Public Hearing

Happy Nonbinary People’s Day folx (7.19.21)! This week, Josh dives into conversation with Thu Nguyen about nonbinary identity, running for local office, and the power of community.

Thu Nguyen is a proud Vietnamese refugee, an artist, a youth worker, and the first non-binary candidate for Worcester City Council At-Large. Over the last decade, Thu has dedicated their career to serving our young people, from facilitating after school programming at the Worcester Youth Center to hiring young people for Recreation Worcester to work at our local parks and schools across the city. Thu currently works at the Southeast Asian Coalition working with and supporting small businesses, promoting civic engagement, and strengthening communities. Most recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Thu helped build Mutual Aid Worcester, which has raised nearly $75,000 to support families in Worcester and tackled food insecurity by starting an immigrant and refugee pantry and hot meals program.

Listen to Public Hearing wherever you get your podcasts and on WICN 90.5FM, Worcester’s NPR affiliate station. And, while we celebrate women all year round, our guests for the month of March are all women who live, influence, and/or impact the City of Worcester, MA. Learn more about our show at PublicHearing.co

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In our first episode of 2021, Josh speaks with Etel Haxhiaj; a Worcester resident, former refugee and Albanian immigrant, single mother, and candidate for District 5 on the Worcester City Council. Etel and Josh discuss opportunities for putting residents at the center of decision-making and how a public budget is a moral document.

We’re back with all new episodes of Public Hearing; available wherever you get your podcasts and on WICN 90.5FM, Worcester’s NPR affiliate station. And, while we celebrate women all year round, our guests for the month of March are all women who live, influence, and/or impact the City of Worcester, MA. Learn more about our show at PublicHearing.co!

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Welcome to our first Sidebar! Sidebars will be bonus material that either couldn't fit into our radio show (hosted on our local NPR affiliate WICN 90.5) or anything else that we feel is important to share with you!
On this Sidebar, our host, Joshua Croke, was invited to facilitate the first Worcester Education Equity Roundtable Webinar focused on the future of education in the face of a pandemic.

Our conversation with District Five City Councilor, Etel Haxhiaj, continues. The aftermath of the Mill Street Pond apartment collapse shed light on the realities of renting in Worcester. Landlords are not held responsible for their mistreatment, and renters are left to fend for themselves. Josh and Etel discuss how housing legislation falls short, and share their thoughts on improving these policies. Listen till the end to hear about innovative housing strategies already existing in Worcester and other cities we can learn from.

Stay engaged with Etel's work on Facebook at Etel for Worcester

Public Hearing is a series-based podcast and radio show from Action! by Design about Worcester, MA and designing sustainable and thriving cities; ones that are rooted in equity, Justice, and Joy. Follow our new Twitter account at @PublicHearingMA!

Tune in Wednesdays at 6pm on WICN 90.5FM, Worcester's only NPR affiliate station. Not in the Worcester area? No worries, you can listen live at WICN.org

This episode aired on 11/13/24 on WICN 90.5FM

In this first installment of our City Charter series, we examine Article 1 of Worcester’s Home Rule Charter, the foundational document that defines our city’s governance structure. This episode is all about making this often overlooked document accessible and engaging so we can better understand the rules guiding how our city is formed and functions.

We cover key concepts like the roles of the city manager, city council, and mayor, as well as terms like “fiscal,” “prudential,” and “municipal” affairs. Plus, I share some thoughts on why it's so important for residents to be familiar with these rules—especially as we think about making Worcester a more equitable, democratic, and participatory city.

Key Topics

• Introduction to the City Charter
  • What it is, why it matters, and how we’re going to explore it section by section.
• Land Acknowledgment and Invitation to Connect
  • Honoring the Nipmuc Nation and an invitation to connect for future conversations on land stewardship.
• The Structure of Worcester’s Government
  • Worcester’s unique city manager form of government and what it means to have a “weak” mayor system.
• Article 1 Highlights
  • Incorporation: Recognizes Worcester as a municipal corporation.
  • Distribution of Powers: Division between the executive (city manager) and legislative (city council) branches.
  • Powers of the City: Worcester’s broad authority to govern as long as it aligns with state and constitutional laws.
  • Definitions: Key terms like “emergency,” “full council,” and “general laws” to clarify government functions.
• Voting and Civic Participation
  • Why it’s essential to participate in local elections and get to know the officials who make key decisions for Worcester’s future.

Chapter Markers

• [00:00:00] – Introduction and Land Acknowledgment
• [00:02:40] – Overview of the City Charter
• [00:03:43] – Section 1.1-1.2: Incorporation and Title
• [00:04:41] – Section 1.3: Distribution of Powers
• [00:06:32] – Section 1.4-1.5: Powers and Construction of the City
• [00:09:48] – Section 1.6: Intergovernmental Relations
• [00:10:05] – Section 1.7: Definitions
• [00:18:41] – Voting in Worcester and Civic Engagement
• [00:23:10] – Preview of Upcoming Articles

Join me on this journey to break down the City Charter and better understand how our government operates. This episode is an essential primer for residents curious about civic engagement and how Worcester’s government functions on paper—versus how it plays out in practice.
SOURCES

1. Worcester Municipal Election 2023 Full Results (Tom Marino, November 7, 2023, This Week in Worcester)
2. City of Worcester’s Document Center

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Tune in to Public Hearing every Wednesday at 6 PM on WICN 90.5 FM or wherever you get your podcasts. What do you want to hear on the show? Reach out at QueerForCities.com!

Learn more and follow at QueerForCities.com/PublicHearing

Created & Hosted by Joshua Croke.
Our Audio Producer is Giuliano D'Orazio.

Available anywhere you listen to podcasts.