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*The listing below does not include monthly meetings of the Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women.
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.
Stories of friendship with True Story Theater
The Cambridge Women’s Heritage Project hosted True Story Theater (TST) at the Cambridge Senior Center in celebration of International Women’s Day. Participants were asked to share “stories of friendship” from their lives and TST performers created on-the-spot performances — using music, spoken word, dance, movement, and song — to capture the essence, emotions, and sensations of the story teller. TST’s mission is “to strengthen community, building empathy and trust, by performing interactive storytelling theatre and teaching skills of effective communication and improvisation.” Throughout the afternoon, the actors brought smiles, laughter, tears and even moments of grief to audience members. By the end of the performance, the entire room felt bonded — one community woven together through shared experiences of friendship and love.
A Call to Men
In an effort to raise the awareness of community groups, the police department, and youth service providers about the role “well-meaning men” have in ending violence against women and girls, the Commission periodically hosts training workshops led by Tony Porter from A Call To Men.
Cut It Out Cambridge (CIOC)
A collaboration with the Cambridge Public Health Department, the Cut It Out Cambridge initiative trains salon professionals to be able to recognize signs of abuse and to safely refer clients to the appropriate local resources. Research shows that most domestic abuse victims never call the police or go to a shelter. However, they do talk about the abuse with someone they trust. Salon professionals are skilled and experienced listeners. Many women and men suffering from abuse feel comfortable confiding in them. CIOC’s innovative approach—harnessing local small businesses to respond to, and have a positive impact on, the public health crisis of domestic violence—is rooted in a community-based response model. CIOC helps to educate and empower members of the Cambridge community whose involvement in addressing domestic violence has yet to be tapped.
Cut It Out Cambridge PSA
The CIOC pilot trainings were filmed by two local documentary filmmakers, Kim Romano and Hermine Muskat. They used their footage to produce a three-minute public service announcement that aired on local cable stations CCTV and City TV-8. In the pilot project, stylists with deep roots in Cambridge neighborhoods were trained by health professionals to listen non-judgmentally to their clients’ stories and offer appropriate referrals. All five salons involved in the pilot training were familiar with abuse in all its guises and greatly appreciated the information and guidance they received. Viewing the Cut It Out Cambridge video.
Domestic Violence-Free Zone (DVFZ) Core Group member
Under the direction of the City-Wide Violence Prevention Coordinator at the Cambridge Public Health Department, the Core Group worked to produce systemic changes in city policy, guide the projects of the DVFZ, and organize the city’s yearly Domestic Violence Awareness Month activities. Since the passage of a city ordinance in 1994 that defined Cambridge as a Domestic Violence-Free Zone, the Commission served along with other Core Group members including the School Department, the Police Department, the Department of Human Service Programs, and the City Administration.
Domestic Violence-Free Zone (DVFZ)
During the mid-90s the Commission played an early and pivotal role in the City’s formation and declaration as a Domestic Violence-Free Zone. At that time, the initiative recommended that the City view the DVFZ as a community development centerpiece; an economic development centerpiece; a focus of the educational system; a permanent and substantial factor in the development and allocation of affordable housing; a public health standard to be used to measure "quality of life;" and as a critical economic factor affecting the vitality and sustainability of the city. At its core, the DVFZ called the community to rise to the challenge of domestic violence; to plan to build a future that would attain the equality of women, and to support a systematic framework for the healing and recovery of all victims of violence.
Domestic Violence Task Force (DVTF)
For more than 20 years, the Commission’s director chaired monthly meetings of the Domestic Violence Task Force. Comprised of public and private organizational representatives, the DVTF convenes to create alliances, share information and perspectives, confront problem areas, discuss new ideas for public education, and improve intervention and prevention work in the city.
ENGAGE Curriculum
The Commission partnered with the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Organization for Women to create a curriculum, ENGAGE (Empowering the Next Generation of Girls About Gender Equality), for Cambridge youth. ENGAGE’s goal is to provide girls, ages 8–13, with an eight week program to help empower girls to make healthy, informed decisions; to give them the knowledge they need to navigate the sensitive issues they face in their teenage and pre-adolescent years; and to foster an attitude of acceptance and understanding for all people. Topics included are: body image, anti-bullying, media literacy, dating violence, LGBTQ issues, economic equality, girls and sports, and political and community involvement.
Alliance for Girls’ Services – Cambridge
The City of Cambridge has a number of agencies, organizations, and City departments providing a variety of programming for girls and young women. Co-founded with Cambridge Community Services, the Commission provided leadership to a broad-based coalition invested in enhancing the precision, caliber, and impact of programming offered to girls in the city. This locally focused coalition created a network for broadening ideas, increasing knowledge, and developing collaborative efforts. It provided participants with an opportunity to exchange information, share best practices, examine standards, identify gaps, review funding options, as well as consider other common interests and concerns.
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.
