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Vol. 54 iSSUE 29 www.umassmedia.com the massUMass Boston’s independentmedia student newspaper May 10, 2021 Vigil and rally held for 16-year old Mikayla Miller as community searches for answers regarding her death By Abigail Basile News Editor On Thursday, May 6, a vigil was held for 16-year-old Mikayla Miller, a Black, LGBTQIA+ identifying girl from Hopkinton, Massachusetts. The vigil also served as a rally for those who believe not enough investigation has been conducted regarding Miller’s cause of death. Hundreds of supporters showed up to the Hopkinton Town Green, right by the Boston Marathon starting line. Supporters held signs reading “Justice for Mikayla,” and many brought flowers. Mikayla Miller’s mother, Calvina Strothers, gave an emotional speech to the crowd at the rally. She said she and her daughter were “two peas in a pod,” and criticized the lack of transparency from the Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan. “Due to the lack of urgency for some, I’ve had to not only be the grieving mother, but also put pressure on the DA, Marian Ryan, who I did not hear from until twelve days after Mikayla’s death,” said Strothers at the rally. “I don’t want to be a vigilante in this,” continued Strothers. “I don’t want to have to spend all day on the phone getting and passing along evidence in order for justice to be served. What I want is for the criminal justice system to work.” The rally was organized by Monica Cannon-Grant—the founder of Violence in Boston—and former Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson, both of whom spoke at the rally as well. “Imagine she [Mikayla] was white and five Black kids beat her up one night and the next morning she was found dead,” said Jackson, according to CNN. “Now open your eyes, open your eyes, and see the truth that we know—that if Mikayla was a young, white girl, we wouldn’t be here two and a half weeks after.” On April 18, Miller was found dead, hanging from a tree in a wooded area near the apartment Photograph of Mikayla Miller. Photo downloaded from WCVB. Continued on page 3 Voter bills in Texas and Florida restrict voter rights and accessibility By Sara Zakaria News Writer Two voting bills introduced or more. Voting booths would be counties with a population of at least would need to share information on in Texas will impose severe barred from opening for 24 hours. one million use a formula for the the voter, specifically why a voter restrictions on voting rights and Drive-thru voting will be distribution of polling places based requires the assistance, regardless procedures if passed, following the prohibited, as early voting would on voter registration. This could of the reason. Partisan poll watchers passage of a similar bill in Florida. have to take place inside a building. decrease the number of polling would be offered protection from The first bill, Senate Bill Drive-thru voting was a tactic places in districts represented by the bill by its outlining of criminal Seven, contains various limits on used by Harris County in the 2020 Democrats, which tend to be areas liability for election workers in voting hours. The bill would set a general election and a 2020 summer with a higher number of voters of their treatment of the poll watchers. 12-hour cap on early voting hours runoff. It became popular in Harris color. The bill would also ban local The House Elections in the last week of early voting, County, with one in 10 early election officials from sending Committee voted to replace Senate inside the window of 6 a.m to 9 voters (who did not vote by mail) applications for mail-in ballots to Bill Seven’s language with that of p.m. Counties with 30,000 or more used drive-thru voting to vote. It voters, regardless if they qualify House Bill Six. The two chambers residents have to operate for at is estimated by some democrats for it. would have to see which bill and least 12 hours in the last week of that more than half of drive-thru The second bill, House Bill which restrictions would be put on a early voting, a change from the voters were Black, Latino, or Asian Six, also includes restrictions on final version and signed into law by Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott current law, which specifies that American. the distribution of mail-in voting Gov. Greg Abbott. Abbott signaled speaks in 2018. Photo courtesy of the population has to be 100,000 The law would mandate that applications. Voter assistants support for the voting legislation. LBJ Library on Flickr. Continued on page 4 Massachusetts mask and COVID business regulations relaxed By Abigail Basile News Editor On April 27, Massachusetts Governor Masks are now only required in public, In the Baker administration’s highlighting that the state remains first in the Charlie Baker announced his plans to lift outdoor spaces if social distancing is announcement of the lift, the administration nation for “first vaccine doses and total doses the outdoor mask mandate and laid out a impossible, and “at other times required by explains that the reasons for the outdoor administered per capita, among states with reopening plan for businesses. sector-specific guidance,” according to new mask mandate lift and for other reopenings more than 5 million people.” The announcement came on the same Massachusetts guidelines. is the fact that public health metrics have Despite the lift on the outdoor mask day that the CDC announced that individuals With the elimination of the mandate consistently continued to “trend in a mandate, masks will still be required outside who are vaccinated do not need to wear a also comes the removal of the $300 outdoor positive direction.” These trends are based in two towns in Massachusetts. mask while doing outdoor activities alone, or mask enforcement fine. Still, masks are on the average number of daily reported Brookline and Salem have decided to when in small groups. required in all indoor public spaces, and are COVID cases and hospitalizations. The ignore the lift on the outdoor mask mandate On Friday, April 30, the lift on the recommended for private gatherings between announcement also included commendation and continue on with requiring masks in outdoor mask mandate went into effect. people from different households. for Massachusetts’ work in vaccinations, outdoor spaces. The towns are not expected Continued on page 4 www.umassmedia.com News 3 Vigil and rally held for 16-year old Mikayla Miller as community searches for answers regarding her death Abigail Basile been engaged in a confrontation “Instead of actually getting after Miller’s death occurred. At autopsy, independent of the DA’s News Editor between her and five other proof, they [the authorities] the Tuesday press conference, office. Ryan claims that there is no teenagers, who were white and Googled the nUMass Bostoner Ryan discussed her office’s use of cover-up occurring regarding the complex in which she lived. Latino. Two of the teenagers of steps from my home to the video footage, witness statements, investigation, and called Miller’s Community members have taken physically attacked her, giving her location where she was found, and E-Z Pass records, and cellphone death an “unspeakable tragedy” to social media to call the death a a bloody lip. used that as their proof on national records to confirm that none of the in her press conference. She lynching followed by a subsequent About two and a half hours television,” said Strothers. “What teenagers involved in the fight with emphasized that the investigation police cover-up. after the fight took place, it was we know is that Mikayla’s phone Miller were with her in the woods was still ongoing. Originally, police told Strothers alleged that data from Miller’s was not activated, and therefore [it later that night. There are currently Miller was a sophomore at that the death was a suicide, and phone indicated that she walked is] nearly impossible to track her no pending charges against the Hopkinton High, where she played the Middlesex County District roughly 1,300 steps—about the exact steps between 9 and 10 p.m., teenagers involved in the fight. basketball and was an honors Attorney’s office dubbed the same distance between Miller’s which was confirmed by me from Miller’s family and other student. She wanted to study death “non-suspicious.” However, residence and the location where Apple.” activists from the community journalism at a historically Black Strothers and many members of the she was found dead the next day. Ryan’s office did not release are calling for an independent college, and her mother had been community question the accuracy However, a statement made by information surrounding Miller’s investigation. Cannon-Grant has planning college visits for the of these initial claims. Strothers in her speech at the rally death publicly until Tuesday, stated that Violence in Boston summer. The night before, Miller had contradicts this claim. May 4—more than two weeks would be conducting its own MASSPIRG’s year of virtual organizing: See what they’ve accomplished MASSPIRG Students MASSPIRG kicked off the elections. Oftentimes, college heightened during the pandemic from private lenders. Right now, Contributing Writers semester by recruiting hundreds students are voting for the first and the economic crisis in the past they need Congress to take bold, New Voters Project: of students on campus to join time or are living in different places year. There’s a heightened interest bipartisan action to make life- Increasing youth voter turnout their team.

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