Charter Review Committee

Dad to Kamen and Felicia, husband to Charlene, working in academic technology at MIT, and passionate about playing trumpet and photography.

My two favorite things about Cambridge are the walkability of the city and sledding down the hill at Danehy Park.

I'm excited to be a part of the charter review committee because I believe in the importance of ensuring that the charter represents the voices and needs of all members of our community, especially those who may not have a platform to speak for themselves.

Jessica De Jesus Acevedo, M.Ed., is the owner of Little Star of Ours family childcare in Cambridge, Massachusetts, established in 2016. She is a third-year doctoral student in the Early Childhood Education and Care Ph.D. program at the University of Massachusetts - Boston. Presently serving on the board of Massachusetts Association for the Education of Young Children (MAAEYC), committee member in Cambridge-Somerville Black Business Network (CSBBN), FuelEd Fellow, and City of Cambridge First Charter Review committee member.

As a Cambridge business owner, I am proud to operate a childcare program and help families thrive. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our business was supported to remain operating and provided with training opportunities to grow. I am proud to be part of the City of Cambridge as an entrepreneur and resident because of our diverse education institution, family roots, and city leadership.

As a Latina resident, I am excited and honored to participate in the charter review committee to ensure that more diversity and inclusivity are embedded in looking at our local issues. As a scholar and practitioner, I look forward to connecting with an array of Cambridge families, residents, and entrepreneurs.

Mosammat Faria Afreen emigrated from Bangladesh when she was four to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she attended elementary and middle school. After attending high school in Boston, Afreen went to Brandeis University where she graduated with a dual BS/MS in Biology and a BS in Neuroscience in 2020. Outside of her work in science, Afreen is particularly interested in housing policy due to the exorbitant rental/housing costs making Cambridge an unsustainable place for its long-term residents to continue living in the city, her experience growing up in public housing, and volunteering with Project Right to Housing, a community organization focused on the needs of the unhoused community and creating social housing in Cambridge.

I enjoy the walkability in Cambridge and the presence of parks in every neighborhood. My favorite place in Cambridge has to be the main Cambridge Public Library.

I'm excited to be a part of the charter review committee because it is the first time in over 80 years that Cambridge's form of government is being reviewed despite the changes in our demographic and needs. I am particularly interested in addressing the power imbalance among the city manager, city council, and community members. Currently, the city manager, who is unelected by community members, controls the budget for all the city departments. This makes it harder for city council members to fulfill their campaign promises and other responsibilities. I want to live in a city where there is more public input and a democratic process involved in creating its $800 million operating budget.

I am a retired architect with a parallel career in public service. I came to Cambridge in 1970 and I thought I had arrived in heaven. Friendly people from all over the world, history everywhere, a palpable civic commitment to equity and justice. My four children reaped the benefits of Cambridge Public Schools and athletic programs. I had the honor of being elected to four terms (1993-2001) on the City Council. Since 2012, I have served as Chair of the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority.

What I particularly love about Cambridge is how easy it is to get around...walking, on the bus or riding the subway. This means that you can always be meeting new people, feeling up close the changes in the seasons, and carefully observing our great urban wildlife.

I am excited to be on the Charter Review Committee. I think it is a rare opportunity to re-imagine a local government for the 21st century which can improve the quality of life for all the people who call Cambridge home.

My name is Niko Bowie, and I’m a professor at Harvard Law School. I’m a historian who teaches and writes about local government law, constitutional law, and democracy. I graduated from CRLS in 2005 and served on the Planning Board from 2018–21.

I love running along the river and riding my bike around the new bike lanes.

I’ve loved growing up and living in Cambridge. I am eager to help ensure that many more generations can afford to do so despite rising home prices and sea levels. I also strongly believe in democracy. I hope that through the charter review process we can imagine a city in which all people feel equally capable of affecting decisions; in which structures of participation are designed to eliminate hierarchies of wealth, homeownership, race, and citizenship; and in which the government is powerful and responsive enough to redress the major problems of inequality and injustice facing our community.

Kevin Chen grew up in Central Massachusetts and has lived in Cambridge since 2017. Kevin now works as an energy and environmental attorney at Foley Hoag LLP. He enjoys listening to and playing music, exploring cities by foot, and learning by eating.

My favorite place in Cambridge is Joan Lorentz Park.

Cambridge is where my grandfather settled upon immigrating to the US, and multiple generations of my family now live in the city, making it an anchoring point in my life. I’m honored to have a role in ensuring that the charter review process is done in a thoughtful and equitable manner so that the charter can serve all members of the Cambridge community for years to come.

My name is Max Clermont and I live in the Cambridgeport neighborhood. I am a Senior Project Lead with Partners In Health - United States. I am an engagement strategist who uses community organizing skills and policy expertise to provide management to health programs, political campaigns and agencies in the public and private sectors. I have deep expertise in the social determinants of health, health inequities, public/private partnerships and the use of measurement and evidence based practices to drive KPIs in numerous sectors.

I’m excited about the opportunity to engage the community in this process and make sure that our charter not only honors our past and present but represents a vision for the future.

Jennifer Gilbert is the Founder and Executive Director of Housing Navigator Massachusetts, Inc. Creating housing opportunities and easing housing access are the connecting threads in Jennifer’s career--from her first job at a Philadelphia homeless shelter to 20 years developing affordable housing and community spaces. She lives in North Cambridge with her husband and senior dog Emmylou.

I am a huge fan of Danehy Park and walk there often. I love that this beautiful space was created from a landfill. I also love the diversity of people you will find on any day sitting at the picnic tables, playing soccer, walking a dog, or sledding (or just rolling) down the hill.

Cambridge is a one-of-a-kind yet many of the things and many of the people making our city special feel vulnerable right now. I am excited about the group that has formed to review the charter and proud to be part of it. Questions of "Who Decides?" and "Who is Included?" are central to our city continuing to be a welcoming place and home