Table Of Content

C UH Hl'y^- ot- 7() 1 1 * • UMASS/AMHERST GOVERMEMT DOCUMENTS COLLECTION WOMEN University of IVIassachusetts Depository Copy Connecting for Change: Results of Mass the Action for Women Audit A Collaboration between Mass Action for Women and the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy Report issued November 2, 2001 Massachusetts State House Boston, Massachusetts This report was prepared by Carol Hardy-Fanta Project Director, Mass Action forWomen Auditand Director, Center forWomen in Politics & Public Policy University ofMassachusetts Boston with the special assistance of Shelly Harter Senior ResearchAssistant Mass Action forWomen Audit Connecting for Change and the Mass Action for Women Audit reflectthe contributions ofinnumerable women in Massachusetts- for a more complete acknowledgment oftheircontributions, please refer to the Acknowledgments section on p. 12. Some ofthe women who deserve special thanks include: Carol Cardozo, Research Associate, Center forWomen & in Politics Public Policy Marie-Therese (Tess) Browne, Statewide Organizing Coordinator Dora Gutierrez and Hilandia Neuta-Rendon, Greater Boston Diane Palladino, Jeannette Rodriguez, and ThelmaG. Scott, Mass Action West Anne-Marie Quammie-Alleyne, Anne Foxx and Leona Bombaci, Cape Cod Pamela Pollock, TammyCanastra-Callahan, and ArmandaAndre, Southeastern Mass Priscilla A. Golding, Samantha Overton-Bussell, Loretta For additional copies or more Williams, Diane Hammer, andJoan Arches, Audit Project Committee members information: Lisa M. Brabo, Karen MacDonald, and Adrienne Lazaroff, Research Assistants, Center forWomen in ConnectingforChange: Results ofthe & MassActionfor Women Audit is available Politics Public Policy Susan Roosevelt Weld, DessimaWilliams, Laurie in avariety offormats. To obtain acopy: Robinson, Nancy Ryan, Marie Turley, Debbie VWiWsiwt.tmhaewp.roujmebct.'esduwetbosistcreolalt through Clarke, and Jacqueline Cooke forall their support of the project over the past years. the project's materials and/or to download acopy. The Mass Action for Women Audit was made possible You may also request aCD with the through grants from the Charles Stewart Mott entire report formatted for reprinting Foundation. The Boston Foundation, and the Cisco by contacting Mass Action lor Women Foundation. .Additional support was provided by the at (617) 521-2482. John VV. McCormack In.stitute and the Mauricio Gaston To contact the Center for Women in Institute at the University ofMassachusetts Boston,as Politics and Public Policy atUMass well as through the generous donations from women Boston, please call (617) 287-5541. fromaround the Commonwealth. MA S S Action for WOMEN UMASS BOSTON onnecting for Change: Results of Women Au A Collaboration between Mass Action for Women and the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy Report issued November 2, 2001 Massachusetts State House Boston, Massachusetts Connecting for Change: MASS! ?A Action fori Results of the Mass Action for Women Audit WO MEM UMASS BOSTON Background The Mass Action for Women Audit has been a coliaboratioii between Mass Action for Women and the Center for Women in PoHtics and Public Policy at UMass Boston. * The Audit was a statewide organizing and participatory action research project that: Was inspired by the 1995 United Nations Conference on Women in Beijing, • Celebrated women's accomplishments, and Promoted dialogue and collective action across race/ethnicity, class, and other barriers. Regional Women's Action Committees were formed in Greater Boston, the Southeast, three counties in Western Massachusetts, and Cape Cod. A statewide Women's Resource Team provided support and training. For 3 years, women worked together to: Gather iriformation on the health, educational, economic, and political status of women and girls in their cities/towns and regions. Develop and use Interactive Profiles on Women and Girls, Identify and carry out action items for change. Major Findings Women bring many strengths to the table - including compassion, energy, support network/connections, collaboration and striving for diversity - but participants also identified numerous gaps and concerns. The major findings from the project include: » Women have made strides in several areas in Massachusetts, including a new awareness ofand response to domestic violence; the Family Leave initiative; and new career opportunities. Girls, too. have advanced, for example, by creating their own annual Girls' Conference in Boston and Circles for Change on the