Somerville Mayor Named Diversity Champion By State Organization

SOMERVILLE, MA — Mayor Katjana Ballantyne was given the Diversity Champion Award by the Lawyers for Civil Rights.

The LCR describes the award’s main criteria as being someone who is champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The organization cited Somerville’s resistance against President Donald Trump and his administration’s mass deportation efforts. An injunction was filed against the administration by the city earlier this month after the Department of Homeland Security told dozens of Massachusetts communities that they must adhere to their commands or face consequences.

“Our residents know that our community is safer when police focus on preventing crime rather than raiding the local sandwich shop. We know that stripping cities of their rights erodes everyone’s rights,” Ballantyne said upon receiving the award. “We know that spreading hate and lies about an entire group of people has historically led to harm and injustice for all. And we know that withholding federal funding for no good reason threatens the health and safety of all residents.”

LCR represents the city in the federal lawsuit against the President.