About the Cambridge Women’s Commission
News and Events
Upcoming and Recent Events
2012
15th Annual International Women’s Day Breakfast
March 8 7:30–9:30am Simmons College, Linda K. Paresky Conference Center
Women and Words, a quarterly series hosted by the Cambridge Women’s Commission
March 1 7–8:30pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor, Cambridge
Jaclyn Friedman will discuss her new book What You Really Really Want: The Smart Girl’s Shame-Free Guide to Sex & Safety
The Status of Immigrant Women and their Families in Cambridge: A Report from the Immigrant Women’s Roundtable and the Cambridge Women’s Commission.
February 9 9:30am–12pm Cambridge College, 80 Prospect St., Cambridge
Sponsored by the Community Engagement Team. RSVP to Jbaily@challiance.org
2011
Shine The Light On It: The Truth as We See It – A dialogue about systemic issues faced by the African American Community in Cambridge
December 8 9:30am–12pm Cambridge College, 80 Prospect St., Cambridge
Women and Words, a new quarterly series hosted by the Cambridge Women’s Commission
December 1 7–8:30pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor, Cambridge
Wendy Sanford and Ayesha Chatterjee from Our Bodies, Ourselves will lead a discussion about the collective’s impact on women, health education, and advocacy during the last 40 years.
Domestic Violence and Technology
November 22 10am Sullivan Chambers of the Cambridge City Hall at 795 Massachusetts Ave.
Hearing of the Community Health Committee of the City Council: How to use technology to advance domestic violence goals and address perpetrator use.
UNSAFE at Home: A Strategy Summit on Domestic Violence in Cambridge
October 11 7:30am–12:30pm Harvard Kennedy School of Government
Chair of the Cambridge City Council’s Community Health Committee, Councilor Marjorie C. Decker, is convening this discussion to advance community prevention and intervention, learn about community prevention initiatives that work, and to help create an action agenda for a safer community.
Domestic Violence Vigil
October 5 5:30pm–6pm on the steps of Cambridge City Hall, 795 Mass Ave.
Our vigil commemorates and honors the lives of those lost to domestic violence this year in Massachusetts.
fufu & oreos
September 30 6:30pm Jill Brown-Rhone Park, 900 Main St. Cambridge
Come see this semi-autobiographical, semi-improvised one-woman show that stages the journey of Nigerian-American performer/writer Obehi Janice as she reflects on depression, identity, and faith with irreverent humor and moving testimony. www.fufuandoreos.com/
High Risk Team Conference
September 22 8:30am–5pm Newton Marriott, Newton, MA
A free educational opportunity, information sharing & networking for existing teams and those exploring this model for their communities. More information
Women’s Equality Day
August 26 11am–12noon Swan Boats Pavilion, Boston Public Garden
Celebrating the 91st anniversary of women’s right to vote and the release of Boston Women’s Heritage Trail’s HerStory Map. More information: www.mass.gov/ago/womensequality
Feminism and Dessert: The Role of Women in the Arab Spring
June 2 7pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Cambridge
with Dr. Fatemeh Haghighatjoo, former member of the Iranian Parliament
Feminism and Dessert is a monthly community discussion group that meets the first Thursday of every month to take up a different feminist issue with an invited guest speaker.
5th Grade Girls Sports Day
June 1 (Rain date June 2) Danehy Park, Cambridge
Volunteers needed! Contact the Women’s Commission at 617.349.4697 if you’re interested.
Feminism and Dessert: Relationships Snooki-Style: What does a “healthy relationship” mean to teen girls today?
May 5 7pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Cambridge
Discussion led by Alexandra Detjens, Cambridge Violence Prevention Coordinator
Promtacular
May 4th 6:30–8pm, May 5th 3–4:30pm Cambridge Public Library Community Room
Through the lens of Prom, Promtacular concentrates on helping girls learn about positive self-image and positive self-regard. The program is open to CRLS girls. RSVP required.
National Dialogue on Workplace Flexibility: Challenges and Solutions in Educational Institutions
May 4 8:30am–12:30pm Sheraton Commander Hotel, 16 Garden Street, Cambridge
Registration required.
Little Black Topsy and the Magical White Fairy Soap
April 25 and 26 7pm Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave
An original play challenging myths of race and gender written and performed by Cori Spencer. Suggested donation of $5–$15, All proceeds benefit the YWCA Cambridge
Supporting Girls: Gender Sensitivity Training
April 12 9:30am–12pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Cambridge, 2nd Floor Conference Room
www.allianceforgirlsservices.org or call 617.876.5214
Feminism and Dessert: A discussion in honor of Equal Pay Day
April 7 7pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Cambridge
with Jacqueline Cooke, US Dept of Labor – Women’s Bureau Region One
Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women Public Hearing on Women’s Issues
March 23 4–7pm Boston City Hall, Piemonte Room, 5th floor
Let us know about issues that are important to you, your children, your family, and your community.
Malalai Joya and Noam Chomsky: The Case for Withdrawal from Afghanistan
March 25 5:30–8:30pm Harvard University, Radcliffe Quadrangle, SOCH Building, 59 Shepard St., Cambridge
Malalai Joya is the author of A Woman Among Warlords: The Extraordinary Story of a Woman Who Dared Raise Her Voice
Cambridge Women’s Heritage Project International Women’s Day
March 8 6:30pm Cambridge Library
Film screening and discussion with Award-Winning Boston Feminist Filmmaker Liane Brandon
The 14th Annual International Women’s Day Breakfast
March 8 7:30–9:30am Simmons College, Linda K. Paresky Conference Center
Unequal Treatment Under the Law: Women in the Criminal Justice System. Suggested donation of $6 at the door.
