Tell Us Why the Democracy Center Is Important!
e.mail responses to info@democracycenter.org
Here is what our Community Members are saying:
My name is Jarrett Man and I run Stone Soup Farm.
In the summer, we come weekly and bring our vegetables to distribute them to community members in Cambridge through our CSA program. This program has been a great way to bring people fresh, local, and organic produce. Our society as a whole is not yet doing much to support small scale and community based food production systems, but the Democracy Center by hosting us and providing a space is working towards these goals.
Part of what we do with our members is to educate them on the importance of eating responsibly and thinking about it in terms of environmental protection and food security. We set up at the Democracy Center and it brings people in also to see what the Center is about. For those at the Center for other reasons, we have a chance to educate, and we have knowledgeable and passionate people there who are happy to engage in a conversation about the importance of local food.
Finding space in crowded urban settings like Cambridge is difficult, but it is that much more important that we are reaching people even in this setting, not just out in the country where it is more convenient. The Democracy Center is both a convenient place to reach a large number of people, but is also teeming with parallel causes that integrate well with ours and the relationship is mutually beneficial.
I doubt there is a place in Cambridge as well suited to the pairing, so the closing of the building on Mt. Auburn would be deleterious to my farm's operations and the movement we are trying to support.
Thanks,
-Jarrett
Stone Soup Farm
stonesoupfarm.googlepages.com
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Dear Ms. Duran,
Our group, the Adult Psychiatry Residency Training Program, at Cambridge Health Alliance, recently used the Democracy Center for an all-day residents' retreat in October, 2008. The 32 residents in our program are in a 4-year, accredited training program to become board-certified in Psychiatry. They spend their days learning about, and caring for, the psychiatric patients of the Cambridge and Somerville Hospitals.
Cambridge Health Alliance has a well-known mission to care for the most underserved psychiatric populations - those affected by chronic and severe mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence and poverty. We felt the Democracy Center and its mission represented many of the political and humanistic values our group members adhere to - public service, community involvement, compassionate concern for one's fellow citizens.
The Center was an excellent choice and location to enjoy one of our semiannual retreat days - a time to reflect on our work and discuss topics of interest to our learning and practice. As an affiliated program of Harvard Medical School, we invited a speaker from the Harvard Negotiating Project who spoke to the group on the challenge of difficult conversations - with patients, with colleagues and with supervisors. We were grateful to utilize the Democracy Center for this very valuable and well-received retreat.
Thanks for all you do!
Sincerely,
Robert P. Tetirick, MA, Coordinator
Adult Psychiatry Residency Training Program
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Thanks for the invitation to describe my use of the Democracy Center. The
group I used to reserve space with -The Feminist Culture Club, an offshoot
of Boston NOW- . We found the space clean, well-kept, inviting, and most
importantly, affordable (despite the fact that the heat was broken when we
used it)! Due to my experience there, I ALWAYS recommend the DC to
community groups looking for a space to meet. In addition, I've attended
numerous events in the DC and have checked zines out of Papercut. I think
the greater grassroots community would take a big hit if the spaces at DC
were no longer available.
Thanks for the opportunity to speak on this subject.
Regards,
Phoebe Sinclair
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A couple of years ago two Boston cyclists were killed within a month of each. Wanting to harness the energy of area cyclists, I set up an informal meeting at the Democracy Center. My simple goal was to allow cyclists to speak with one another about potential improvements that we could make in Boston and Cambridge, and make a public statement about the issues facing cyclists. Wanting to find an affordable, accessible, and inviting space, I contacted the Democracy Center about renting a room. The transaction was pleasant and easy.
This meeting was well attended by people of all ages, cyclists of all stripes, and journalists from various news organizations. Energized by this gathering, attendees took it upon themselves to set up other meetings to discuss the state of cycling in our area. I believe that these meetings, and the media coverage they received from newspapers like The Phoenix and The Boston Herald, directly led to Mayor Menino's admirable efforts to improve Boston streets for cyclists. Following these meetings, Menino (who was not in attendance) re-established the Boston Bike czar position and has been making strides to raise interest in cycling, put more bike racks throughout town, and create new bike lanes.
I believe that being able to meet with other like-minded citizens at the Democracy Center had a profound impact on how Bostonians view cycling. I do hope that this Center can continue to serve the network of diverse and important communities they currently serve.
Best,
Jaffney Roode
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The Democracy Center is a priceless resource for Cambridge- and Boston-area social justice groups: low-price, flexible space to do non-profit work. It has allowed Avaaz to expand its Boston operation--but more importantly, it has created a way for countless organizations to scale up, hold events, and try new and worthwhile things without worrying constantly about the cost. Every hour spent thinking about fundraising is an hour not spent making the world better. The Democracy gives away many, many hours.
