool to revisit racist events and harmful comments from the past. Some students have reposted videos from previous school years of peers using racially offensive language that may have already been addressed, and in one particular case, a student stated that he would remove the videos he posted only if he was paid money. In this case, the Newton Police have been notified and are investigating the matter. We know that social media has been a key part in seeking justice and accountability in our society in the last ten years. We also know that a driver of these efforts stems from a community that does not feel that institutions are doing enough to seek that justice. We also want to be an institution that allows students to express their anger and we need to support them so that they express themselves in a healthy manner.
As an institution and community, we stand against all forms of racist speech and action and have been committed to a community-wide effort to address and dismantle racism. In our view, publicizing or republicizing racially offensive language, regardless of the intent, causes harm because it can re-victimize people of color. We encourage all students and families to notify a Dean or the police if they observe hate speech or other offensive material online. We also ask students and families to have a dialogue about the purpose of their social media posts and how to use online tools effectively to promote change and healing.
This blog post shares how to have conversations with your children about racism and racial violence https://www.commonsensemedia.
This article explains how we can help create change on social media through positivity.
https://www.yesmagazine.org/
Thank you for your partnership in working to address racism in our community and effect permanent change so that all of our students feel valued and respected, inclusive of our students of color. Our counselors remain available to support students who need help processing recent events or other sources of distress.
Best,
Henry J. Turner, Ed.D
Principal
Newton North High School
We will do better. I will do better.
Full Statement: https://t.co/gSOkCN3cYD#NOLAsTeam⚔️ pic.twitter.com/rmiNpvh4Bo
— Tim Duncan (@TimDuncanAD) June 2, 2020
From Newton Patch:
Many cities and towns are a mix of culture and ethnic background among its residents, but some more diverse than others.
According to the latest Census statistics available (which is 2010), Newton’s population made up of:
How does that compare to the rest of the state?
Massachusetts statistics:
According to a 2014 estimate, there are 88,287 living in Newton.
From Newton Gov:
| Newton | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 4.90% | 10.20% | 16.9% |
| One race | |||
| White | 80.30% | 80.00% | 73.90% |
| Black or African American | 3.50% | 7.00% | 12.60% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.10% | 0.20% | 0.80% |
| Asian | 13.00% | 5.70% | 5.00% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.20% |
| Some other race | 0.60% | 4.20% | 4.70% |
| Two or more races | 2.50% | 2.80% | 2.90% |
| *The Census Bureau classifies all people not living in households as living in group quarters. There are two types of group quarters: institutional (for example, correctional facilities, nursing homes, and mental hospitals) and non-institutional (for example, college dormitories, military barracks, group homes, missions, and shelters).
Source: American Community Survey, 3-Year Estimates (2011-2013) |
|||
Newton North High School Enrollment from Mass Department of Education:
| Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity (2019-20) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race | % of School | % of District | % of State |
| African American | 6.4 | 4.6 | 9.2 |
| Asian | 14.7 | 19.4 | 7.1 |
| Hispanic | 9.6 | 7.6 | 21.6 |
| Native American | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| White | 62.2 | 61.2 | 57.9 |
| Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic | 7.0 | 7.0 | 3.9 |
Newton South High School Enrollment from Mass Department of Education:
| Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity (2019-20) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race | % of School | % of District | % of State |
| African American | 4.9 | 4.6 | 9.2 |
| Asian | 21.7 | 19.4 | 7.1 |
| Hispanic | 6.3 | 7.6 | 21.6 |
| Native American | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| White | 61.3 | 61.2 | 57.9 |
| Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic | 5.8 | 7.0 | 3.9 |
This is part of my series on Where Are the POC in the Newton Police Force?
