Empowering Our Communities

On August 14, 2025, AACA hosted “Your Rights, Your Voice in These Uncertain Times”. Drawing over 200 participants, this AACA Community Forum underscored AACA’s commitment to empowering and informing communities during a period of heightened fear, with clear, accessible information about their civil and legal rights.

Representatives from public agencies and advocacy organizations, including Lawyers for Civil Rights, Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office- Civil Rights Division, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, and the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement (MOIA). Each provided practical guidance, legal resources, and information about how community members can report discrimination, access support, and protect their rights in interactions with employers, landlords, and government systems. All speakers emphasized the importance of community collaboration and awareness.

The strong turnout reflected not only fear and uncertainty, but also trust in AACA as a hub for credible, compassionate information and advocacy. Other 2025 community forums included a two-part Scam Awareness series with speakers from Citizens Bank, Central Boston Elder Services, the Internal Revenue Service, the MA Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), M&T Bank, and the Boston Police Department. In response to the growing anxiety about AI, AACA also hosted “Getting to Know AI,” with panelists from the City of Boston’s Dept. of Innovation & Technology.