- Local grassroots mobilization led by immigrant Latina residents thwarts efforts to bring in pot stores to the north shore city.
On what a week ago looked like a «done deal» to bring in recreational marijuana stores into Revere has morphed into a major victory for local residents who worked relentless to collect more than 2,100 signatures in less than a week to present to the Revere city councilors in an effort to halt the political process in its track.
On Monday night, the Revere City Council voted to place «on file» a motion to repeal an act banning recreational marijuana establishments in Revere.
In essence, this completely stops the process to bring the pots store into the city, as it means the council takes no action on the repeal. The council can choose to revisit and or entertain future motions at another date, but it seems highly unlikely for any elected official to fight that battle after what transpired this week.
«We are happy with this victory tonight as we proved to ourselves and others that when you make your voice be heard and when you participate in the system, elected officials can be forced to listen and act. We were able to successfully change the direction of a city council that wanted to approve marijuana stores and we have at least stopped that process for the moment», explained Olga Tacure, a Revere resident and native of Perú.
Tacure was part of a lighting fast mobilization effort that included many heads of Latino families in the city who are usually silent on local issues.
«This was historic and impactful and 100% worth the effort», added Viviana Catana-Merino, who was born in Colombia but is a mother and long-time Revere resident.
«We showed the community that when we rally together it can have amazing results. This was a great example of empowering a group of people that usually is left out of the political process», added Catana-Merino, who also reminded that «we need to stay informed so that this issue does not come up again».
People of all ages packed the Revere City Council chamber on Monday night, with a clear majority being Latino residents. They held signs, wore shirts and kept collecting signatures right up to the 6pm city council meeting start time.
«This is incredible, we have never seen this kind of engagement from the Latino residents. It is truly an unprecedented moment and one that has opened a lot of eyes around the city», said one city official present outside the chambers.
What began as a phone call to request an appearance on «La Hora del Café» to create awareness a little over a week ago has grown into an event that had cameras from Univision, Telemundo Boston, NBC 10 and WCVB NewsCenter 5 covering the decisive meeting Monday night in Revere.
