Marjorie worked closely with the Alewife neighborhood to ensure community protection from W.R. Grace. In doing so, she filed a first-in-the-nation asbestos notification ordinance.  It requires companies to alert residents when asbestos infected soil protected by the city ordinance is disturbed, all residents within 200 yards have to be notified 60 days prior to the soil disturbance.

Last fall, Marjorie hosted a State of Hunger forum to educate the Cambridge community, and in particular the business community, about the realities of many Cambridge residents who are unable to meet all of their nutritional needs. Marjorie approached Food for Free and the Chamber of Commerce to initiate this forum and explore new ways to build support for Food for Free.

As a City Councilor, Marjorie has chaired the Health and Environment Committee, as well as the Obesity and Fitness Subcommittee, working to improve services for those battling obesity. She developed a “Healthy Living Cambridge” campaign to address obesity and access to affordable, healthy foods.

Marjorie convened a meeting of interested individuals last winter to discuss organizing Cambridge’s first triathlon. The scenic atmosphere of the Charles River and the picturesque neighborhoods of Cambridge provide an appealing environment for such an event, which will help the city continually promote a healthy lifestyle that includes both responsible eating and exercise. With the event scheduled for next May, she is securing sponsorship rights for the first annual Cambridge Charles River Challenge. She is helping to develop partnerships with the YMCA and YWCA in an effort to promote both organizations to the broader community in order to offer classes on nutrition and fitness training. This will be an event for families, comprising smaller race activities for children. Marjorie is currently working with EMS, the Boston Athletic Association and several other non-profit organizations to promote health and fitness. Subsequent meetings have involved the Health Alliance and the city’s Department of Human Services.

Marjorie has proposed a healthy home cooking show with Cambridge residents to be aired on Cambridge City Television. It would have guest chefs who would cook with Cambridge residents incorporating recipes for healthy living using ingredients most people have in their homes.

Here are a few things that she has been working on:

As the chair of the Veterans Committee, Marjorie initiated a collaboration between the Cambridge Health Alliance, Veterans’ Services, and the VA hospital to improve and expand health services to veterans and their families.

Marjorie stopped Governor Romney from cutting assistance to veterans’ spouses.

Marjorie has opposed the Iraq war and is working with Veterans for Peace and Iraq veterans’ families. Marjorie continues to honor those American soldiers killed in Iraq by reading their names at weekly City Council meetings.

Marjorie is the city’s representative on Mayors for Peace, traveling around the world to represent Cambridge on issues of both local and global importance. She knows that local government is not only the citizens’ most direct link to government, but that it also is comprised of the individuals who will be the first to respond if local citizens are ever under attack.