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Massachusetts fired its elder affairs chief. Now she’s taking the state to court. – The Boston Globe

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Massachusetts fired its elder affairs chief. Now she’s taking the state to court. – The Boston Globe


The civil suit against the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services and Kate Walsh, the state’s former health secretary alleges racial discrimination, retaliation, coercion, intimidation, and threats. Other named defendants are Christopher Harding, the agency’s chief of staff, and Sonia Bryan, director of human resources.

A spokesperson for HHS said Wednesday that the agency cannot comment on pending litigation.

Walsh did not respond to a request for comment. Walsh left HHS in July 2025.

Chen was appointed to lead elder affairs during the Charlie Baker administration. Turnover in top executive positions isn’t unusual when a new administration begins, but the suit notes that the only other HHS department or office head removed near the start of Healey’s administration, Mary Truong, who led the Office for Refugees and Immigrants, was also Asian.

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Truong, who stayed with ORI in a subordinate position for several months, said in an interview Wednesday she did feel mistreated but was not certain that her race played any role. She noted that her interactions with Walsh were generally positive and HHS leadership never questioned her performance, saying only the migrant crisis in Massachusetts at the time meant ORI required leadership with more experience with issues related to homelessness.

“I feel so bad for her,” Truong said of Chen. “She was very outspoken and she was respected for her position and she was hard working.”

Mary Truong is photographed in her office on Washington Street on Jun. 12, 2018.Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff

Chen emigrated to the United States from Taiwan in 1971. The lawsuit noted she still recalled being called racial slurs after being bused to a predominantly white neighborhood in 1974.

Before leading elder affairs, she worked as an assistant commissioner in the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, served as president and trustee of the New England College of Optometry and New England Eye Institute, and president and chief executive of the biotech companies Circe Biomedical and Marathon Biopharmaceuticals. Chen was paid $146,623 last year, according to state records.

The lawsuit detailed how Chen’s deteriorating situation at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services began with a meeting that sparked concerns about discrimination and ended with Chen’s dismissal, despite efforts to meet Walsh’s performance standards.

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The lawsuit lays out the sequence of events.

In a November 2023 meeting, Walsh raised serious concerns about Chen, saying she had excellent academic credentials but lacked sufficient leadership qualities for a job that was “too big” for her, criticisms the suit claims echo stereotypes about people of Asian descent. Walsh listed concerns about Chen’s performance, including elder affairs’ worker turnover and staffing, criticisms from former employees, and negative feedback from a legislator. Chen felt many of the criticisms were misplaced or inaccurate, but she agreed to professional coaching with the understanding that completing it successfully could allow her to keep her job.

The suit noted that meeting happened shortly after Walsh and Chen attended an event at a senior center in Boston’s Chinatown where Chen spoke Cantonese and Mandarin and was warmly received.

Through the first months of 2024, HHS executives assured Chen that she would be given the opportunity to show improvement, and that requiring coaching was not a disciplinary act.

It concerned Chen, though, that she was subjected to a comprehensive performance review, something no other HHS department head had received at that time, the suit states.

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Still, Chen received assurances from Harding, the chief of staff, that if Walsh wanted her gone, she would have fired her in November 2023.

The coaching ended in April 2024 with a roadmap for improvement, which included benchmarks for Chen to meet. Shortly after, though, Walsh told Chen she was being let go.

In the month that followed, Chen attempted to get an explanation for why she was not given a chance to meet the standards in the improvement plan. She wrote a letter to Walsh stating that she felt she was “torn down” for being an Asian woman in a position of leadership, and noted a lack of direct communication and clear planning.

“When we talked in November, you should have been direct about your plan,” Chen wrote, according to a passage from the letter included in the lawsuit. “Instead, you were vague and presented mixed messages and questioned my competence and leadership.”

Chen was shocked when the secretary abruptly altered one of the terms of departure Chen expected at a meeting in May.

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Chen left the elder affairs job on June 1, 2024.

The suit states HHS has also made it difficult for Chen to obtain public records requested for her defense, something subject to a second lawsuit from Chen.

The state’s elder affairs office, now called the Executive Office of Aging and Independence, serves roughly 1.7 million seniors, according to the most recent annual report, and is now led by Robin Lipson. Its services are in growing demand as Massachusetts’ population ages. The agency contracts with 24 regional Aging Services Access Points, nonprofits that offer services including meal delivery and home care. The office also oversees assisted-living facilities, home care, and supports people caring for elderly relatives.


Jason Laughlin can be reached at jason.laughlin@globe.com. Follow him @jasmlaughlin.





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Massachusetts bakery that made signature pizza trays for more than 100 years closes for good

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Massachusetts bakery that made signature pizza trays for more than 100 years closes for good



A Framingham institution that has been in business for more than a century closed its doors for the final time on Sunday.

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Framingham Baking Company, known for its signature pizza trays, has officially shut down permanently. Crowds have been lining up around the block in the shop’s final days, with Sunday serving as their last day in business.