Women’s Health Task Force
In existence for close to 20 years and chaired by the Commission’s executive director, the Women’s Health Task Force was established by the Health Policy Board of the City of Cambridge to support existing women’s health projects, particularly the Midwifery Program, and to identify gaps in services for women. Under the authority of the Cambridge Health Alliance and composed of Health Alliance governing board members and administrators, local service providers and community representatives, the task force’s formally stated mission was: "to promote and monitor services for women organized around the needs and values of the woman patient; and to oversee the efforts of the Cambridge Health Alliance to improve the wellness of women, to address the factors that influence the health and well-being of all women in Cambridge and Somerville, and to ensure that services needed by women in the community are available throughout the Alliance." During its many years, the task force advocated for specific health services, educational and prevention programs, and making a health care setting sensitive and welcoming for women and girls of all ages, in addition to promoting the Cambridge Hospital Breast Center, expansion of the Labor and Delivery Suite, and improvement of the reimbursement formula for the Cambridge Birth Center.
Girls’ LEAP (Lifetime Empowerment and Awareness Program)
For more than 10 years the Commission championed Girls’ LEAP, an innovative program for girls that began as a community response to a wave of violence against women in Cambridgeport in the mid-90s. Although now Boston-based, LEAP’s first programs were offered in Cambridge. Identified as a girl-focused self-defense and conflict resolution curriculum, LEAP empowers young women to hone their physical skills, engage their internal self-awareness, empower their own leadership potential, and improve their contact with community leaders. It also brings together young women with older women in their lives in a unique intergenerational approach to defining and actualizing a family- and community-based approach to safety and security.
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.
WomenSpeak
The Commission assisted with the production of two bi-weekly cablecasts on the local access station, CCTV. Tess Ewing, from UMass Boston’s Labor Resource Center, hosted WomenSpeak, a program dealing with women’s workplace issues such as family leave, discrimination, unions, and wage parity; and The Center for New Words, hosted by Jaclyn Friedman, interviewed talented women writers.
Older Women’s League (OWL)
The Commission worked for many years with OWL, a national organization striving to improve the status and quality of life for midlife and older women, to plan programs and forums on issues affecting older women and working on legislative initiatives.
Women2Women
For more than 10 years, the Commission coordinated efforts to hold an annual day of physical, social, and emotional wellness workshops for high school girls attending Cambridge Rindge and Latin School.
Kitchen Table Conversation Project
Originally aimed at women who were losing their welfare benefits, the Kitchen Table Conversation Project became the catalyst for what is now known as ROAD (Reaching Out About Depression). The Kitchen Table Conversations Project provided resources that women actively used to address immediate social, economic, and personal issues; offered support through weekly discussion, mutual problem-solving, and social/cultural activities; engaged women in projects that enhanced their trust in their own experiences and ways of knowing, and helped them to envision, expand, and pursue their own personal and vocational goals; and helped them to identify concrete opportunities for participating in public deliberation and action around social issues.
Reaching Out About Depression (ROAD)
Although now operating as an independent project under the direction of the Cambridge Health Alliance, ROAD was initially developed through the Commission’s Kitchen Table Project (KTP), in which low-income women met weekly to discuss the effect that welfare reform had on their lives and the difficulties they had faced in accessing traditional social service programs. During the KTP discussions, every participant came to identify depression as a significant challenge in her life. Through a community support network that it helped to develop, the ROAD program now assists women experiencing stress or depression with strategies and resources that promote self-empowerment, connectedness, and improved quality of life.
PBHA’s 18th Robert Coles “Call of Service” Lecturer & Award
Friday, November 8 6pm First Parish Church, 3 Church St
Judy Norsigian
Women in STEM
Saturday, October 19 2pm Cambridge Public Library Lecture Hall
Christa Kuljian, author of Our Science, Ourselves: How Gender, Race and Social Movements Shaped the Study of Science. Our Science, Ourselves tells the story of several Cambridge-based women, including Ruth Hubbard, Rita Arditti, Evelyn Fox Keller, Evelynn Hammonds, and Nancy Hopkins, who developed feminist and ani-racist critiques od science in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s.
Women in Business Month: Re-launch of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Network (WEN)
Thursday, October 17 9:30am Althea Restaurant, 2 Columbia Street
The Network welcomes Cambridge women entrepreneurs and business owners from all industries, stages, and backgrounds to connect in a casual and supportive environment. From 2013–2019, the Network met regularly across women-owned businesses and spaces in Cambridge. This event is free and light refreshments will be provided.
Special guest: Neysa Cruceta, Program Manager at Ascendus, who will share information about loans and credit building
Annual Domestic Violence Vigil
Wednesday, October 9 6pm Steps of Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave.
Candlelight vigil for Massachusetts victims of domestic violence
Mapping Feminist Cambridge tours of Central, Inman, and Harvard Squares
September 26 [rescheduled for October 1] 6pm Central Square
October 20 11am Inman Square
October 24 6pm Harvard Square
October 24 7pm Community reception at Commonwealth Wine School
Women & Words! How Historic Women Writers and Readers of Cambridge Changed Books Forever
Wednesday, September 25 7pm City Hall Annex, 2nd Floor, 344 Broadway, Cambridge (watch for possible location update!)
