"I feel emotional and hopeful after phone-banking (plus stand-out and then dinner) for #Yeson1 with the Chinese Progressive Association - CPA Boston and the Massachusetts Nurses Association and Massachusetts Jobs with Justice! for Safe Patient Limits Save Lives.

Last year the Tufts Medical nurses were picketing in this exact location for better working conditions in this hospital and unions (and patients!) came from all over to stand with them, as well as the Chinese Progressive Association.

This time, the Chinese Progressive Association hosted nurses at their office to phone-bank for Question 1, and then after the stand-out, have a delicious dinner while introducing themselves (for an hour, with interpreters, because half the room didn't know the other half's language & vice-versa).

The nurses stories were overwhelmingly like this - "I've been working as a nurse for 40 years and I have seen patient numbers rise but not staffing. It breaks my heart to not be able to give patients the care they need and working this way is traumatizing. Soon, I'll be needing nurses myself a lot more as I age. Every time my union has fought for something, the Chinese Progressive Association has been out there supporting us on the picket line or canvassing. THANK YOU."

And the CPA stories were often like this: "Yes it's very cold out today and I'm 84 years old, but this is a workers' issue, so of course I had to be here! I am knocking on every apartment door in my building for Question 1. And, the Tufts nurses have shown my family such genuine care as patients. Thank you!"

It gave me some hope about the future. And further solidified my support for Question 1."

-From our volunteer Cole Papadopoulos