NOVEMBER 2026 EDITION

Election season is upon us here in Massachusetts!

Have questions about when or where to cast your ballot? Use the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts' Vote411 tool, a free, nonpartisan source for all the information you'll need to vote, including information on all of the ballot questions. Make sure your voice is heard - vote Tuesday, November 3, 2026!

The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) is committed to improving the lives of women within Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

As we reflect on the years that have passed since the onset of COVID-19, we’re releasing an updated survey to take an updated snapshot of life for women in the Commonwealth 5 years post-pandemic.

Read the new, updated report here (or download below): Impact of COVID-19: Five Years Later (2026 Update)

SAVE THE DATE: The MCSW will be hosting a virtual report briefing on Thursday November 5, 2026 from 12:30PM - 1:30PM.

On October 8th, MCSW Commissioner Kim Shea joined the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators (MCWL) for its annual Breast Cancer Action Month Kickoff at the State House. Held in partnership with The Ellie Fund, the discussion brought together experts in healthcare, cancer support, and community health to address the affordability of breast cancer treatment and the disparities in outcomes that can result from geography and unequal access to care.

The panel examined how the cost of treatment and access to care close to home can lead to unequal outcomes for patients. These are real barriers, and they are ones we can address. Early detection saves lives. Please schedule your screening.

As Breast Cancer Action Month comes to a close, it is important to recognize that the work to raise awareness, improve access to care, and support patients and their families must continue throughout the year. Ensuring that individuals facing a breast cancer diagnosis have access to timely, affordable, and quality care remains an important priority.

Thank you to the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators, the Ellie Fund, and all the panelists for their work to address barriers to care and support those impacted by breast cancer.

In the News

MCSW Seeking Regional Commissioners 

MCSW is seeking candidates to serve on the following Regional Commissions:

• Berkshire CSW
• Cape Cod and the Islands CSW
• Hampshire-Franklin CSW
• Worcester CSW

We always accept applications on a rolling basis for all of our regionals! For more information and to apply: MCSW Regional Commissions.

The MCSW regional commissions are in full swing, hosting community events, preparing surveys, attending local conferences, and setting legislative priorities for the upcoming 195th Legislative Session. As commissioners complete their service, they're also interviewing candidates to fill open seats. Here's a snapshot of what each regional commission has been up to over the past month: 

• The Berkshire County Commission hosted their semiannual self-defense event, with a civic engagement theme at the "Stand Your Ground: Self-Defense Class and Voter Registration" event on October 17 from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM at the Lenox Community Center, led by Commissioner Destiny Easler and her partner. The Berkshire Commission is also looking forward to hosting a menstrual equity event this year in support of the I AM Bill.

• The Bristol County Commission joined the Plymouth County Commission to host “Hidden in Plain Sight: A Human Trafficking Awareness Forum” on October 28, from 6:00 to 8:30 PM at Bristol Community College in Fall River. The forum highlighted the signs of human trafficking to help build a safer community across both Bristol and Plymouth County.

• The Cape Cod & Islands Commission is developing a multilingual resource guide for women, girls, and their families across the region and the islands, including a comprehensive list of resources—from housing to food assistance to youth programs. The Commission also looks forward to onboarding a new intern and to focusing future events on the needs of immigrant women in the coming months.

• The Eastern Regional Commission dedicated its recent efforts to Domestic Violence Awareness Month, focusing on two related legislative priorities—An Act Relative to Controlling and Abusive Litigation and An Act Providing for Safe and Consensual Sensitive Examinations. It continues its partnership with the Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition to draft joint letters to legislators and is beginning to plan an Eastern Regional youth advisory council.

• The Essex County Commission also focused on Domestic Violence Awareness month with their panel “Overcoming Abuse: Stories and Support” on their Facebook Live on October 1 from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM, featuring impactful anecdotes from survivors. They continue to onboard their newest commissioners, discuss their next listening session, and connect with the newest members of their youth advisory council, the Ginsburg Initiative.