Join us for a conversation with Cambridge author Virginia Pye!
Mapping Feminist Cambridge: Harvard Square walking tour LAUNCH
Thursday, July 25, 6–8pm and Sunday, August 11, 2–4pm
You must register for a walk. Each walk capped at 25 participants. Starting location will be announced to those who register. Contact: Emily Shield, Women’s Commission, eshield@cambridgema.gov. Mapping Feminist Cambridge is excited to launch the newest feminist walking tour of Harvard Square, 1970s–1990s! Each tour spans several organizations and provides context about the movement and its priorities including labor rights, abortion access, racial equity, women in music, film and print, lesbian and bisexual visibility, political collectives, local universities and so much more.
Women & Words!
Wednesday, June 26 7pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Cambridge
Women & Words!, our popular discussion series, ran for well over a decade in Cambridge, 2008–2020. Join us as we revive this lively, community-building program! Learn about the Women’s Commission, meet the members, and share what you think matters most to women and girls in Cambridge. We’ll have light snacks and time for networking.
Women’s History Month Event!
Thursday, March 28 Cambridge Main Library
A discussion with Cambridge Oral Historian Sarah Boyer on her new book on the Daughters of Bilitis.
Women’s History Month Event! Screening of Left on Pearl
Thursday, March 7 6–7:30pm Cambridge Main Library
A screening of the film “Left on Pearl” followed by a moderated discussion with the filmmaker and past and current members of the Cambridge Women’s Center. Women’s History Month at the CPL: “Left on Pearl” Screening and Talkback – Cambridge Public Library Calendar – Cambridge Public Library
Mapping Feminist Cambridge celebrates Women’s Small Business Month!
Sunday, October 8 11am–1pm – Central Square
Thursday, October 12 6–8pm – Inman Square
Come learn about Cambridge’s history of feminist businesses and organizations from the 1970s–1990s.
Cambridge Consent Camp for rising 6th–9th Graders!
July 31–August 3 9:30am–1:30pm Cambridge Main Library
Free and lunch included.
Boston-Area International Women’s Day: Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future
Wednesday, Mar 8 9am Simmons University
Featuring: Grace Sterling Stowell, BAGLY, Patricia Montes, Centro Presente, Elena Serpas , Cambridge Rindge and Latin, Beth Chandler, YW Boston
Cambridge Sports Night for Girlx*
Wednesday, Jan 18 5:30–7pm War Memorial Field House, 1640 Cambridge Street
A fun, free event for families with girlx in grades K–5. A chance for girlx and their families to explore new sports and learn about existing teams in Cambridge.
* Anyone who identifies as a girl or with girlhood.
Cambridge Domestic Violence Vigil
Wednesday, Oct 19 (rain date Oct 26) 5pm Steps of Cambridge City Hall
An Evening Honoring Professor Loretta J. Ross
Friday, Oct 14
Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA) 16th Annual Robert Coles “Call of Service” Lecture and Award. Professor Loretta J. Ross is an award-winning, nationally-recognized expert on racism and racial justice, women’s rights, and human rights. Her work emphasizes the intersectionality of social justice issues and how intersectionality can fuel transformation.
March for Women’s Suffrage
Saturday, Aug 20 12noon from City Hall to Cambridge Common
Councillor Denise Simmons invites all to join and be a part of this historic event! Dress in white! Bring your family, friends and neighbors! Decorate your bikes, wagons, and strollers and join the celebration!
Lecture and Recital: Women Composers in Classical Music
Thursday, May 12 7pm Longy School of Music of Bard College, Edward M. Pickman Concert Hall, 27 Garden Street, Cambridge
An evening of art and music featuring women composers and performers. Art supplies will be provided at the event for the audience to create paintings along with the music, guided by Chroma Collective, an ensemble of Longy students who run arts-based music workshops in Cambridge. A collaboration between Longy’s Space Between Us Festival and the Cambridge Women’s Commission. Free and open to the public.
Unpacking the Shecession; Reimagining a new workforce for a new world
Tuesday, March 8 11:30am–1pm
Over the past two years, women have left the workforce at an unprecedented rate. Women – women of color in particular – often occupy jobs that are labeled “essential” that require them to physically show up to work. Many are also parents with young children at home who need oversight and attention, are the caretakers of aging parents, or shoulder other non-paid, vital non-workplace labor. As a result, in the last quarter of 2021, as many as 1 in 3 women reported considering leaving their job, reducing work hours, or changing jobs. The Shecession has intensified and shed light on longstanding problems – the lack of policies that allow people to balance caregiving responsibilities and work responsibilities, pay inequality, and the outdated, but persistent, view of the expendability of women in the workforce. Now is the moment to reimagine an equitable workforce – What might that look like?
