I moved to Massachusetts a few years ago from Ireland. I love it here. But I have a lot of questions about how things work, politically speaking. Not in a partisan way — I don't have a party, I don't have a side, and I genuinely couldn't tell you who to vote for. I'm just someone who keeps running into things that make me go: hold on, why is it like that?
Then, while I was pulling all of this together, this news dropped: The Society of Professional Journalists just named Massachusetts the recipient of its 2026 Black Hole Award — an annual dishonor for the government entity that best demonstrates "a troubling lack of transparency and disregard for the public's right to know." The governor's office, the legislature, and the judiciary are all largely exempt from public records requirements. Massachusetts is one of the only states in the country where that's still the case.
I didn't plan the timing. But it does feel like a bit of a sign.
Also, this week is Local News Day, a day to highlight the importance of local news and information, which is pretty important in these times.
So this blog is just me trying to make sense of how Massachusetts works. Each post starts with a question. I'll do the research, cite my sources, and try to explain what I find in plain language. It's just me asking the questions I want answers to, and writing down what I learn.
-Emma