Holiday Greetings from the MCSW Chairwoman
Dear Colleagues:
SARAH GLENN-SMITH
It’s hard to believe the end of the year is already upon us. As the Chairwoman of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, it brings me great joy to celebrate such a momentous year alongside all of you. While there is still much uncertainty, inequity, and discrimination in the world, I draw hope from our work to change the lives of women and girls in the Commonwealth for the better.
As proud lesbian woman, it meant a great deal to me to make an unambiguous stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community against violence. In addition, my wife and daughter are Deaf, and I am so appreciative that the MCSW has made a commitment to ensure that all of our public hearings and events are accessible in American Sign Language and other language accommodations. I am proud to be a part of an organization that champions inclusion.
Here are some more of my favorite highlights from 2022:
We grew – together. This year, we hired Shaitia Spruell in June as our new permanent Executive Director, who has forged a path to set up MCSW for success for years to come. The MCSW team has grown. This growth has enabled us to reach deeper into our community, host additional events, launch exciting programming that elevates women and girls, and more.
We re-engaged with our community. The pandemic continues to have lingering impacts on how we connect with one another, but I am so proud of how the women that represent the MCSW have adapted. We hosted our first in-person public hearings in more than two years, that spanned from Provincetown to Pittsfield, to solicit real input from real women facing real problems. We’ve also been actively rebuilding our Berkshire Commission and other regional commissions that are deeply feeling the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We were excited to celebrate the Commonwealth Heroines luncheon together in-person for the first time in many years!
We made history. The election of Governor-Elect Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Elect Kim Driscoll, made Massachusetts the first state in the nation to have two women in the corner office. We are also incredibly proud that Andrea Campbell was elected as the first Black Attorney General in the Commonwealth. Our policy work continues to be at the heart of everything we do, and we look forward to working with the transition team, and welcoming in this historic leadership to the Massachusetts Statehouse.
We passed crucial legislation. H.4554, or The CROWN Act, was officially signed into law on July 26, 2022, banning discrimination based on natural hairstyles within schools and the workplace. A new bill to end all marriages under age 18 (H.1478) was signed into law, making Massachusetts the 7th state to end child marriage. Working in coalition with people and organizations committed to the mission of advancing women and girls is a highlight of our work, and we are gearing up for new legislative priorities based on your input and feedback in the 193rd Legislative Session of the Massachusetts General Court which will begin January 3, 2023.
Planning for the future. Together, we honor our history and celebrate all that is still to come. Be sure to save the date for our 25th anniversary celebration, it would be an honor to celebrate this historic milestone alongside all of you. Stay tuned for additional details and information.
Happy Holidays and best wishes for a Happy New Year,
Dr. Sarah Glenn-Smith
MCSW Chairwoman