The Immigration Landscape and Supporting Our Immigrant Communities
Thursday, December 9 9:30am–12:00noon on Zoom
A Community Engagement Team (CET) hosted networking event on current immigration issues and up-to-date information for service providers.
Second Careers and Side Gigs – Women in Business at Every Age and Stage
Thursday, October 28 8:30–9:30am Registration is required. Click here to register.
Attend this seminar to hear from women business leaders who have launched a business after leaving a first career or alongside an existing career. This seminar includes a speaker panel of diverse business owners from a range of industries and will include opportunity for small break out rooms to ask questions and engage directly with attendees. Speakers include: Rosi Amador, Amador Bilingual Voiceovers and Sol y Canto; Sarah Dudek, SarahDudekDesign; Elaine Hsieh, EHChocolatier; and more to come! This seminar is free to Cambridge residents and businesses.
Cambridge Domestic Violence Vigil
Wednesday, October 27 6pm Steps of Cambridge City Hall
Mapping Feminist Cambridge: Protecting Our Bodies and Our Lives
Thursday, July 15 6–7:30pm Register in advance for this meeting
A look at the feminist history of Central Square 1970s–1990s, with Women’s Commission researcher Kimm Topping and special guests.
Hate Is a Virus: Confronting Anti-Asian Racism and Misogyny in Cambridge
Friday, June 25 11am–12pm Zoom details to follow
What does it mean to sit at the intersection of anti-Asian racism and gender-based violence in Cambridge, especially as restrictions are lifted and we consider a post-pandemic life? Join us as we explore this question with Cambridge activists, feminists, and other local community members.
This event is co-sponsored by Asian Women for Health, Cambridge Women’s Commission, Cambridge YWCA, Office of Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, BIWOC Gathering Circle
Cambridge’s First Juneteenth Celebration!
Wednesday, June 16 12–4pm (virtual)
Hosted by Employee’s Committee on Diversity
Mapping Feminist Cambridge: Revolutionary Feminist Arts & Communication: How the Word Got Out
Thursday, June 3rd 6–7:30pm Register in advance for this meeting
Mapping Feminist Cambridge: Protest, Community Organizing & Community Space
Thursday, May 20th 6–7:30pm Register in advance for this meeting
Pathways to Justice for Black and Brown Survivors Webinar
Wednesday, May 12 9am–1pm Advanced Registration Required.
Created specifically for DV and SA providers in Cambridge. We will take a hands-on approach, utilizing facilitated small breakout room to explore ways to bring and Anti-Opressive Advocacy model to your work. Free and Open to All DV and SA providers in Cambridge
Screening of the film RBG
Sunday, March 14 and Monday, March 15
Co-sponsored by the Cambridge Women’s Commission, Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, Brattle Theater.
CWC at 50: From Foremothers Forward (A CWC 50th Anniversary Event)
Sunday, March 14 7–8pm
Emergent second wave feminism inspired the 1971 International Women’s Day demonstration in Boston. The surprise ending of the march led to the 10-day takeover of a Harvard building and the founding of the Cambridge Women’s Center. At its core, CWC continues to serve as an activist organizing community and an innovation hub for women from all walks of life. For almost 50 years, Judy Norris, a leading foremother and the Center’s current Board President, has been the heart and soul of CWC. Join us in honoring Judy Norris and celebrating the radical legacy of the Cambridge Women’s Center.
Women’s History Trivia, Lamplighter Brewing (a CWC 50th Anniversary Event)
Thursday, March 11 7:30–9:30pm
Gather a team for a virtual feminist trivia event hosted by Lamplighter Brewing Company in Cambridge! Local friends can pick up a beer pairing to enjoy during trivia – two 375ml bottles of a beer brewed with Cambridge Women’s Center, a Grisette with ginger called Left on Pearl. This ticket also includes a $5 donation to the CWC.
Finding Women in the Archives
Thursday, March 11 12–1pm
Women make up 50% of your ancestry, yet their lives, experiences, and even complete names are all too often forgotten by written history. Although often overlooked in official records, throughout time women have been the keepers of family and personal history. When they survive, diaries, letters, account books, family bibles, samplers, organization records, and more can reveal more about a woman’s daily life than any government document. RSVP today through Cambridge Public Library.
Community Organizing Panel: Past and Present (A CWC 50th Anniversary Event)
Wednesday, March 10 6–7:30pm
The Cambridge Women’s Center has a long history of community organizing – from its founding through protest, to a community organizer staff position beginning in 1998, to a depth of relationships with other community organizations and activists. Join us for a discussion moderated by Eva Martin-Blythe, with panelists including Lynn Murray, Caroline Hunter, Natanja Craig-Oquendo, and Cathy Hoffman.