“That’s a wrap! Special thanks to all of our loyal customers! It was a great run. We love you!” Framingham Baking Company posted on Facebook Sunday after selling its final slices of pizza.

Founded in 1917, the bakery on Waverly Street became known for the square pizza slices.

The third-generation owners say they couldn’t find anyone to take over the business.

“We’re closing today after 109 years in business,” owner Joan Thomas said. “My grandparents, my parents, and my siblings – three generations have run this bakery.”

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Customers explained why they were willing to wait in long lines to get their hands on some treats one more time.

“So many years of eating this pizza, and the bread, and the cookies. You had to be there for the end,” one woman said.

“My grandfather was a delivery guy for a long time. My first job was riding around with him in the van delivering to all the local restaurants. It’s tough to see it close, but it’s had an amazing run. Here for my last delivery. Bring some pizza home to my family,” another man added.

One customer waiting in line said it wasn’t just pizza the Framingham Baking Company provided, it was memories.

“Brought it to the cousins’ every birthday party, every gathering. Any time there was family there was pizza,” he said. 

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Massachusetts’ middle-class income range is highest in US., topping out at over $200K

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Massachusetts’ middle-class income range is highest in US., topping out at over 0K


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Your household can earn more than $200,000 a year and still be considered part of the “middle class” in Massachusetts, according to a recent study by SmartAsset.

Massachusetts ranks as the top state with the highest income range for households to be considered middle class, based on SmartAsset’s analysis using 2024 income data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Pew Research Center defines the middle class as households earning roughly two-thirds to twice the national median household income.

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According to a 2022 Gallup survey, about half of U.S. adults consider themselves middle class, with 38% identifying as “middle class” and 14% as “upper-middle class.” Higher-income Americans and college graduates were most likely to identify with the “middle class” or “upper-middle class,” while lower-income Americans and those without a college education generally identified as “working class” or “lower class.”

Here’s how much money your household would need to bring in annually to be considered middle class in Massachusetts.

How much money would you need to make to be considered middle class in MA?

In Massachusetts, households would need to earn between $69,900 and $209,656 annually to be considered middle class, according to SmartAsset. The Bay State has the highest income range in the country for middle-class households. The state’s median household income is $104,828.

In Boston, the range is slightly lower. Households need to earn between $65,194 and $195,582 annually to qualify as middle class, giving the city the 19th-highest income range among the 100 largest U.S. cities. Boston’s median household income is $97,791.

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How do other New England states compare?

Massachusetts has the highest income range for middle-class households in New England. Here’s what households would have to earn in neighboring states:

  1. Massachusetts (#1 nationally) – $69,885 to $209,656 annually; median household income of $104,828
  2. New Hampshire (#6 nationally) – $66,521 to $199,564 annually; median household income of $99,782
  3. Connecticut (#10 nationally) – $64,033 to $192,098 annually; median household income of $96,049
  4. Rhode Island (#17 nationally) – $55,669 to $167,008 annually; median household income of $83,504
  5. Vermont (#19 nationally) – $55,153 to $165,460 annually; median household income of $82,730
  6. Maine (#30 nationally) – $50,961 to $152,884 annually; median household income of $76,442

Which state has the lowest middle-class income range?

Mississippi ranks last for the income range needed to be considered middle class, according to SmartAsset. Households there would need to earn between $39,418 and $118,254 annually. The state’s median household income is $59,127.



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‘No Kings’ protests draw thousands against the Trump administration who are ‘fed up, pissed off, and also hopeful’ – The Boston Globe

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‘No Kings’ protests draw thousands against the Trump administration who are ‘fed up, pissed off, and also hopeful’ – The Boston Globe


Dropkick Murphys frontman Ken Casey altered the lyrics of some songs to criticize Trump and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“Let’s ship them out of Boston,” he told the crowd, referring to ICE agents and echoing lyrics from “I’m Shipping Up to Boston.” “Are you with us?”

Pressley followed, telling demonstrators the “world is on fire.”

“It is going to take every single one of us doing everything we can to put this fascist, white nationalist fire out,” Pressley said. “The only way to beat a dictator is with defiance.”

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Some of the faces in the crowd at the “No Kings” protest on Boston Common.Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff
The Dropkick Murphys perform during the protest.Finn Gomez for the Boston Globe

The flagship national demonstration was held in Minneapolis, where US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed in January during a massive federal immigration crackdown that ended last month.

Bruce Springsteen performed “Streets of Minneapolis,” the protest song released after the killing of Pretti with lyrics describing the city as “aflame” under “King Trump’s private army.”

In Massachusetts, organizers staged 169 demonstrations, said Rahsaan D. Hall, president and chief executive of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts and emcee for the Boston Common event.

Saturday’s gatherings marked the third time protesters have mobilized under the “No Kings” banner since the first protest last June. Another round of protests took place in October.

