Humanity Is Evolving Its Consciousness: The Role of Archetypal Energies as Guides During An Unfolding Weeding Out and Alignment Process

Humanity is evolving its consciousness at individual and collective levels.  Given these seemingly tumultuous times, as of this writing (January 2026), to make such a statement may sound like a strange thing to say.  However, I suggest that if you are alive today and if you are reading these words, these are the very times for which you were born—to assist Humanity as it evolves its consciousness with your unique gifts, whatever they may be.  That is, this period of our individual and collective human being-ness may be characterized as an unfolding period of weeding out and alignment with the essence of Humanity’s evolving consciousnes

Increasing Housing Stability Through State-Funded Community Mediation Massachusetts Housing Mediation Program FY2025 Evaluation Report

Mediation offers a flexible alternative to court for resolving housing disputes, allowing parties to address a wider range of issues and solutions without the delays and formalities of the judicial system. The Housing Mediation Program (HMP or Program) was established in FY2021 as part of the Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI), a coordinated state and federal response to the housing challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Led by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), the EDI brought together housing agencies, Community Mediation Centers (Centers) through MOPC, and legal services to provide robust support for tenants and landlords. The HMP was designed as a housing stabilization intervention that expanded community-based dispute resolution beyond court-based eviction cases to include upstream housing conflicts, creating earlier entry points to mediation. As services shifted to virtual formats during the pandemic, Centers adopted video mediation, a practice that continues today. MOPC and the Centers also invested in building upstream infrastructure to improve access to mediation before court involvement. Although the EDI concluded in FY2022, MOPC continued administering the HMP in response to ongoing housing needs. In FY2025, MOPC allocated approximately $682,207 to support the HMP, including$550,000 in grants to 11 state-qualified Centers2 at three different funding levels based on service volume and staffing needs. These funds allow Centers to employ one or two staff to conduct outreach, coordinate remote and in-person mediation, and liaise with HMP partners. An additional $10,000 was spent on training,$5,000 on consultation services, and $117,207 on program administration and evaluation. 2 Community Dispute Settlement Center (CDSC), Collaborative Resolutions Group (CRG), Family Services of Central Mass Mediation (FSCM), Greater Brockton Center for Dispute Resolution (GBCDR), Middlesex Community College Law Center (MCC), Metropolitan Mediation Services (MMS), Mediation Services of North Central MA, Inc. (MSI), MV Mediation Center (MVMC), MetroWest Mediation Services (MWMS), The Resolution Center (TRC), and UpSide413 (U413). MOPC also continued strategic partnerships to expand HMP services. In FY2024, MOPC launched a pilot with the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency (MassHousing) to provide upstream dispute resolution through their Tenancy Assistance Program (TAP), aiming to stabilize tenancies and reduce onsite conflict. This partnership continued in FY2025. MOPC also continued working with EOHLC to find opportunities for housing agencies to leverage HMP 7 HMP Evaluation Report, MA Office of Public Collaboration, February 2026 services. This included delivering a housing mediation presentation for Regional Administering Agency (RAA) staff at an EOHLC-organized RAA Office Hours session and providing updated contact information for housing mediation coordinators. MOPC also supported regional and collaborative outreach efforts for Centers with common service areas or partners as well as met individually with some Centers to discuss and develop targeted outreach strategies as needed. Throughout FY2025, MOPC and participating Centers focused on innovation, streamlining processes, and maintaining service quality. Monthly HMP learning community meetings allowed coordinators to share outreach strategies, troubleshoot challenges, and improve case management and survey administration. The monthly learning series for HMP mediators focused on developing housing-specific mediation skills through housing scenarios, case studies, and role plays, with particular attention to identifying underlying interests of landlords and tenants and recognizing mediator bias. Additionally, a summary process mediation training for experienced mediators was held in December 2024, with 21 participants from six Centers and MOPC staff for refresher and staff development purposes. This FY2025 HMP evaluation report includes an Executive Summary, Introduction, Findings, Recommendations, Conclusion, and Appendices. The Executive Summary serves as a stand-alone overview, while the Introduction provides context. The Findings present data-driven results, the Recommendations identify opportunities to strengthen the Program, the Conclusion summarizes key insights and implications, and the Appendices include detailed quantitative and qualitative analyses aligned with the study’s research questions

Offside Trap: African Football as a Mirror of Global Structural Inequality

Football in Africa, as a legacy of European colonialism, is undeniable. The export of football through colonization resulted in the popularization of the sport while also creating a system of economic exploitation and impoverishment that is the cause of considerable problems for African society. This economic system positioned African  countries as dependents of former colonizers even after achieving independence. Sports, specifically football, provide a unique perspective to explore the no-win     situation in which Africa exists within the global economic system. Always chasing the elusive ‘development’ goal that is dictated by others and shifts without the interests of African countries. The offside trap exemplifies the phenomenon of shifting development that is untenable for some. Using this analytical perspective illustrates a system constructed by external powers that is often detached from African realities, keeping the continent in a reactive and marginalized position. Through this football metaphor, we can understand how colonization enforced assimilation and erected structural barriers that continue to ensure the hegemony of former colonial powers. The solutions must be African, creating space for innovation. Informal economic systems exemplify how African countries adapted to the needs of the people, ensuring resilience and survival. Thus, genuine liberation requires Africa to move beyond reactive participation in externally defined systems and instead pursue decolonization through the reclamation and adaptation of indigenous cultural practices, much like the regional embrace of Kabaddi in Asia, as a pathway toward autonomous and self-defined development in and beyond sport