Ruby Hamad presents White Tears/Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color
Tuesday, March 9 7–8:30pm RSVP for more information and to receive link
A Cambridge Public Library event – Ruby Hamad in conversation with Professor Saher Selod. Taking us from the slave era, when white women fought in court to keep “ownership” of their slaves, through the centuries of colonialism, when they offered a soft face for brutal tactics, to the modern workplace, White Tears/Brown Scars tells a charged story of white women’s active participation in campaigns of oppression.
Resilience and Regeneration: A Racial Justice and Feminist Recovery
Monday, March 8 11:30am–1pm Sign up here
A Boston-area International Women’s Day Lunch Celebration
Mapping Feminist Cambridge: Central Square – Video launch!
Monday, March 8 Sign up to receive a link when the video launches
Video launches 3/8 but will be available on an ongoing basis through the Women’s Commission website.
Virtual feminist walking tour of Central Square. Read along with Mapping Feminist Cambridge: Central Square during the tour to learn about feminist activists and organizations of the 1970’s–1990’s.
Left on Pearl Screening and Panel
Sunday, March 7, 7-8pm Register today!
Panelists include: Susan Jacoby, Rev. Irene Monroe, Susie Rivo, and Rochelle Ruthchild.
Childcare and Education during COVID-19: A Report on the Economic and Social Impact on Women in Massachusetts
Thursday, January 7 12noon Register in advance for this webinar
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
*Several events below were cancelled due to COVID-19 shutdown.
Panel discussion: Pathways to Justice
Monday, November 16 12pm Virtual Webinar
Join the Cambridge Women’s Commission for a panel to examine and discuss the complexities of domestic violence. National and local leaders will discuss the unique paradox for Black and brown women. How there is a fear of unjust harm to their partners by police and concerns that the justice system does not sufficiently prioritize intimate partner violence and sexual violence.
An Evening Honoring Tarana Burke, Founder of the ‘Me Too’ Movement
Friday, November 13 6:30pm Virtual Webinar: 14th Annual Robert Coles “Call of Service” Lecture and Award
Join the Phillips Brooks House Association and the Cambridge Women’s Commission to honor activist and advocate Tarana J. Burke who has worked at the intersection of sexual violence and racial justice for more than 25 years.
Film Screening: RBG
Sunday, November 1 7:30pm Starlight Theater, Central Square
Join the Cambridge Women’s Commission, Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, and My Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper for a film screening of RBG to honor the life and legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This is an outdoor screening, so please dress appropriately. Feel free to bring a blanket and snack.
Bringing Cambridge Women’s HERitage to Life with Radio Drama
Tuesday, October 13 7–8pm RSVP for Zoom link
Siobhan Bredin, author of Casebook of the Marshall Sisters Detective Agency: Nine Roaring Twenties Mystery Play Scripts, will lead a discussion on the history and mystery of radio drama, all through the lens of Cambridge women’s history.
National Coming Out Day Event
Sunday, October 11 3–5pm CCTV Cambridge
More information coming soon! BIPOC self-care, coming out stories panel, and performances.
Mapping LGBTQ+ Cambridge History: Collective Brainstorming Session
Friday, October 9 6–7:30pm RSVP for Zoom link
What does LGBTQ+ history in Cambridge look like to you? Come share your answer to this question, as we build a collective history of LGBTQ+ Cambridge.
Women Leading the Way in Healthcare with Rosemarie Day
Monday, September 14 6–7pm
A conversation with the author of Marching Toward Coverage: How Women Can Lead the Fight for Universal Healthcare (Beacon Press, 2020). Rosemarie Day helped lead the launch of health reform in Massachusetts in 2006, which became the model for the Affordable Care Act. She has been working on health reform ever since, and is passionate about universal healthcare and women’s health issues.
“Forget the seat, I need my own damn table”
Thursday, July 16 7–8:30pm
A conversation with community activist Monica Cannon-Grant
Channeling Anger Into Action
Thursday, June 25 6pm Click here for more info
In partnership with YWCA Cambridge, the second Feminist Roundtable Series: A virtual evening with Dr. Taharee A. Jackson, Expert Consultant and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and author of “I’m White and I’m Outraged by Ahmaud Arbery’s Murder. Now What?”
CANCELED Left on Pearl Documentary
Thursday, April 16 6pm Cambridge Central Public Library – Central Square Branch, 45 Pearl Street
Screening followed by Q&A with Director/Producer Susie Rivo & Executive Producer Rochelle Ruthchild
Sponsors: Cambridge Public Library
CANCELED Act Up & Vote, Youth Underground of Central Square Theater
Thursday, April 2 6:30pm Cambridge Main Library, Lecture Hall
Inspired by interviews with Cambridge community members and experts, in-school residencies with area high-school students, and an in-depth workshop and development process with a professional playwright and director, this play is designed to help voters better understand how government works and why their votes matter.
Sponsors: Cambridge Women’s Commission, Cambridge Public Library
CANCELED Women’s History Month Trivia Night
Tuesday, March 17 6–8pm Central Square Branch Library, Lewis Room
An entertaining and lively trivia night in recognition of Women’s History Month. Form a team of 3–4 participants or contact the library and they will help people join teams. Pizza provided.
