The following is a press release.
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FRAMINGHAM – Join The MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women, State Senate President Karen Spilka, and Representatives Maria Robinson, Jack Lewis and Carmine Gentile for an informative discussion around Breaking the Cycle of Shame – A Reproductive Justice Forum from Adolescence to Adulthood on February 25 in the Costin Room at the Framingham Main Library, 49 Lexington Street from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
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We are hearing every day about the challenges women are facing related to their rights. At this event we will help to explain these challenges while focusing on what we, as individuals can do to combat these attempts to limit our rights. We hope attendees will leave this event feeling empowered and engaged to raise their voices on issues that are critically important to not just women, but everyone who seeks justice and equality for all.
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Focusing on Massachusetts while acknowledging the national issues, our distinguished panelists include Brandon Adams, Framingham State University student and board member of the Dept. of Education’s Safe and Supportive School’s Commission; Mehreen Butt, Associate Director of Policy and Government Affairs for Planned Parenthood; Kim Comatas, lead teacher at Partners in Sex Education; Lisa MacDonald, Director of Equity Compliance at MassBay Community College and Title IX Coordinator/Affirmative Action Officer; and Kate Sanetra-Butler, Founder and Executive Director of Dignity Matters.
All of these panelists bring a wealth of information on these topics, as well as experience as activists fighting to protect our rights.
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“Women face a myriad of obstacles and challenges to their reproductive health from middle school years to middle age and beyond. Regardless of race, economic status, sexual orientation or gender identity/gender expression, every woman faces these attempts to restrict her rights. As we see our rights to make decisions about our own bodies being challenged, we as women need to make sure our voices are heard. Our hope for this forum is to give attendees actionable information and tools to do just that” says Heather Panahi, Chair of the MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women.
Bring your passion, your questions, and your concerns to this event and walk away feeling empowered. We will be supplying all attendees with postcards to fill out to legislators telling them why you support these bills and urging them to vote in favor of passage. We will collect and mail these postcards to our representatives, making a strong statement about the force of our voices and our will.
We are asking attendees to please bring a donation of feminine products which we will donate to Dignity Matters.
Join us for an opportunity to learn more about topics that can impact all of us. We encourage you to be part of this important event.
This meeting is open to people of all ages and this is a free event. We do ask that you RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/breaking-the-cycle-of-shame-a-reproductive-justice-forum-tickets-92786337433?aff=erelexpmlt.
The MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women was enacted by law and established on January 8, 2015, to give voice to all women in the MetroWest region of Massachusetts. We strive to provide a permanent,
effective voice for the women living and working in the region. We work at the local level to raise awareness and advocate for issues affecting women in the 28 communities we represent (Ashland, Bellingham, Dover,
Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Maynard, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Natick, Needham, Norfolk, Northborough, Norwood, Sherborn, Southborough, Stow, Sudbury, Walpole, Wayland, Wellesley, Westborough, Weston, and Wrentham).
MetroWest Medical Center