AIW26S: Applied LLMs

This workshop introduces the concept of applied large language models (LLMs), focusing on how users can move from simple prompt-based interaction to building structured, repeatable AI-driven workflows. Participants explore how AI enables faster prototyping, lowers barriers to entry, and expands who can participate in building technology. Through a hands-on demonstration, attendees learn how to transform raw inputs into meaningful outputs such as summaries, key concepts, and actionable steps. The session emphasizes the importance of clear problem definition, iterative refinement, and critical evaluation when working with AI systems

Excavation Units from Sylvester Manor UMass Boston Archaeological Work, Shelter Island, NY

Excavation units from Sylvester Manor archaeological work (1998-2025). Includes zipped polygon shapefile with outlines of excavation units.https://scholarworks.umb.edu/data/1004/thumbnail.jp

An Empirical Case Study of Substance Abuse Treatment Retention for Black Women in Boston

This research investigates the disproportionate impact of substance use disorders (SUD) on Black women, a population facing critically low treatment retention rates, evidenced by outpatient dropout rates averaging 55%. Despite the efficacy of sustained treatment, Black women consistently underutilize and prematurely exit services compared to other demographics. This study asserts that identifying the drivers behind these disparities requires a shift from traditional public health lenses toward a framework that centers racial oppression, systemic barriers, and cultural obstacles. By integrating Critical Race Theory (CRT), Black Feminist Theory, Social Determinants of Mental Health, and Biopsychosocial Theory, this research explores the impact of racial hierarchy, stigma, and racial disparities as forces that adversely impact the psyche of Black women and directly impact SUD treatment retention of Black women. The study seeks to answer three core questions: What is the nature, and what are the drivers of these retention disparities? Through what mechanisms do these disparities transpire in behavioral health? And what specific gaps exist between current treatment models and the needs of Black women? Utilizing an empirical case study design in the greater Boston area, the research triangulates primary data from semi-structured interviews with Black women in treatment, service providers, and healthcare practitioners, to include a critical analysis of outpatient policy and practice documents. By analyzing this data through a CRT and Black feminist perspective, the study aims to uncover the root causes of healthcare inequities and provide actionable insights into the biopsychosocial barriers that impede recovery for Black women in Boston

Politics, Catharsis, and Football: The Brazilian National Team as a Symbolic Device of Nationhood

This article examines the growing entanglement between football, political conflict, and national identity in contemporary Brazil, focusing on the Brazilian National Football Team as a highly charged national symbol. Rather than assuming a direct causal link between sporting success and political outcomes, the paper explores how football has become a space where political meanings and public emotions are constantly reinterpreted and disputed. The discussion revisits the changing political meanings attached to the national team over the last decade. Particular attention is given to the perceived relationship between football performance and electoral cycles, the politicization of the yellow jersey, the use of World Cups in governmental communication, the symbolic repercussions of landmark defeats, especially the 7-1 loss in 2014, and the recent decline in the team’s public prestige. This shift is significant. By approaching football as a cultural arena shaped by affect, memory, and media circulation, the article argues that the sport operates less as a determinant of political behaviour and more as a reservoir of shared emotions through which competing interpretations of the nation take form. In this sense, football becomes a disputed symbolic field where belonging, legitimacy, and national narratives are continually renegotiated. Overall, the article contributes to Global South sport studies by showing how national symbols are reworked in contexts marked by political polarization, expanding media environments and institutional instability. Publication note/transparency statement This article is a corrected version of the paper originally published on February 2, 2026, “Politics, Catharsis, and Football: The Brazilian National Team as a Symbolic Device of Nationhood.” It introduces no new empirical or theoretical content; revisions are limited to correcting and standardizing citations and references to ensure accuracy and appropriate attribution.   Artificial Intelligence Statement This manuscript was originally written by the author in Portuguese and subsequently translated and language-edited with the assistance of AI-based tools to improve clarity and grammar. All ideas, analyses, interpretations, and references are the sole responsibility of the author

Datums and Benchmarks from Sylvester Manor UMass Boston Archaeological Work, Shelter Island, NY

Datums from Sylvester Manor Archaeological work (2019-2026).  Includes zipped shapefile of points and complementary csv, that includes the site areas for each datum.https://scholarworks.umb.edu/data/1003/thumbnail.jp

Shovel Test Pits from Sylvester Manor UMass Boston Archaeological Work, Shelter Island, NY

Shovel test pits (STPs) from Sylvester Manor archaeological work (1998-2025). STPs were excavated as 50cm-x-50cm squares and sometimes expanded into larger excavations. These points typically represent the southwest corner of test pits but not always. See shapefile metadata for more information. Includes zipped point shapefile with points each representing one corner of a STP.https://scholarworks.umb.edu/data/1006/thumbnail.jp