Happy September! This month, our newly elected #MCSW Chairwoman @christinemonska looks forward to all that FY27 has in store, while centering the needs and insights of women and girls across the Commonwealth at the heart of everything we do. Read this month`s featured guest piece in the September 2026 edition of the #MCSWMonthly newsletter!

Read the full featured guest piece via our website or at: https://masscsw.org/2026/09/08/centering-what-matters-most/

Today is Primary Election Day in Massachusetts. Polls are open 7am – 8pm across the Commonwealth today. Your voice matters — make it count!

Find your polling place here: http://www.wheredoivotema.com/
Nonpartisan voter information: https://www.vote411.org/massachusetts

The MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women @metrowestcsw celebrated the work of their youth advisory group, the Athena Council, discussed achievements from FY26, and elected new MWCSW officers at their Wellesley retreat at Barton Community Room this summer. Congratulations and best wishes for another great year ahead! #TeamMCSW

In 1973, Congresswoman Bella Abzug, one of just 16 women serving in the U.S. House of Representatives at the time, championed legislation designating August 26 as Women’s Equality Day, commemorating the certification of the 19th Amendment and women’s constitutional right to vote.

Women’s Equality Day honors the generations of women who endured opposition, sacrifice, and hardship in the long fight for the vote. It ensures that their courage, persistence, and determination—and the history of the movement they built—are remembered and recognized.

It is also a reminder that the pursuit of equality did not end with the 19th Amendment. Women’s Equality Day calls us to reflect on the progress that has been made and the work that remains to achieve full equality, including the ongoing effort to secure recognition of the Equal Rights Amendment. #ERAnow #womensequalityday #suffrage

Do you live in Hampshire or Franklin Counties? Are you interested in becoming a Commissioner with the @hampshirefranklincommission on the Status of Women and Girls? The HFCSW, one of 11 regional commissions of the MA Women’s Commission, is currently seeking applicants for volunteer commissioner positions. Commissioners work to advance the status of women and girls throughout by engaging with local communities through public events and hearings that advocate for legislative priorities and more. Are you interested or know someone who would be a great fit? Apply via link in bio – or share widely with your audiences, colleagues, and friends! #TeamMCSW

Hey Massachusetts! The deadline to register to vote is THIS SATURDAY, August 22, 2026, and it marks the start of early voting in our state for the primaries. Check or update your voter registration via the Secretary of State`s office, mail in your ballot, vote early 8/22-8/28, or vote on Election Day 9/1 – but just be sure you vote!

Use this checklist to make sure you’re ready:
✅ Register to vote: www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr
✅ Decide how you’ll vote: www.vote411.org
✅ Find your polling place: www.wheredoIvotema.com
✅ VOTE!

At a time when workers are struggling to get by, the federal government should be using every tool available to make sure we can identify and address discrimination that reduces job opportunities and results in lower pay.

Instead, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or the EEOC, is trying to eliminate workforce demographic data collection, known as the EEO-1, that has long been used to identify workplace discrimination and enforce the law. Without this crucial data, disparities in pay, promotions, and hiring become harder to identify and easier to ignore. We use this data right here in Massachusetts to ensure equal pay and equal representation for all.

Head to @equalrightsadv link in bio to take action and submit a comment of your own (follow them if you aren`t already!)