Left on Pearl
March 6 2pm–4pm Brattle Theater, Harvard Square, Cambridge
The long awaited Fine Cut Premier of Left on Pearl, a documentary film about a significant but largely hidden chapter in Second Wave feminist history that happened right here!
Engaging Fathers in Youth and Family Programs
March 3 9:30am–12pm Cambridge College, 1000 Mass Ave. Cambridge
Feminism and Dessert: Pioneers of Feminism in Afghanistan: The Faces Behind the Afghan Midwives Association
March 3 7pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
With Meghann McNiff, consultant to the Afghan Midwives Association
Feminism and Dessert: The Racial and Gendered Political Landscape of MA
February 3 7pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
With speaker Professor Teri Fair of Suffolk University
2010
Domestic Violence and Ethiopian, Haitian, and South Asian Communities
December 9 9:45am–12noon Cambridge College, 1000 Massachusetts Ave.
Come learn from a panel of community members and from each other. Presented by the Cambridge’s Community Engagement Team.
Domestic Violence Vigil
October 6 5:30–6pm on the steps of Cambridge City Hall, 795 Mass Ave.
Our vigil commemorates and honors the lives of those lost to domestic violence this year in Massachusetts.
Feminism and Dessert: The Institutionalization of Birth
September 2 7:00pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
Featuring Tina Cassidy, author of Birth: The Surprising History of How We Are Born
Feminism and Dessert: How the New Health Care Bill Will Affect Women’s Reproductive Health
June 3 7:00pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
13th Annual 5th Grade Girls’ Sports Day
June 2 8:30am Danehy Park
Margaret Fuller’s 200th Birthday Celebration
May 23 Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House
View from a Grain of Sand film screening and discussion
May 17 6.30pm Cambridge Public Library
Journey through the last 30 years of Afghanistan’s history as lived by three Afghan women
Why Does Margaret Fuller Matter Today? A Neighborhood Conversation
May 15 2:00pm Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House
Feminism and Dessert: Food, Farming, and Feminism
May 6 7:00pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
Women’s Place in Organic and Sustainable Agriculture with local farmer Lynda Simkins
Equal Pay Forum
April 15 11:00am State House, Rm 222
In honor of Equal Pay Day, Senator Patricia Jehlen, Representative Alice Wolf and the Commission on the Status of Women will hold a forum featuring former Lieutenant Governor Dr. Evelyn Murphy.
Feminism and Dessert
April 1 7:00pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
International Women’s Day Cambridge
March 8 6:00pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
Women Fighting for Economic and Social Justice, A Celebration of Margaret Fuller’s Legacy
International Women’s Day Breakfast: Women and the Green Economy
March 5 7:30am Simmons College
Feminism and Dessert: Portrayals of Women and Girls in Graffiti
March 4 7:00pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
News
In March 2009, President Obama announced the creation of the White House Council on Women and Girls. The Council will provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and ensure that all agencies across the federal government, not just a few offices, take into account the particular needs and concerns of women and girls. During its first year, the Council will focus on:
- Improving women’s economic security by ensuring that each of the agencies is working to directly improve the economic status of women.
- Working with each agency to ensure that the administration evaluates and develops policies that establish a balance between work and family.
- Working hand-in-hand with the Vice President, the Justice Department’s Office of Violence Against Women and other government officials to find new ways to prevent violence against women, at home and abroad.
- Building healthy families and improving women’s health care.
For more information on the Council, go to White House Council on Women and Girls.
Highlights of Past Events
888 Memorial Drive Celebration
The Cambridge Women’s Heritage Project hosted an International Women’s Day celebration to commemorate the 1971 takeover of a little-used Harvard-owned building at 888 Memorial Drive. Commemorating the events of 38 years ago, the program combined the unveiling of a new Historical Commission-designated property marker (later placed at the site); a screening of Left on Pearl, a documentary about the takeover that highlights this significant but hidden chapter in Second Wave feminist history; as well as personal tributes from women who participated in the takeover; a slide presentation of recent additions to the women’s heritage database; folksongs from Marcia Diehl; and a cello performance by Cynthia Forbes. One of the few such takeovers by women for women, the 1971 occupation led directly to the establishment of the longest continually operating Women’s Center in the U.S., and sparked the development of many other feminist and community organizations in the Boston area and nationally. Today, the Cambridge Women’s Center continues to provide programming to promote social and economic equality and justice for women in Cambridge and beyond.
State Department’s African Women’s Delegation
The Commission convened a panel discussion of professional women, all emerging leaders in their fields, from five African countries: Madagascar, Senegal, Djibouti, Cape Verde, and Burundi. The delegation traveled to the US through the International Visitor Leadership Program, part of the US Department of State. The Commission assembled Cambridge women leaders to discuss issues related to women’s education, and women as agents for change in commercial sectors, specifically initiatives and programs that focused on businesswomen, microfinance, and female entrepreneurs.
Sheltering Sudanese Women
The Commission presented the first US screening of The Promised Land, an award-winning short documentary that examines the rising influx of Sudanese immigrants to Israel. Since 2006, hundreds of Sudanese and Eritrean women and children have crossed into Israel seeking asylum from violence and persecution in their homelands. The women and children’s plight has reached crisis proportions. The film follows the story of Eliza as she describes the torture she experienced in Sudan, crossing to Israel through Egypt, losing her husband, and giving birth to her son, Freedom, at Israel’s first women’s shelter. A discussion with shelter director "Mama Rita" followed the film. If you are interested in having your organization host a screening, please contact us at 617.349.4697.
Lesbians Talk HERstory
Along with MIT and the Women’s Center, the Commission sponsored a forum for older lesbians from diverse race and class backgrounds to share and discuss their experiences in the 60s and 70s with today’s young lesbians to help inform their activism and development.