• The Hampden County Commission spent the month tabling at various community events and conferences in Springfield, including RiseUp: From Healing to Thriving at the MassMutual Center, October 8; the Girls Volleyball Hall Classic at the American International College, October 11 - 12; and the Massachusetts Health Officers Association Annual Conference at the MassMutual Center, October 28 - 30. They also held their monthly commission meeting at the OneHolyoke Community Flats Building on October 20 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM to encourage public outreach.

• The Hampshire-Franklin Commission is working on team connection and planning for the year ahead. They are focused on community outreach, planning listening sessions, and shaping legislative priorities for the upcoming 195th Session.

• The MetroWest Commission formally welcomed their intern for the semester, Maggie Lee, a Natick High School junior and two-year member of the commission’s youth advisory council, the Athena Council. They also held their “The Infrastructure of Motherhood: Maternal Health in MetroWest” event on October 20 from 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM at the Framingham Public Library to discuss the various stages of motherhood, featuring State Senator Becca Rausch as a guest panelist.

• The Plymouth County Commission joined the Bristol County Commission to host “Hidden in Plain Sight: A Human Trafficking Awareness Forum” on October 28, from 6:00 to 8:30 PM at Bristol Community College in Fall River. The forum highlighted the signs of human trafficking to help build a safer community across both Bristol and Plymouth County.

• The Upper Middlesex Commission is translating their women and girls’ community survey into the region’s most widely spoken languages. They're also developing a Future Women Leaders project for its official debut on International Women’s Day 2027 and planning a listening session with the Somerville Women's Commission.

• The Worcester County Commission eagerly anticipates rescheduling their Legislative Breakfast at the YWCA of Central Mass in Worcester. They are also launching a community survey this fiscal year and are excited to interview new applicants committed to supporting women and girls in the Commonwealth. 

The Berkshire County Commission held their community event "Stand Your Ground: Self-Defense Class and Voter Registration" on October 17 from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM at the Lenox Community Center. They celebrated the empowering combination of self-preservation and civic engagement ahead of MA general election.

The MetroWest Commission held their community forum “The Infrastructure of Motherhood: Maternal Health in MetroWest” on October 20 from 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM at the Framingham Public Library. The event included robust discussions of the various stages of motherhood, from prenatal to perinatal to postnatal, and the policies and systems that can support mothers, children, and families.

The Bristol County Commission and the Plymouth County Commission held their joint event forum, “Hidden in Plain Sight: A Human Trafficking Awareness Forum,” on October 28, 6:00 PM-8:30 PM at Bristol Community College in Fall River. Attendees learned about grooming techniques, warning signs, prevention strategies, and resources available to help those at risk to create safer communities.

The Massachusetts Bridge to Prosperity statewide pilot, led by Springfield WORKS, is a three-year initiative designed to address the benefits cliff—a barrier that penalizes income growth by abruptly reducing public assistance. The program offers direct financial support and personalized career coaching to empower families to transition off public benefits and into living-wage careers.

The program offers direct cash support ($300, $500, or $700 a month) and personalized financial and career coaching for two years to empower families to reduce their dependence on public benefits and advance into living-wage careers. Participants also receive a $10,000 transformational bonus at the end of the program.

They are currently recruiting eligible workers. The attached flyer includes a QR code that applicants can scan to fill out a short interest form, which can also be found here. Share this flyer and opportunity with your networks!

Change is Prompted by Data

The MA Department of Public Health’s (DPH) has released their new Community Health and Equity Survey (CHES)! Take the survey today. Your experiences and ideas will help guide decisions about programs and resources in your community. The survey is available in 11 languages, easy to take, and anonymous.

All responses are completely anonymous, and any questions you feel uncomfortable answering within the survey can be skipped. This survey is meant to be an informative tool to guide policy and practice in Massachusetts. The survey will be open through November of this year - add your voice and share your lived experiences to impact public policy.

The Community Health Equity Survey will help communities improve conditions that impact health, particularly those most impacted by health inequities. The survey was developed in collaboration with community members and partners across Massachusetts, and it reflects what residents want to know about how their communities experience housing, mental health, safety, and other drivers of health.

The MA Department of Public Health and partners will use CHES data to spend funding, improve programming, and develop policies that address health inequities.

