LWVMA is pleased to announce the fourth program in its “Democracy: What Does It Mean in Everyday Life?” series, Indirect Taxation without Representation: A Conversation About Tariffs, facilitated by LWVMA Board Member Erica Rachel Andrews, featuring panelists State Senator Adam Gomez and Professor Kent Jones, and produced and recorded by NewTV (date TBD).  

The panel will discuss how tariffs impact democracy at the local, state, and national levels, and examine the roles of the U.S. Constitution, Congress, and the legal system in shaping tariff policy. Read more on the LWVMA website. 

Panelists

• State Senator Adam Gomez: State Senator Adam Gomez (D-Springfield) is a life long native of western Massachusetts. He is a proud Boricua, a father of three, a former small business owner, and a tireless advocate for Veterans and Black and Latino communities. He is also the first Latino from the Hampden District to serve in the Massachusetts Senate.

  His personal beliefs and experiences have driven his years of advocacy work for social justice issues such as criminal justice reform, immigrant rights, education issues, and civil rights. He has served as a member of various boards for local organizations in his District, many of which directly serve the Latino community. Prior to becoming a Senator he served as a Springfield City Councilor. Read more here. 

• Kent Jones: Kent Jones is Professor Emeritus of Economics at Babson College, having received his PhD in international economics from the Graduate Institute HEID at the University of Geneva, Switzerland.  He is the author of several books on trade policy and the World Trade Organization, most recently Populism and Trade.  In addition to his faculty positions he also served as a staff economist at the U.S. International Trade Commission and as a senior economist at the U.S. State Department.

Facilitator

• Erica Rachel Andrews: Erica Rachel Andrews is a passionate community organizer and nonprofit leader based in Springfield, Massachusetts. She currently serves as an At-Large Councilor and Treasurer on the McKnight Neighborhood Council. She is also the Co-Founder and President of https://springfield.community, a grassroots digital equity nonprofit focused on closing the technology access gap in Springfield. Across all her roles, Erica is committed to digital inclusion, grassroots empowerment, and building a more connected, equitable future. Erica is a Board Director for the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts and a local member of the Northampton Area League of Women Voters.