Sponsors: Cambridge Women’s Commission, Cambridge Public Library
CANCELED Rosemarie Day: Women Leading the Way in Healthcare
Monday, March 16 6:30–8:30pm Cambridge Main Library, Lecture Hall
With 28 million Americans uninsured, and millions more who can’t afford their coverage, Day asks the fundamental question: Can we, as a nation, do better? Day believes we can and will – once women begin to engage collectively around this topic. Day brings a feminist lens to the universal health care debate and seeks to empower more women to engage in that debate.
Sponsor: Cambridge Public Library
CANCELED Sharing the Torch: Intentionally Building Diverse Leadership Through Intergenerational Activism
Thursday, March 12 8am Simmons University, Paresky Center
CANCELED Mapping Feminist Cambridge: Inman Square Tour led by Kimm Topping
Thursday, March 12 6pm meeting place TBD
Sponsors: Cambridge Women’s Commission, Cambridge Community Development Department, East Cambridge Business Association
She the People: A Graphic History of Uprisings, Breakdowns, Setbacks, Revolts, and Enduring Hope on the Unfinished Road to Women’s Equality: An Evening with author Jen Deaderick
Wednesday, March 4 6pm Cambridge Main Library, Community Room
“A sweeping, smart, and smart-ass graphic history of women's quest for equality.”
Cambridge Sports Night for Girlx
Thursday, February 27 5:30–7pm, War Memorial Field House, 1640 Cambridge Street
A fun, free event for families with girlx in grades K–5. A chance for girlx and their families to explore new sports and learn about existing teams in Cambridge.
Many Partnerships, One Initiative: Celebrating Five Years of the Cambridge Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative
Wednesday, February 26 4pm Cambridge Senior Center
The Pleasures of Age: Old Women and Political Power in the U.S. Woman Suffrage Movement
Thursday, November 7 6:30–8pm Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway
Professor Corinne T. Field, Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality, University of Virginia, will discuss why woman suffragists in the nineteenth century demanded respect and security for older women as an essential dimension of political empowerment and why these hopes remain largely unrealized over a century later.
Walking tours for Mapping Feminist Cambridge: Inman Square 1970s–1990s
Sep 19, Oct 3, and Oct 21
Please join our mailing list to find out more information and how to sign up! Or click on one of these dates: Thursday, Sep 19, 6–7:30pm; Thursday, Oct 3, 6–7:30pm; Monday, Oct 21, 6–7:30pm.
Cambridge Domestic Violence Vigil
Thursday, October 3 6pm Steps of City Hall
Ask for Jane, film screening and discussion with director, Rachel Carey
Friday, September 27 5:30pm pizza, 6pm film MIT Room 6-120
Women and Words! How is today’s domestic violence movement feminist?
Thursday, September 26 7pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
Ann Fleck-Henderson, author of Transition House 1976-2017: The Movement and The Mainstream, will discuss Cambridge’s domestic violence agency’s evolution from a feminist collective to today’s more formally structured nonprofit community organization. A recent New Yorker article decried Transition House’s “loss of feminist principles” (August 19, 2019). How does an organization balance loyalty to its fundamental roots with the demands of a changing movement? What is the role of feminism in today’s domestic violence movement?
Claiming Our Seats… A Kitchen Table Dialogue on Women’s Voting Rights
Wednesday, September 25 6–8:30pm Cambridge Main Library, Lecture Hall, 449 Broadway
At this roundtable, panelists will engage us in a reflective dialogue about women’s voting rights across the 20th and 21st centuries.
The Inaugural Walking Tour of Mapping Feminist Cambridge and Reception
Thursday, August 8 6pm Meet at the intersection of Plymouth and Windsor Streets – Jutta Elsa Georgi Callinan Square
Reception immediately following the tour, at Outpost 186.
Join us for this exciting new walking tour highlighting the rich feminist history along Hamsphire Street from the 1970s to 1990s and learn about the lasting imprint of feminist organizations in Inman Square. Can’t join us for this one? Taking a self-guided tour is easy, simply download the self-guided booklet here or check back to find additional dates for guided tours.
Walking Series
Wednesdays July 17, 24, 31, and August 7
Our popular summer walking series returns this July and August! Walks last 45-60 minutes.
A Feminist History of Inman Square
July 17 12pm Meet at 344 Broadway, City Hall Annex
Other walk topics and locations will be announced soon.
Unpacking White Feminism: An evening with Rachel Cargle
Tuesday, June 18 5:30pm reception, 6pm program
Cambridge Public Library main branch auditorium, 449 Broadway
FREE, but must RSVP here. Hear from Rachel Cargle for her signature live lecture exploring the history of feminism through the lens of race. Uncover layers of unlearned details, revealing the problematic effects that white centered activism has had on the past and present state of the feminist movement. She leaves her audience with new knowledge, meaningful tools, and powerful action items toward a more intentional and inclusive feminism.