Demonstrators gathered as the US war in Iran entered its second month with oil prices surging and Trump declaring victory is at hand even as thousands of additional American troops head to the Middle East.

Within the GOP, congressional leaders are at odds over funding the US Department of Homeland Security, which has been partially shut down since mid-February and has a new leader, Markwayne Mullin. Trump fired his predecessor, Kristi Noem, earlier this month following controversies over her leadership.

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Mihika Gogate, 24, who recently moved to Boston from North Carolina, said she was demonstrating for “absolutely everyone in this world that is suffering at the hands of the decisions of our fascist leader at the moment.”

She carried a sign depicting a Joker playing card featuring Trump with a crown on his head.

“I think, especially now, it’s such a scary time to be an adult in this world,” Gogate said. “It’s not just something that is affecting one of us. It’s affecting all our futures and our current realities.”

Michael Payne, Jean Carroon, and Maxie Chambliss were at the “No Kings” protest on Boston Common.Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff
The crowd on Boston Common was reflected in the horns of the performers.Finn Gomez for the Boston Globe

In Quincy, demonstrators gathered outside City Hall were encouraged to remain politically active.

“We hate what Donald Trump is doing. I’m tired of being in a state of exhaustion, and he’s bombarding us every day,” said Donna Cunningham, 51, a Quincy resident. “We need events like this to remind ourselves that we’re not alone in our little islands of our homes.”

On Boston Common, Sara Welch filmed the bustle as she walked through the park en route to Cheers. A resident of Hastings, Minn., Welch said she’s in the area for work.

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“It means a lot, especially with everything that went on in our state with ICE,” Welch said.

Yet some questioned whether large demonstrations are generating the changes they seek.

Warren May, a demonstrator from Watertown, said the Women’s March held the day after Trump’s first inauguration in 2017 was the last time he participated in such a large protest.

“That was really kind of great and inspiring and wonderful, but look where we are now,” May said. “It’s just gotten worse.”

John Cluverius, who teaches political science at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell, said the mass demonstrations signal to elected Democrats that the opposition to Trump “is real and is tangible.” His popularity has slipped since the last “No Kings” demonstrations in October, he said.

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“Being the party out of power has a very isolating effect on both individuals and voters — the sense that they’re out of control of the destiny of the country,” Cluverius said. “There is almost an affirming effect for people to gather in these places and get the sense that even though they’re opposed to so many things that are happening, they’re not alone.”

There are also signs that the protests are pushing elected officials to answer demonstrators’ demands, Cluverius said.

On Friday, Senate Republicans abandoned vows to resist any deal for Department of Homeland Security funding that did not include money for ICE and US Customs and Border Protection, by voting to do just that.

“Senate Democrats … did not defect in any way, and I think that speaks to the fact that these rallies were today,” Cluverius said.

Several exhibitions on Boston Common brought attention to the impact of Trump’s policies.

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An installation called “Eyes Wide Open — The Cost of War” featured rows of shoes, backpacks, and toys symbolizing the more than 160 children killed at an Iranian school during the opening day of US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

“We hope that this will cause people to pause and consider the humanitarian impact of this war,” said Ziba Cranmer, 54, who belongs to the Massachusetts chapter of the National Iranian American Council.

An ice sculpture reading “END ICE” was carved by artist Kat Carves.

“It’s a very powerful message,” said Lisa Mahoney, 66, of Beverly.

Most Americans disapprove of Trump’s performance as president, according to YouGov polling on behalf of The Economist, which found this month that his net approval rating is at -18 percentage points.

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His deportation agenda, attacks on higher education, and efforts to nationalize elections are deeply unpopular in Massachusetts, which backed his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, in the 2024 election.

A February poll by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center found 72 percent of Massachusetts residents disapprove of Trump’s overall job performance, driven largely by fears that he threatens democracy.

Dave Beyna, portraying George Washington, arrived at the protest on Boston Common before it started.Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff
Protesters sit at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument at the “No Kings” Boston rally.Andrew Burke-Stevenson/for The Boston Globe

Changes to the childhood vaccination schedule paused for now by a federal judge in Boston, new eligibility limits to public safety net programs under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, and research funding cuts have also drawn opposition here.

Sonya Shropshire-Friel of Dover, N.H., said her parents protested during the civil rights movement and were arrested as college students in Elizabeth City, N.C.

“I thought if they can do that, I can show up here today,” she said.

Trump’s rhetoric and the actions of his immigration enforcement agents “really make America unsafe,” Shropshire-Friel said.

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“He has made people more inclined to be unkind and cruel toward one another,” she said. “I need to be out here with people who are also fed up, pissed off, and also hopeful.”


Laura Crimaldi can be reached at laura.crimaldi@globe.com. Follow her @lauracrimaldi. Anjali Huynh can be reached at anjali.huynh@globe.com. Aayushi Datta can be reached at aayushi.datta@globe.com.





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