On Friday April 4th, 2014 the Boston Workers Alliance staff went across the water to work with the Alliance of Cambridge Tenants (ACT) putting on a “How to Help Seal My CORI” workshop. There was good attendance from community tenants of the Washington Elms Housing Development. It was a lively crowd of mature adults who had a number of very interesting questions about CORI in relation to jobs, housing, and hospitals. This workshop was put together by concerned citizens of Pisani Center in Cambridge. They felt that not enough is being done to explain and empower locals around the new state CORI reform legislation that went into effect May 5, 2012.
The workshop facilitator Hakim Cunningham has been a long time CORI reform advocate, he went through a PowerPoint presentation with the residents of Washington Elms explaining the nuances of the new CORI legislation and how community residents can best navigate them. There was food, drinks and pizza, mixed with lively dialogue provided by ACT. It was a 2 hour workshop that begged the question, “why aren’t there more workshops like this happening around the state for local residents to be informed about how to empower themselves through the new CORI reform legislation of 2012.”
What a representative had to say about the workshop:
“The ease, the comfort [Hakim] made us all feel was uplifting. [He has] empowered and enlightened us with the depth of [his] knowledge on CORI and CORI reform.”
“You gave us critical feedback that if we find ourselves faced with a CORI record to “Stay Calm” to be “PATIENT” not “IMPATIENT” “IMPATIENCE breeds ANGER” because to embark on the process of having to seal a CORI can be stressful enough.
Hakim Cunningham
Deputy Director
Boston Workers Alliance