Consciousness-Raising: Menstrual Access and Equity
Thursday, June 6 7–8:30pm 344 Broadway, Community Room
This is the menstruation education they didn’t teach you in school! Please join Mass NOW and the Cambridge Women’s Commission for a discussion on combating the stigma around menstruation.
5th Grade Girls Sports Day
Monday, June 3 9am Danehy Park
Women’s History Trivia Night – History and Pizza!
Thursday, March 28 6pm Cambridge Library – Central Square Branch, 45 Pearl Street
Massachusetts in the Woman Suffrage Movement: An evening with Barbara Berenson
Monday, March 18 6:30pm Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway
Few know Massachusetts was at the center of the revolutionary struggle for woman suffrage. A battle waged over historical memory obscured the state’s role—until now. Author Barbara Berenson gives the state’s revolutionary reformers the attention they deserve in this compelling and engaging story.
Women and Words! An exploration of the many non-white suffragists who fought for the right to vote
Thursday, March 7 7:15pm Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway
22nd International Women’s Day Breakfast, Feminists Take On Immigration: Addressing Root Causes, Urgent Needs, and Long-Term Solutions
Tuesday, March 5 8–10am Simmons College, Paresky Conference Center
Women and Words! ’Tis the Season: What to do when you see sexual harassment or violence?
Thursday, December 6 7–8:30pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Cambridge
The holidays can be challenging, especially in regards to sexual harassment and violence. Learn to notice when something is not right, assess the situation, and safely take action to challenge, disrupt, and prevent violence or harassment.
Join Eliza Campbell, Community Engagement Specialist at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC), as she discusses BARCC’s model for teaching sexual violence bystander intervention.
Shaping the Social Contract – Insights from the Women of Brook Farm
Sunday, November 4 2pm Cambridge Main Library, Lecture Hall
A performance exploring how the idea of a social contract, as defined by the Brook Farmers, has evolved into the 21st century, specifically in the areas of race, gender, and class.
Circle Up Screening and Post-Screening Circle
Tuesday, October 30 6pm Cambridge Main Library, Lecture Hall
Documentary Circle Up is a call to action for reframing approaches to crime and punishment through the lens of restorative justice, forgiveness, and accountability.
Domestic Violence Vigil
Wednesday, October 3 6pm Steps of Cambridge City Hall
Women in Cambridge: North Cambridge Artists
Monday, September 24 6pm Cambridge Arts Gallery, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor
Come socialize, sample delicious snacks, and meet some of the innovative and creative artists who will be part of North Cambridge Open Studios.
Women and Words! The Conscious Consumer: How to navigate the retail world as an informed and empowered customer
Thursday, September 6 7–8:30pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Cambridge
Free gifts? Online contracts? Lemon laws? In today’s market, buying has never been easier. But without knowing our rights, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Join in a conversation with Dina Cohen, Consumer Information Specialist from the Cambridge Consumers’ Council, for a discussion about what being a savvy consumer means and how we can make the most of our buying power.
Women in Cambridge: Zen at Work: Meditation and Chair Yoga
Wednesday, August 15 6-7:30pm Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Community Room, Lower Level
Come and join us for a fun evening focused on meeting new people and reducing stress! Stephanie Troy, LICSW, owner of Your Whole Healing, will lead us through a guided meditation/chair yoga practice.
Get Energized Walks with CDD and the Cambridge Women’s Commission!
Wednesdays at 12pm
Approximately 45–60 minutes; Open to everyone – City employees and the general public.
July 25 Public Art Walk: The Art of the Annex, Cambridge Public Library, and CRLS
Meet at City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
August 1 Library Leads the Way – Literary Figures
Meet at Main Library, 449 Broadway
August 8 Along the River – Meditative Walking
Meet at 5 Western Ave (more details coming soon)
August 15 – New Bike Tour! A Tour of Cambridge’s Separated Bike Lanes
Meet at Blue Bike Station at 449 Broadway
Women in Cambridge: Follow the Honey
Sunday, June 10 5:30pm Follow the Honey in Harvard Square
An evening of socializing and networking, including a short presentation from Mary, Founder and CEO of Follow the Honey, and “apipreneur-inventor-bee tender”.
Women and Words! Girl Power: All Dolled Up
Thursday, June 7 7–8:30pm Community Room, Lower Level, Cambridge Main Library
From Dora the Explorer to Kim Kardashian, this short documentary explores whether “girl power” is truly empowering to girls or if it has been co-opted to mean something else. Following the short film will be a conversation with Cambridge film director, parent, feminist, and activist, Sarah Blout Rosenberg.
5th Grade Girls Sports Day
Wednesday, May 30 Danehy Park, Cambridge
Women in Cambridge: Local Beer, Local Economy and Vibrant Community in Cambridge
Wednesday, May 16 5:30pm Lamplighter Brewery
Hear from Cambridge Local First’s Executive Director, Adriane Musgrave, who is guiding the direction of what it means to be Local – eat, drink, shop, and connect – in Cambridge.