Here are other ways you can help: 

• Send the link to family, friends and colleagues in Massachusetts 
• Promote the survey on organizational email lists 
• Post about the survey on social media to spread awareness
• Post flyers about the survey in places where the community goes

MassNow has a College Campus Organizer leading their Feminist Campus Network and looking for young people to join. The Feminist Campus Network hosts meetings every other Sunday from 5-6 PM to help develop and actualize your ideas for feminist action on your campus! Questions? Email: ainsley@massnow.org.

Join us at any of our FY27 monthly committee meetings!

Legislative & Public Policy Committee:

First Tuesday of every month, 5:30pm - 6:30pm

Program & Planning Committee:

Second Tuesday of every month, 4:30pm - 5:30pm

Finance Committee:

Second Wednesday of every month, 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Full Commission Meeting:

Fourth Tuesday of every month, 4:30pm - 6:00pm

MCSW State Commissioners

Christine Monska, Auburndale

MCSW Chairwoman

Tanisha Arena, Springfield

MCSW Vice-Chairwoman

Finance Committee Vice-Chair

Audrey Hall, Framingham

MCSW Treasurer

Divya Chaturvedi, Wilmington

MCSW Secretary

Allison Goldberg, Marblehead

Legislative and Public Policy Committee Chair

Dr. Kimberly Shea, Winchendon

Program and Planning Committee Chairwoman



Mary-dith Tuitt, Boston

Immediate Past Chairwoman

Giselle Byrd, Boston

Program and Planning Committee Secretary

Whitney Dodds, Worcester

Program and Planning Committee Vice-Chair

Guimel DeCarvalho, Natick

Legislative and Public Policy Committee Secretary

Melissa Ferretti, Buzzards Bay

Natascha George, Boston

Finance Committee Secretary

Shela Levante, Pittsfield

Fundraising Committee Chairwoman

Dr. Aisha Miller, Mattapan

Lise OIney, Wellesley

Heather Panahi, Wellesley

Legislative and Public Policy Committee Vice-Chair

Dr. Candace E. Pérez, Lynn

Dr. Dhardon Sharling, Amherst

Dr. Emily Wilson, Plymouth

The Office of Economic Empowerment - Economic Empowerment for Women

The Office of Economic Empowerment provides several programs geared toward women of the Commonwealth, covering financial literacy, wage equality, and more.

Under Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, the Office of Economic Empowerment (OEE) focuses on creating and implementing programs and initiatives that give women the tools to succeed at home and in the workplace. They provide quality workshops and opportunities for women to learn strategies for financial success and free resources.

Mass 2-1-1: This online directory is an information resource for emergency food, rent, help to pay your heating and utility bills, mental health counseling, health programs, public health and safety services, child care referrals, job resources, and other help for individuals' parents, and families.

Massachusetts Girls in Trades was launched in 2015 by a partnership of educational, governmental and union organizations with a shared goal of supporting and encouraging female career and technical education students and alumnae to pursue careers in the building trades. Directory of Joint Apprenticeship Training Centers in Massachusetts.

Find LGBTQ Youth Resources: A comprehensive list of LGBTQ resources for youth throughout the state of Massachusetts, updated frequently, from our partners at Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth.

Resources for Immigrants in Massachusetts: The Attorney General’s Office recognizes the value of our diverse communities and serves all Massachusetts residents, regardless of immigration status. Learn more about the rights afforded to immigrants under state law and resources available to immigrant communities.

Local Women’s Commissions

There are currently 11 local Women’s Commissions that represent various cities and towns in the Commonwealth. While these Commissions are independent of MCSW, the Commission serves as a resource and partner for local commissions:

1. Boston Mayor's Office of Women's Advancement (MOWA)
2. Brockton Mayor’s Commission on Women’s Issues
3. Brookline Commission for Women
4. Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women
5. Chelsea Women's Commission
6. Lynn City Council's Women & Gender Equity Committee
7. Melrose Commission on Women
8. Newton Commission on the Status of Women
9. Somerville Commission for Women
10. Springfield Women's Commission
11. City of Worcester Advisory Committee on the Status of Women