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UMass Center for Justice, Law, and Societies is hosting an opening reception for a photo exhibition on November 10 at the Colombian Consulate in New York City. The exhibition features work by Colombian migrants who participated in a six month photovoice research project co-led by graduate student Luz Maria Sanchez Duque, with administrative support from CJLS director and Associate Professor Jamie Rowen. This event is supported by Humanity United and the Colombian Victims Unit. The project aims to increase solidarity among Colombian migrants living in the United States, to serve as a form of symbolic reparation, and to build dialogue between Colombian migrants and the Colombian and U.S. governments.

Signe Predmore, PhD Student was an invited panelist at this year's Civil Society Policy Forum at the IMF Annual Meetings. She took part in a panel convened by the Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI) and the Bretton Woods Project to discuss the topic, "Implications of financial deepening for inequality and its impact on gender, poverty and marginalization." The panel recording (scroll to Oct 14 recordings) is now available here.

Paul Musgrave, Assistant Professor of Political Science says “The classroom is between a community of adults who are learning together, I want to work with the people who are in my class, and I want to hear from them if there’s problems.” If parents do intervene, “I never judge a student by what their parents do,” Musgrave says. “The secret is you’ve got to keep the relationship in terms of you as a faculty member and the students. That is actually the secret to everything.” ( US News & World Report, 11/2/22)

Numerous media outlets cover the results of recent UMass Amherst and UMass Amherst / WCVB Polls, including the latest results released Oct. 31 that show Gov. Charlie Baker leaving office with a 68% approval rating. Additionally, comments by Tatishe Nteta, director of the poll, were aired in Boston news radio segments about Baker’s approval and voters’ views of the nation and state’s economic prospects, while poll associate director Raymond La Raja was interviewed on local television about views on Ballot Question 1, commonly known as the “Fair Share Amendment” or “Millionaire’s Tax.” Jesse Rhodes, associate director of the poll, is also quoted in an article focused on the possibility of President Joe Biden’s impeachment if Republicans take control of Congress following the election. (Globe , MassLiveWGBH Radio BostonWGBH Radio Boston, 11/1/22; WCVB TV BostonBoston.comWestern Mass NewsMassLiveBoston PatchWGBH Radio BostonWTAG Radio WorcesterDeseret News [Utah], MSN.com , 10/31/22; News Office releases)

There is coverage of a recent UMass/WCVB poll finding that a majority of Massachusetts voters are concerned about winter heating bills. The poll found 84% of voters are somewhat or very concerned about the increase in heating bills, while 4% are not concerned. ( Breitbart, 11/1/22; News Office release)

There is additional reporting on UMass/WCVB polling related to Massachusetts ballot Question 4. A bare majority of the poll’s respondents (51%) support the measure, which would keep in place the Work and Family Mobility act that allows for undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses and learner’s permits. ( WGBH, 11/2/22; News Office release )

A story on Attorney General Maura Healey’s and Republican opponent Geoff Diehl’s recent fundraising success mentions a recent UMass/WCVB poll finding that Healey maintains a substantial lead over Diehl, 61% to 33%. While Diehl also had the best fundraising month to date in October, his cash on hand is about one-tenth of Healey’s at $115,251, according to campaign finance reports. ( MassLiveABC-TV Providence, 11/1/22; News Office release)

A story on New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu endorsing Anthony Amore for Massachusetts auditor mentions a recent UMass/WCVB poll finding Amore trailing Diana Dizoglio by 17 percentage points. (MassLive , New Hampshire Union Leader, 11/1/22; News Office release)

Ray La Raja, Professor of Political Science and Associate Director of the UMass Poll, is quoted in a news article about the results of a new UMass Poll that examined fears of potential violence at the polls during the upcoming midterm elections. “Obviously, if people don’t think it’s fair, they’re going to get angry,” La Raja says, referring to the poll’s findings that a majority of Republicans were “not very confident” or “not at all confident” that the results would be fair if their own party lost, and that nearly half of all respondents said they were either concerned or very concerned about the possibility of violence associated with the 2022 midterm elections. “It’s possible some of them might be inclined to violence. It’s crucial how close the election is and how the candidate behaves.” ( Newsweek, MSN.com, 10/29/22; News Office release).

A 2021 study by Jesse Rhodes, Political Science Professor and Associate Director of the UMass Poll, which found that same-day voter registration yielded a 2%-17% higher Black and Latino voter turnout compared with states without same-day voter registration, is cited in an opinion piece about efforts to define Islamophobia and to establish same-day voter registration in New Jersey. ( The Newark Star-Ledger, 10/28/21; News Office release)

A new UMass/WCVB poll finds Massachusetts voter support for at least two questions on the ballot. The poll found that 59% of voters said they plan to vote Yes on Question 1, the so-called “millionaire’s tax.” The poll also found that Question 2, a measure to create new dental insurance regulations, is likely to pass, with 68% saying they planned to vote yes. Voters are split on Question 3, which would adjust the number of liquor licenses that any one retailer could own or control across the state, as well as on Question 4, a referendum on a new law opening access to driver's licenses for all residents regardless of legal status. ( WCVB, 10/28/22; News Office release)

Raymond La Raja, political science and associate director of the UMass Poll, is quoted in a story about Democrats trying to hold on to their majorities in the House and Senate after the midterm elections. The president’s unpopularity creates an even more challenging environment, the article states. “Approval numbers help you gain power within the beltway, people are less willing to screw with you if you have high approval numbers,” La Raja says. “People want to get on the bandwagon when they think you're a popular president, they're more likely to negotiate with you so within governing itself, it matters.” (WCHS-TV [Charleston, W.V.], 10/27/22)

A new UMass/WCVB poll finds Democratic candidate for governor and Attorney General Maura Healey maintaining a large lead over her Republican opponent, Geoff Diehl. The poll, conducted after the final debate between the two candidates, found that 61% said they would definitely support Healey or were leaning in her direction, while Diehl has the support of 33% of those polled. ( WCVB, 10/28/22; News Office release)

A UMass poll finding that a majority of voters oppose impeachment of President Joe Biden is mentioned in a New York Times story about Republican Party leaders beginning to equivocate about the issue in the leadup to election day. “Pressed recently on whether Mr. Biden or any officials in his administration deserved to be impeached, [minority leader Kevin McCarthy] said, ‘I don’t see it before me right now,’” the article states. “The response reflected an awareness that impeachment — as commonplace as it has become — is deeply unpopular. A national University of Massachusetts Amherst poll released in May showed that 66% of voters oppose impeachment, including 44% who said they strongly oppose the move.” ( NY Times,10/28/22; News Office release)

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