Ben Wikler
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This is Michelle "Mothra" Millette. I started the Papercut Zine Library back in May of 2005 with a small, but very enthusiastic group of independent media lovers. The Library has grown beyond even my dreams and we're all very proud of it's support and acceptance in the Harvard Square community. I no longer live in Boston (I moved to Austin, TX back in September), but the library continues to be a part of me and I run into people all the time who have heard of it or have visited. It fills me with great joy that the Library has been able to touch so many people over the years through its circulating selection and support of events. We couldn't have done this without the support of the Democracy Center and the willingness we've had to work through issues that arise. We love this space and have been there for a long time now and the hole it would cause in the community were it to go away is irreparable. Times are tough right now, but that is why we need these spaces more than ever. If we're ever going to build a strong community, we need to keep our resources. Please do not give up this wonderful resource. There's a way to work through this.
With absolute love and sincerity,
-Michelle "Mothra" Millette-
Founder, The Papercut Zine Library
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Dear Cecilia,
The staff here at Revolution Books was surprised and unhappy to hear the news about the Democracy Center. It has become a very lively place with many types of activities, and is one of the very few comfortable, functional venues available in the Harvard Sq area for non-institutional organizations. Our store has sponsored several events there including video showings like Iran Is Not The Problem, author programs like Prof. Daniel Kanstroom's Deportation Nation and elin o'Hara slavick's art project Bomb After Bomb: A Violent Cartography, as well as open discussions on topical events. We certainly hope the Center will be able to overcome this crisis and continue to play this valuable role for the community.
For the Staff,
Ben O'Leary
Revolution Books
Cambridge
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Dear Democracy Center,
There are very few spaces in the Greater Boston area where small, non-profit organizations like Boston CISPES can afford to put on events--and the Democracy is one of those important spaces. In fact, we just had a shared event with Cambridge-El Salvador Sister City Project at your wonderful space last Sunday, where we had a fundraising send-off for Cambridge and Boston residents who will be observing elections in El Salvador this month! In July 2007 the Democracy Center was the backdrop to the national CISPES convention, which took place over the course of two entire days. Our Salvadoran partners and CISPES members from chapters all across the country gathered together at the Democracy Center to decide our organization's course for the following two years. Also, every year we host a Salvadoran organizer to speak about the struggles that Salvadorans are facing, and every year book an event for our touree at the Democracy Center. Those are just a few examples of the numerous occasions that CISPES has depended on the Democracy Center to accomplish our aims as a small, progressive non-profit organization.
The simple fact is that our organization doesn't have the money to rent out space for $50-100 an hour, given that we are such a small organization, that receives ALL of our funding from individual donations. We believe in the work that we do and we have maintained community support for our solidarity work as well. And the Democracy Center is an absolutely vital space for us to continue our mission to educate and activate our local community. The Democracy Center gives us a space and a voice to talk about matters that our community needs to know--news, issues and testimony that our community doesn't have access to otherwise.
We at CISPES appreciate the enormous contribution that the Democracy Center provides the entire community. Without this space, the local organizing efforts of so many community organizations and groups and artists would suffer.
Thanks for everything you do and let us know how we can make sure that the Democracy Center remains an open space for our community.
Adelante!
Lisa Fuller, Chapter Coordinator
Boston Committee In Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES)
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We at the Grolier Poetry Book Shop have become very dependent on the Democracy Center for our poetry readings and other community events.
It is around the corner from our very small independent book shop and is therefor very convenient. The space that we can use at the Democracy Center is perfect for our readings and we welcome the fact that we are sharing the space with other socially concerned groups. The atmostphere of sharing it with such groups makes us feel apart of a commuity of activists. Our part in that community is to let poetry have a voice in the concerns of the world. Those who have attended our events like the atmosphere of the Center. We would be very sorry to see that building used for anything else. It speaks volumes to the Harvard Community that surrounds it and the Community at large.
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The Democracy Center is a very welcoming and comfortable place for the Boston Comics Round Table to meet in. Having a large, private space in which to meet allows us to both discuss business as a group easily, and also allows us to work in and move between small groups. It would be a terrible loss to us to have to do without the Democracy Center.
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I am a high school student who is co-producer of a summer dance theater company. We rehearse in living rooms and attics and fundraise all summer so that we can perform in late july. This summer, we used the democracy center to rehearse original work. The beautiful big rooms were a godsend. We had open space to create dances, rehearse short plays we had written, and order pizza as a cast and crew! ;) We would never have otherwise been able to have the beautiful, affordable space to rehearse the week before our show. After a few rehearsals there, it felt like a home away from home!
Eliza Cohen
Les Étoiles Dance Theater Company
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I am writing on behalf of the Second Line Social Aid and Pleasure Society Brass Band, which has been holding its weekly rehearsals at the Democracy Center for the past 18 months. The Democracy Center has been providing inexpensive space to us, opening its doors when we had nowhere else to go.
