From doorknobs to limited edition hot dog-themed Red Sox hats, Brookline’s gift economy is thriving, helping residents furnish their apartments and even adopt aquatic pets. Buy Nothing—-a global movement started in 2013 by two friends, Rebecca Rockefeller and Liesel Clark, in Bainbridge Island, Washington, to reduce waste—-encourages 7.5 million participants internationally to offer and ask… Continue reading In ‘Buy Nothing’ Facebook groups, Brookline’s gift economy thrives
Category: People
‘The lost glove is happy’: A front yard lost-and-found exhibition added to the whimsy of Griggs Park
The willow trees in Griggs Park make for a whimsical neighborhood in Brookline, but a short walk up Griggs Road led visitors to another slice of magic among the trees this past spring. Dozens of lost mittens, gloves, and even an odd shoe or sock intermingled with vines and branches as they hung on clothes… Continue reading ‘The lost glove is happy’: A front yard lost-and-found exhibition added to the whimsy of Griggs Park
Pennsylvania musician tracks down the headstone of America’s first female hit songwriter – in a Brookline shed
Zach King was on an unusual mission when he came to Brookline in January. The Pennsylvania musician was looking for traces of an oft-forgotten American music legend. There were no Billboard Top 100 lists or streaming services to propel music artists fame in the 1800s. But Marion Dix Sullivan managed to become the first female… Continue reading Pennsylvania musician tracks down the headstone of America’s first female hit songwriter – in a Brookline shed
Food, art and community feature at Brookline’s second annual Eid Fair
On a rainy Saturday afternoon, the smell of kebabs and samosas wafted through the air outside town hall. At Brookline’s second annual Eid Fair, locals and out-of-town visitors celebrated Eid al-Adha—-the holiday marking the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca—with traditional food, music and Islamic art. Brookline Muslim Friends hosted the festival, officially sponsored… Continue reading Food, art and community feature at Brookline’s second annual Eid Fair
Photos: ‘No Kings’ in Brookline as hundreds rally against Trump in Coolidge Corner
Hundreds of people took to Coolidge Corner on Saturday as part of a “No Kings” protest, joining millions across the country in thousands of similar rallies intended as a counter to President Donald Trump’s military parade in Washington, D.C. Holding signs and chanting and cheering, the crowd in Coolidge Corner numbered in the high hundreds… Continue reading Photos: ‘No Kings’ in Brookline as hundreds rally against Trump in Coolidge Corner
‘You don’t give up’: In new book, Brookline gym owner John Carter recounts injury, incarceration, recovery and redemption
John Carter was shot in the head, left in a coma for 99 days and told he’d never walk again. Yet on Wednesday night he stood tall – steady, smiling and surrounded by people who came to support him. “I had a choice – go back to the life I knew, or take the left… Continue reading ‘You don’t give up’: In new book, Brookline gym owner John Carter recounts injury, incarceration, recovery and redemption
Brookline storytellers speak from the Coolidge Corner Theatre stage to mark second anniversary of Brookline.News
Six Brookline storytellers came to the main stage during Stories Live at the Coolidge Corner Theatre on Wednesday, May 21 to help celebrate the two-year anniversary of Brookline.News. This was also the second year for Stories Live, which was programmed by Iris Adler (a Brookline.News board member) and co-chaired by local volunteers Lucy Chie and… Continue reading Brookline storytellers speak from the Coolidge Corner Theatre stage to mark second anniversary of Brookline.News
AAPI students share their ‘superpowers’ in tenth annual essay contest
For nine years, the Brookline Asian American Family Network essay contest asked “What does it mean to be Asian American?” This year, co-chairs Susan Park and Giles Li asked a new question of the young writers. They wanted to know the gifts — or “superpowers” — students learn as Asian Americans. Brookline high schoolers read… Continue reading AAPI students share their ‘superpowers’ in tenth annual essay contest
Healing through ink: Brookline tattoo artist specializes in gender-affirming and post-cancer care
Darlene DiBona, the owner of a Brookline tattoo parlor that specializes in serving clients undergoing gender-affirming care and breast cancer treatments, says her work is more important now than ever. DiBona is the founder of Odyssey Wellness Tattoo on Harvard Street in Brookline Village, as well as its primary tattoo artist. She is a leading… Continue reading Healing through ink: Brookline tattoo artist specializes in gender-affirming and post-cancer care
Family and friends celebrate Kitty Dukakis at Brookline High memorial service
The family of Katharine “Kitty” Dukakis held a memorial service on Sunday for the long-time Brookline resident, who died March 21 at age 88. In the auditorium at Brookline High School, from where she graduated in 1954, several hundred people gathered to remember Dukakis for her fierce activism and deep love for her family. Rabbi… Continue reading Family and friends celebrate Kitty Dukakis at Brookline High memorial service
A pet sitting scare in Brookline inspired this new picture book
