Dear Caucus Members, Colleagues, and Partners,

The season invites reflection—and with it, a profound sense of gratitude for each of you.

We are grateful for our members whose leadership and dedication drive the Caucus’s mission, for our legislative colleagues who champion our strategic priorities, for House and Senate leadership and Committee Chairs whose stewardship moves our legislative priorities forward, and for our partner organizations whose collaboration amplifies the needs and voices of women and girls across Massachusetts.

We are also profoundly grateful to all veterans, especially to Senator Lydia Edwards and Representative Shirley Arriaga, for their exemplary military service and steadfast leadership.

At this point, every one of our legislative priorities and endorsed bills has received a hearing, with many advancing to secondary committees and two already earning a chamber’s vote. We are especially proud that S.2546, An Act to Increase Access to Disposable Menstrual Products, and S.2641, An Act Relative to Menstrual Product Ingredient Disclosure, passed the Massachusetts Senate unanimously!

As always, we welcome your ideas, feedback, and partnership—please don’t hesitate to connect with our Executive Director, Seble Alemu.

Sincerely,
Senator Robyn Kennedy & Representative Christine Barber 
MCWL Co-Chairs  

At the start of each legislative session, the Caucus undertakes a rigorous process to identify strategic and legislative priorities that will guide our work throughout the session. This month, we submitted a comprehensive letter of support for all priority bills before the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, along with testimony for each endorsed bill that recently received a hearing.

You can explore all written testimonies for our priority legislations and track real-time updates and progress on our full slate of endorsed bills here.

We encourage you to contact your legislators and/or submit letters to the appropriate committees to help advance these critical issues.

Both the Menstrual Equity Coalition and the Parity on Boards Coalition have developed streamlined action forms and templates to support your advocacy.

Throughout this anniversary year, the Caucus has hosted a series of programs designed to spark reflection, foster community, and honor the 243 women who have served in the Massachusetts Legislature. Through events, storytelling, and social media spotlights, we have celebrated the remarkable legacy that brought us to this 50-year milestone. We are grateful for your engagement every step of the way.

Events Coming Up

• The Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women is hosting Women Made Visible —a live theater experience that brings personal stories to the stage and creates space for visibility, connection, and belonging. Join them on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 6 PM at Central Square Theater.

• The Annual Massachusetts Conference for Women will be held on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

• MassNOW invites you to join their Menstrual Equity Summit on Saturday, December 6, 2025, themed Myth-Busting Menstruation: From Stigma to Systems Change. Hear from activists leading the movement to end period poverty and take action for menstrual equity.

• Join the Boston Women’s Workforce Council for its 11th annual Effective Practices Conference on Wednesday, December 10, from 8:45–11:30 AM, where the latest findings from the 2025 Gender and Racial Wage Gap Report will be released. The program will feature remarks from Mayor Michelle Wu, a keynote address by Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones, and a panel discussion on what this year’s data means for employers—along with breakfast and networking.

• The State Library of Massachusetts will host an author talk with Paul Collins, author of Supreme Bias: Gender and Race in U.S. Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings, on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at 12:00 PM in the State Library at the State House.

• Approximately 1.4 million adults in Massachusetts are caregivers, and 60% of them are women. Their unpaid care—valued at $15.1 billion annually—carries a significant economic impact, while many face job disruptions, financial strain, and health challenges. November marked National Caregiver Awareness Month and the Second Annual Massachusetts Caregiver Coalition Convening in the State House.

• The Caucus recognized Native American Heritage Month by raising awareness about the persistent pay disparities facing Native American women—gaps that have lifelong consequences for economic mobility, financial security, and overall well-being.

• We celebrate the expansion of resources for veterans and their families in Massachusetts. Last session, Governor Maura Healey signed the HERO Act—one of the most comprehensive veterans’ bills in state history. With more than 30 provisions, it strengthens support for hundreds of thousands of veterans, including nearly 30,000 women veterans and thousands of LGBTQ+ veterans.

• During National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, we highlighted how food and housing insecurity affect women and communities. We believe that when women have greater financial security, food insecurity and housing instability decline, benefiting families and communities statewide.

Senator Jo Comerford and Representative Brandy Fluker-Reid were honored with the Policy Trailblazer Champion Awards by the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and the Massachusetts Caregiver Coalition.

Representative Michelle Badger received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.