SLSAPS is a "raucous, stomp-your-foot-and-belt-out-the-choruses" (Boston Globe) Cambridge/Somerville-based New Orleans-style street band. We are "regular Joes and Janes with day jobs" who combine music with social action, slamming out the sounds of the legendary Crescent City for peace rallies, street festivals, parades and benefits. Our motto: "We aim to please if the cause is true and the time is right."
Our band has played for numerous events for local community organizations, including the Cambridge Public Library, Cambridge Adult Education Center, Somerville Homeless Coalition, and countless others, and is host to the international HONK! Festival of activist street bands. Our goal is to engage citizens of all ages in the joy of music-making, to reclaim public space, to create participatory spectacle, and to support organizations which work for social justice around the neighborhood and around the world.
We believe that the Democracy Center provides an exceptional service to small organizations like ours, and has made a positive impact on the life of our community. We are grateful for the support it has shown to us.
Trudi Cohen
Cambridge, MA
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The Democracy Center is a crucial resource for the Boston progressive
community. It becomes more and more important each year, as more and
more of the commons becomes privatized with consequently fewer places
welcoming social-change organizations or events. Democracy Center
provides a welcoming environment in a location convenient to many, and
does so affordably. It is a unique resource, and I know many very
worthwhile organizations who would struggle in its absence. I also
consider it a very efficient and effectively run organization, as
demonstrated by its efficient web-based room scheduling. For all of
these reasons and others, I very strongly urge you to continue your
support for Democracy Center.
Hillary Rettig
Boston, MA
Author, The Lifelong Activist: How to Change the World Without Losing
Your Way (Lantern Books, 2006)
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The Democracy Center is one organization that lives up to its name. It has been our home here for the past 8 years, and we would not be in existence without it. 8 years ago as we were struggling to maintain our organization in the face of rising rents and additional costs, and the Democracy Center offered its heartfelt support. Democracy is not about gifts, we had to work for our space, but without that opportunity, Boston Mobilization's 30 years of Social Justice would have come to an end.
In a time when so many non-profits are closing their doors, when finding a GLBT-safe space is a challenge, when there are so few affordable spots for a CSA pickup or a youth meeting or a union gathering or a student gala or an after-hours show or a Fellowship bruncheon or a Bangla school or a profeminist men's group or a community celebration, losing the Democracy Center would have a huge and painful impact on our community of social change-makers. We need your support!
Christopher Messinger
Boston Mobilization
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I would miss the existence of a radical space within the Harvard Square area where film screenings and talks could be held, and where one can find radical literature in the library.
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I founded the Boston Firefly Project in 2006. After four years of organizing on a college campus, I found it extremely difficult to organize in the community. We had no resources, no meeting space— just a mission statement, a small group of people and my living room. A colleague told me about the Democracy Center. I had looked at a lot of potential venues in the Boston area and we just couldn’t afford them. I assumed that this would be the case with the Democracy Center as well. Needless to say, I was thrilled to learn that the prices were reasonable and the staff reliable and friendly. We have felt so fortunate to have access to a space, in Harvard Square and easily accessible to the public, that fosters important organizations and current and future leaders. We simply wouldn’t be able to function without it. I was so saddened to hear that the D.C. is on the market. I understand the financial constraints that many institutions are facing right now. We remain hopeful that a solution will be found so that the important work that the organizations and activists that are housed in the space may continue. Thank you for your efforts in this capacity and for providing this opportunity for us and our community.
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I hope the Democracy Center stays! There is nothing like it in Boston and I am so glad it exists. The zine library is a great resource, and I'm just so happy to know of a place where many people meet for various community-building groups and to build a better world. It needs to stay! It makes me feel less crazy for wanting to change the world. Love, Sarah
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Our group is Platform2: Art & Social Engagement. We try to create events that connect art & activism in various ways. We have used the democracy center in the past for our events - it is cheap, well-run and has great facilities for community events. It is also centrally located so that people can get there easily on public transport. These qualities are hard to find in Boston! Thanks so much for all of your hard work running it over the past years. It is a real community resource and would be extremely sad to see it go away. Catherine D'Ignazio
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The Sustainable Endowments Institute has been incredibly fortunate to be a resident organization at the Democracy Center since soon after the Institute's founding in 2005. As a small nonprofit that started with no budget but big ideas, we have made tremendous progress over the past four years. Our success and ongoing progress would not be possible without the crucial support of The Democracy Center providing us with office space. The office space allows us to invite 10 student Research Fellows to work at our office each summer full-time to produce our annual College Sustainability Report Card.
The 2009 edition of the Report Card evaluates 300 colleges across the U.S. and Canada on their campus and endowment sustainability practices. The Report Card has attracted more than 250,000 website visitors and been covered in dozens of national publications and hundreds of local publications, with over 750 articles in total since 2007.
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The Democracy Center gave me a place to teach classes when my herbal practice was still young and I didn't have any other place to organize. They were really super about scheduling and posting events so that the community knew about what was happening. The space was bright and open, and yet cozy. It felt very good for group dynamics. Thank you!
Mischa Schuler