Cape. • Common themes cited by women across the state included the following gaps and concerns - some ofwhich are not often seen as "women's issues," but have a direct impact on women's lives: • Inadequate transportation Lack ofaffordable housing Limited access to health care Language and geographical barriers between women The need for networks of support for both women and girls Effects of racism and lack ofcultural awareness « Issues cited by girls included peer pressure, pressure toward sexuality, negative images in the media, lack ofhealth education, stressors at school, and isolation and identity issues. A ^ major aim ofthe project was to identify gaps and concerns at the local and regional levels. Some ofthe regional themes included: • In the West, women cited lack ofopportunity in education; employment needs and financial security in economics; alcohol/drug treatment in health; and educatingjudges and policymakers about domestic violence and children inpolitical empowerment. In the Southeast, women noted a low number ofEnglish as a Second Language programs in education; the lack ofday care for shift work and after school programs in economics; limited cancer care in health; and a low number ofwomen voting in political empowerment. • On Cape Cod, limited special needs funding was noted in education; financial security and the seasonal economy in economics; elevated risks ofbreast cancer in health; and environmental issues inpolitical empowerment. In Greater Boston, women cited limitedjob training opportunities in education; employment needs and day care in economics; asthma and lead poisoning in health; and few women in political office inpolitical empowerment. Legislative Priorities From the "listening" the Audit did, several priorities have emerged that legislators and policymakers should address: • improved traiisportatioii networks, especially in isolated or rural areas; transportation that allows women easier access tojobs and day care; i Increase the number ofaffordable housing units; low and moderate income women and their families face tremendous obstacles in obtaining safe, affordable housing; Create moreJol> opportunities/training for low income women, those on public assistance and high school students not going on to college; Victims ofdomestic violence need more safe havens and resources to regain control over their lives, especially in view ofthe trauma that their children suffer when exposed to violence. The Department ofTransitional Assistance should be encouraged to give more waivers to public assistance clients who have been victims ofdomestic violence; • More substance abuse treatment slots specifically targeting women, especially so that women can keep their children while in a treatment program. The criminaljustice system should respond to addiction with treatment not incarceration; Establishment of more local women's commissions in Massachusetts so that the voices ofwomen and girls are heard in a formal way and so policymakers will listen carefully to their concerns and issues. For More information Visit our website at wv^^w.maw.umb.edu. * Contact Mass Action for Women at (617) 521-2482 to request a copy of Connectingfor Change: Results ofthe MassActionfor Women Audit. Contact the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Boston by calling (617) 287-5541. Table of Contents Highlights Introduction 1 Timehne and Context 2 Overview and Background 3 MAW History of 3 Collaboration with Center for Women in PoHtics & Public Pohcy 4 Broader Collaborations and Acknowledgments 4 Structure and Methods 7 Organization ofReport 8 Organizing Efforts Locally and Statewide 9 Introducing Mass Action West 10 Introducing Mass Action Southeast 17 Introducing Mass Action Greater Boston 23 Mass Action on Cape Cod and in Central Mass 28 The Women's Resource Team 32 Girls in Action! 33 Statewide Efforts 34 Sisters Carry On! 34 Results 35 Affirming Strengths and Accomphshments ofWomen and Girls 36 Putting Strengths into Action 42 Concerns and Gaps 51 Tables: Concerns and Gaps in the West 55 Concerns and Gaps in the Southeast 56 Concerns and Gaps on the Cape 57 Concerns and Gaps in Greater Boston 58 Cross-cutting Concerns/Gaps in Massachusetts 59 Cross-cutting Concerns/Gaps for Girls in Massachusetts 61 Plans for Action 63 Resources Profiles on Women and Girls Organizations Identified by Participants Annotated Bibliography ofReports, Data, Infoimation by and for Women and Girls Digitized by the Internet Archive 2015 in https://archive.org/details/connectingforchaOOhard (