March 3, 2023:
This past Wednesday, March 1, marked the beginning of Women’s History Month. During this month we honor the women who fought for the right to vote and who went up against powerful men to win elected office. It is a time when we pay tribute to the Black women who trekked through the South during the civil rights movement to fight for a more equal America.
While we use this month to honor the women who have driven positive, forward-thinking change in America, we also recognize that the movement is far from over. In government and politics, women remain sorely underrepresented. They hold only 28% of seats in congress and 24% of governorships. They make up just 33% of state legislators and 26% of mayors. So this month, we aim to not only lift up those who have driven positive, forward-thinking change in the past, but those that are driving change right now.
The first change-maker we would like to lift up is our own Executive Director, Cheryl Clyburn Crawford. For more than a decade, Cheryl has worked tirelessly to make democracy in Massachusetts more equitable and accessible, especially for those traditionally underrepresented, like Black and brown, low-income, and immigrant communities. She has helped ensure the passage of critical voting reforms, including permanent mail-in voting, automatic voter registration and online voter registration. She is also a member of the Attorney General’s Advisory Council on Racial Justice and Equity. Thank you, Cheryl! Keep an eye out for the history-making women we will highlight throughout the month.
