Eastern Regional Commission on the Status of Women and Girls

This month, we’re spotlighting our Eastern Regional Commission (ERCSW) which was founded in 2018 with a mission to provide a permanent, effective voice for women and girls in the Boston metro area. Since their initial launch, the commission has been active in the community, listening to their constituents and gathering testimony through community partnerships, surveys, listening sessions, public hearings, and panel discussions – all of which helps guide their legislative advocacy, both locally and on the state level.

Recent Highlights: In 2022, ERCSW hosted a breakfast event in Dorchester to honor the significant work of school nurses during the pandemic. This event brought educators, advocates, legislators, and nurses together to discuss how COVID impacted the healthcare and education of women and girls in the region. In 2023, ERCSW facilitated three virtual listening sessions with two focused on open topics that addressed concerns of women in the region – and the third focused exclusively on Spanish-speaking women and their needs and concerns. In 2024, ERCSW hosted a “Tea with Commissioners” event where they invited several community partners, including the Boston Mayor’s Office of Women’s Advancement, the Brookline Women’s Commission, the Chelsea Women’s Commission, and the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women for a conversation about the needs of women and girls in the Boston metro area. ERCSW also participated as a vendor at the Massachusetts Conference for Women in Boston where they networked with several women in leadership positions.

For more information about the commission: Eastern Regional CSW.

Current ERCSW Commissioners: Linda Champion (Milton), Manya Chylinski (Boston), Tamisha Civil (Stoughton), Amanda Crabb (Quincy), Wanjiku Gachugi (West Roxbury), Rosa Hanks (Chelsea), Connie Henderson (Boston), Gabrielle Jackson (Braintree), Stacy Wilbur (Quincy)

Below Photos:
ERCSW Commissioners attended the Massachusetts Conference for Women in Boston, participating as a vendor and networked with women leaders from across the state. They are joined by former MCSW Chair Dr. Sarah Glenn-Smith.

Above Photos: Eastern Regional CSW Commissioners gathered at the Secretary of State’s Office in Boston to take a group oath of office, welcoming both new and returning commissioners.

ERCSW Commissioners joined members of the Boston Mayor’s Office of Women’s Advancement for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Boston City Hall, celebrating free access to menstrual products.

ERCSW Commissioners invited community partners to a spring “Tea with Commissioners” event where they discussed issues facing women and girls in their region and how they could work together to advocate on their behalf.

Eastern Regional CSW Commissioners gathered for their annual planning meeting where they welcomed new commissioners with an orientation.