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Events

Malden hosts Brazilian election site: Ex-pat voters weigh in on candidates

By Anne D’Urso-Rose I heard several warnings not to drive on Salem Street on Sunday, Oct. 2, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Malden was hosting a polling site – one of only two sites in Massachusetts – for Brazil’s fiercely contested presidential election for the country’s expats in the area. According to WBUR, many of the more than 37,000 Brazilian citizens who live in New England were preparing to cast their ballots in the presidential election at these two Massachusetts voting locations. On a whim, I rode my bike down to do a story for Neighborhood View. The outside of the Salemwood School was abuzz with energy. Lots of bright yellow and Brazilian flags waved in the breeze. Voters were checking the polling information outdoors before heading inside to cast their ballots. A woman stood atop a safety block in front of the school, using it as a podium, holding the head of a Trump doll and shouting excitedly in support of Jair Bolsonaro. Cars snaked down Salem Street all of Sunday. Energetic crowds [...]
Events

Malden anticipates Orange Line reopening but will the commute be better?

By Michael Cao As Malden residents anticipate the promised re-opening of the Orange Line by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), commuters expressed mixed feelings about the suspension, which was intended to facilitate major repairs and upgrades of the transportation system. The MBTA’s Building a Better T 2022 program suspended the Orange Line on Aug. 19. This included three stations that could impact Malden residents. Passengers were provided with shuttle bus service as alternative travel options. The Malden Center station during closure. Photo by Michael Cao William C., interviewed by Neighborhood View outside the Malden Center Station and who asked that his last name not be used, said he has been riding the T for more than four decades. “The shuttles are nice to ride on, luxury buses are nice and comfortable,” he said. “But it’s still not as quick as the train at the Orange Line, which goes directly to stops.” He also said that he has seen the MBTA fixing the same track many times over the years. He expressed disappointment. “I hate to [...]
Arts

“Between Two Worlds” album highlights the immigrant experience and reframes stereotypes

By Madiha GomaaEarlier this summer at St. Paul’s Parish in Malden, upright bass and trumpet collided with zikr, a Sufi tradition based on repetition, creating mesmerizing music from internationally renowned percussionist and composer George Lernis. The occasion was a June 16 concert that launched Lernis’ new album “Between Two Worlds,” which weaves his Middle Eastern/Mediterranean musical traditions into his jazz composition. He has been dreaming about creating this fusion for years. Finally, he got to see his dream come true. Lernis chose Malden for the album release concert because of the city’s long history of welcoming immigrants from all over the world, making it one of the most diverse cities in the Commonwealth. The album’s metaphoric name, originally inspired by a Sufi poem from the 15th century, holds more than one meaning. The two worlds could be jazz and Mediterranean music, or home country and the U.S, or both of these. For Lernis, this album is about his journey as an immigrant. “It’s about depicting my journey and rediscovering myself as an immigrant and artist,” [...]
Arts

Doggone Good Summer Fun for our Best Friends

Story and photos by Keren He Everyone loves a cool treat on a hot day and that includes dogs. During Malden’s first Dog Appreciation Day on June 25, canines at Pine Bank Park could get a dog-friendly free ice cream from a JB’s Indoor Dog Park truck parked there for the morning. When a dog parent asked owner Jackie Brady about the recipe for the ice cream, Brady said it was homemade with healthy ingredients and no sugar. Kevin Alkins, Malden police animal control officer, had an idea for a dog appreciation day when he met Brady, the owner of the dog ice cream truck, which is based in Norwell. In January, Alkins had some health issues, yet he still kept working. People from the neighborhood showed great concern for him while receiving his help on animal control, and that’s when he decided to give back to the community. Dog Appreciation Day is not only Alkins’ brainchild, he also financially sponsored the event. Kevin Alkins, Malden police animal control officer Brady and Alkins plan to [...]
Featured

They needed someone to meet them where they’re at. The Bridge did that

By Madiha GomaaIn 2016, when Paul Hammersley, founder of Malden Overcoming Addiction (MOA), met Keriann Caccavaro in a recovery coach training, he told her about an idea he had been working on “nonstop” since 2013: A peer recovery center that offers a community support-based environment for people living with substance use disorder. She thought it was impossible. Now, she is a program director at this center. The Bridge in Malden is not a typical addiction recovery center. The facility at 239 Commercial St. doesn’t provide therapy, clinical or health care services. It is a peer-driven model. All peer staff members have lived a similar experience to those they hope to help through this center. Navigating their own pathway, they have found sobriety through fellowships, community, or therapy. Now, they want to help people reach sobriety as they did. The Bridge center at 239 Commercial St. Malden “Peer-driven means that it’s all based off of what worked for us; what we try to do is meet our members exactly where they’re at in their sobriety,” Caccavaro [...]
Arts

Cartoonist Keith Knight reflects on growing up in Malden, education, race and the value of art

Keith Knight, a Malden native, infuses his work with humor, creativity and social activism. His nationally syndicated cartoon series (K Chronicles, DAILY, and (th)ink) have won awards and inspired the live-action comedy series “Woke” on Hulu. Loosely based on some of his real life events, Knight co-created the show with Marshall Todd and drew the animation that opens the show. Knight went to high school in Malden, lived for a while in California’s Bay area (where the “Woke” series is based), later moved to Los Angeles and now lives with his wife and two children in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Knight returned to the Boston area last May to give the commencement address at Salem State University, his alma mater. On May 22, he attended the unveiling of the mural he created for the Malden Arts mural series along the Northern Strand Bike Trail near the Breakfast Club (formerly Doo Wop) Diner. The mural is a Malden-centric take on his popular comic series “Life’s Little Victories.” Neighborhood View caught up with Knight by Zoom to [...]
Business

Community Spotlight: Moroccans bring business, women’s outreach, and culture to Malden

By Saliha Bayrak and Martha BezzatAs a group represented in the census, the exact number of people of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) descent is difficult to pinpoint in any given city. However, with specialty markets, restaurants, and more, they have an undeniable and active presence In Malden. The Malden Islamic Center, which “strongly believes in the importance of establishing good, strong and positive relationships with our community,” is one resource for followers of the MENA community’s predominant religion, Islam. The center and mosque offer five daily prayer services, as well as Friday and Eid prayer services “to accommodate the large Muslim community living in Malden and the surrounding areas.” One particularly large group from the MENA community, Moroccans, run businesses and organizations in Malden and, through them, share their expertise, values, and culture. Many Malden residents who originate from Morocco make an impact in their community through women’s outreach, special services, and cultural experiences. Souad Akib, Founder of American Association for Arab Women (AAAW)The idea for American Association for Arab Women came to [...]
Arts

ChronoSquad Malden: Exploring History and Identity through Virtual Worlds

By Amanda De Rosa In a cross between Pokémon Go” and a historical tour, a new gaming app lets users both young and old visually travel back in time in Malden to experience the city’s colorful past. ChronoSquad: Malden – a free gaming app available to download via Google Play and Apple Apps stores – follows four detectives, Tam, Su, Francis, and Max, who discover a magic camera that can see through time, called the Chronoscope. The app transforms the user’s mobile phone camera into the Chronoscope, and the app’s integrated map and clues from the ChronoSquad help players discover various portals throughout Malden. When these locations are discovered, the Chronoscope reveals hidden histories using augmented reality. This local history scavenger hunt features five different episodes of play, each focusing on different areas of Malden, and reveals historical stories of immigration, abolition, suffrage, and labor. The game features a built-in map of Malden, which pinpoints locations players visit. Players can get help navigating each location from the ChronoSquad, via the Chronochat. Celia Pearce, the creative [...]