Bristol County Commission on the Status of Women

This month, we’re spotlighting our Bristol County Commission on the Status of Women (BCCSW), which was founded in 2008 with a mission to provide a permanent, effective voice for women and girls in Bristol County. Since their initial launch, BCCSW has maintained a strong relationship with their state legislators, advocating for regional priorities – and continues to create significant relationships with community partners across Bristol County.

Recent Highlights

In 2022-2023, BCCSW held a legislative networking event in Taunton to introduce new Bristol County CSW Commissioners to state legislators and local elected officials, and to discuss advocacy efforts for their regional priorities. BCCSW also held a series of community listening sessions in Taunton, New Bedford, and Fall River. Bristol County Commissioners attended the state commission’s hearing in Dartmouth in November 2023 where they spoke about the needs of women in the county and highlighted their legislative priorities.

In 2024, BCCSW hosted a women’s history event in Taunton, highlighting the achievements of several prominent women of color in the county. They also partnered with Girls Inc. on several girls initiatives in the region and co-hosted a workshop focused on young women in leadership.

In 2025, BCCSW partnered with the Eastern Regional and Plymouth County Commissions to host a black maternal health event in Taunton at Bristol Community College where they featured a screening of the film My Sister’s Keeper, followed by a panel discussion with seven regional experts. BCCSW Commissioners also attended several community events where they networked with regional advocacy partners and discussed their legislative priorities. These partners included the Women’s Fund SouthCoast, YMCA Southcoast, Sacred Birthing Village, Women’s Alliance, and UMass-Dartmouth.

Learn more about the 2025-2026 Legislative Priorities of this region:

Current BCCSW Commissioners

Santita Castellano (Fall River); Nedjine Desruisseaux (Fall River); Sri Lakshmi Gandham (New Bedford); Makenzie Lennington (New Bedford); Millie Sanchez (Taunton); Stephanie Taylor (Taunton); Shavon Tolson (Taunton)

For more information about the commission: Bristol County CSW.

Above:
Bristol County CSW Commissioners join MCSW Commissioners and state legislators at their annual legislative meeting for a discussion of regional priorities.

Above:
Bristol County CSW Commissioners gather after community listening sessions in New Bedford in May 2024 (left) – and in Taunton in June 2024 (right).

Above:
(Left) Bristol County CSW Chair Stephanie Taylor speaks on behalf of the commission at the MCSW public hearing at UMass-Dartmouth in November 2023. (Right) Bristol County CSW Commissioners Millie Sanchez, Stephanie Taylor, and Makenzie Lennington attend a community networking event hosted by UMass-Dartmouth for women leaders in the region.

Above (left): BCCSW Commissioner Millie Sanchez publicly presents the commission’s legislative priorities to local women leaders in Dartmouth.
Above (right): Bristol County CSW Commissioner Shavon Tolson takes the oath of office with a clerk at the Bristol County Courthouse in Taunton.