An adorable Yorkie named Pepper trotted around her Brookline apartment. Her mom was out, and her aunt was taking care of her. She played with her toys, got lots of pets and tucked herself under a warm blanket. Unbeknownst to her, panic ensued as her aunt frantically searched for her, worried she was lost and… Continue reading A pet sitting scare in Brookline inspired this new picture book
A 12-year-old Brookline baker serves up sweet treats and raises thousands for charity
When Emerson Harvey turned 11 earlier this year, she knew exactly what dessert she wanted to serve her 15 guests: Cupcakes and a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and colorful decorations. And that’s exactly what she got. The baker behind the creation was 12-year old Tasneem Abdel-Dayem, the owner and creative talent behind Sweet Street… Continue reading A 12-year-old Brookline baker serves up sweet treats and raises thousands for charity
‘The world stopped making sense’: How Trump’s VA cuts uprooted the life and career of a Brookline researcher
Paul Hsieh has lived in Brookline for 30 years. For half of that time, he’s worked for the federal Department of Veterans Affairs as a health sciences specialist on a project collecting genetic data and medical records from a million veterans. His work helped create an unprecedented database which has contributed to hundreds of scientific… Continue reading ‘The world stopped making sense’: How Trump’s VA cuts uprooted the life and career of a Brookline researcher
A tribute to William Dawes, Revere’s lesser-known compatriot, rides through Brookline again
Crowds at Coolidge Corner waited Monday morning for the first batch of marathon runners to pass through. Two blocks away, a smaller group waited instead for the arrival of a man on horseback. They were waiting in the lawn of the colonial-era Edward Devotion House for the annual Patriots’ Day reenactment of the ride of… Continue reading A tribute to William Dawes, Revere’s lesser-known compatriot, rides through Brookline again
Brookline demonstrators fill Coolidge Corner to mark American Revolution anniversary, protest Trump
Brookline residents waved American flags and held signs condemning President Trump’s administration at Coolidge Corner Saturday on the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolution. Brookline PAX, a civil rights and social justice activist group, organized the “Stand Up for Our Constitution!” demonstration. Jon Margolis and Bob Weintraub, who serve on the PAX board,… Continue reading Brookline demonstrators fill Coolidge Corner to mark American Revolution anniversary, protest Trump
Police chief, immigration advocate and civic leader named Brookline’s ‘Women of the Year’
Brookline Police Chief Jennifer Paster, immigration advocate Jessica Chicco and civic leader Anne Meyers were honored Wednesday night as Brookline’s Women of the Year. The annual event – which drew dozens of people to Hunneman Hall in the Brookline Public Library– began with a tribute to former Massachusetts first lady Kitty Dukakis, who lived in… Continue reading Police chief, immigration advocate and civic leader named Brookline’s ‘Women of the Year’
Nearly 40 years later, Brookline’s partnership with Nicaraguan town persists despite modern challenges
As dawn brightens in Quezalguaque, Nicaragua, cows meander through town to pasture. When dusk arrives, the cows return. Decades earlier, a teacher from Brookline gave one cow to the rural Nicaraguan school where she taught. The promise of milk for her young students marked the beginning of a lasting relationship. The two towns, almost four… Continue reading Nearly 40 years later, Brookline’s partnership with Nicaraguan town persists despite modern challenges
Kitty Dukakis, long-time Brookline resident, former Mass. first lady and advocate who fought mental health stigma, dies at 88
Katharine “Kitty” Dukakis, wife of former Massachusetts governor and 1988 Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis and an advocate known for her efforts to destigmatize mental illness and addiction, died on March 21 at the age of 88. The cause of death was complications from dementia, her son John told the New York Times. Vivacious as… Continue reading Kitty Dukakis, long-time Brookline resident, former Mass. first lady and advocate who fought mental health stigma, dies at 88
Group pushes to memorialize Aaron Feuerstein, long-time resident and CEO who put workers first
Aaron Feuerstein died in 2021 a national hero, celebrated for his efforts to support workers when his textile factory burned down in 1995. Now, a group of Brookline residents wants to make sure his legacy is enshrined here, where he lived most of his life. As CEO of Malden Mills, the Lawrence based firm that… Continue reading Group pushes to memorialize Aaron Feuerstein, long-time resident and CEO who put workers first
Faith groups and activists mobilize in Brookline to support immigrant families
Around 100 people gathered last Monday night at First Parish in Brookline to learn about ways they can help immigrants in the Boston area. They filled the first 10 pews in the sanctuary — a room with arched entryways, stained glass windows and vaulted ceilings with exposed wooden rafters. “It’s hard to know where to… Continue reading Faith groups and activists mobilize in Brookline to support immigrant families