Empowered Time: The Dance of Letting Go
Thursday, April 26 6:30–8pm Middlesex Lounge, Cambridge
Join us for this wee slice of a heart and body centered approach to time management. You’ll walk away with one action to begin tomorrow to free you up for more of the stuff you know you are meant to be doing and one simple, daily practice to keep you on track.
Protecting Kids from Overly Sexual Internet Content
Wednesday, April 25 6:30pm Putnam Ave Upper School, 100 Putnam Ave
A talk for parents of tweens and teens with Dr. Gail Dines, Professor Emerita and founding president of Culture Reframed, an organization dedicated to working with parents/caregivers to build resilience and resistance in kids to hypersexualized online content.
Trailblazing Women – Nevertheless She Persisted
Wednesday, March 28 5:45–8pm Cambridge City Hall
An honoring of local women, a group reading, and community conversation with an open and honest dialogue on race.
The Women’s March: Stories of Energy, Unity, and Activism
Wednesday, March 21 6–7:30pm Cambridge Main Library
Screening of the new documentary Women’s March (30 mins) exploring democracy, human rights, and what it means to stand up for your values in today’s America. Following the film, we will have a panel discussion with local women who are creating powerful movements in our community.
Women in Cambridge: Networking and Socializing for Women in Business
Monday, March 19 5:30–7pm Miracle of Science, 321 Mass Ave.
Women in Cambridge is emerging this spring stronger, more vibrant, and more fun than ever! Join us for some informal networking and hear from the Cambridge Women’s Commission about what they’re up to this spring, as well as learn more about the other exciting events, lectures, and programs happening throughout Cambridge.
International Women’s Day Breakfast: Women Shaping the Media Narrative – Action Steps for a New Era
Thursday, March 8 8am Paresky Conference Center, Simmons College
Women and Words!
Thursday, March 1 7pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
Esther Kisaghu, public health professional, author, and founder of The Rose Foundation in Kenya, a domestic violence prevention organization.
Women and Words!: How to be an ally in the age of #metoo
Thursday, December 7 7pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
Join Eliza Campbell, Community Engagement Specialist at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC), as she discusses BARCC’s model for responding to disclosures of sexual violence.
Screening of award-winning documentary UNREST
Sunday, November 12 2–4:30pm Arlington Regent Theatre
Hosted by the Massachusetts CFIDS/ME & FM Association, co-sponsored by the Cambridge Women’s Commission
Women in Cambridge: Meet JJ Gonson, chef/entrepreneur/music promoter
October 16 6pm ONCE Somerville Ballroom, 156 Highland Ave. Somerville
Women in Cambridge is a dynamic, friendly and welcoming group of professional women who meet monthly to socialize and network in Cambridge.
Domestic Violence Vigil
October 4 6pm Steps of Cambridge City Hall, 795 Mass Ave.
Screening of Left on Pearl, followed by panel discussion
September 26 6:30pm Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway
Come learn about this highly significant but little-known event in the history of the women’s liberation movement, the 1971 takeover and occupation of a Harvard University-owned building by hundreds of Boston area women.
Women and Words!
September 7 7pm City Hall Annex
A discussion on climate change and ecology with Dr. Jennifer Bowen
Women’s Equality Day in Cambridge
August 26
Mayor Simmons’ announcement honors the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granting women the right to vote.
Women in Cambridge: Meaningful work – love what you do!
August 21 6pm 91 Hampshire Street
Art and Soul Studio: art, performance, and yoga classes
Get Energized! Walking Series: Public Art, Harvard Sq. and Cambridge Commission
August 10 Harvard Square T-Station, Main Entrance
Get Energized! Walking Series: Cambridge Women’s History
August 3 12pm Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave.
She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry, documentary screening and discussion with director Mary Dore
July 27 6:30pm Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway
This film resurrects the buried history of the outrageous, often brilliant women who founded the modern women’s movement from 1966 to 1971. The film recounts the stories of women who fought for their own equality, and in the process created a world-wide revolution.
Get Energized! Walking Series: Explore Magazine Beach Park
July 27 12pm Pool Entrance, 719 Memorial Drive
Get Energized! Cambridge Women’s Commission Summer Walking Series
July 20 12pm Meet inside the Johnston Gate
Historical Highlights of Harvard Yard
A Panel Discussion on the New Massachusetts Equal Pay Law
June 28 6–8pm Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School, Dr. Henrietta S. Attles Room, 459 Broadway
This event is for employers and employees who wish to gain a better understanding of the new MA Equal Pay Law and how to prepare for the rollout in July 2018. There will be a 45 minute panel discussion followed by a question & answer session. Register Today!
The Brass Sisters: America’s Favorite Home Bakers
June 19 7–8:30pm 344 Broadway, Community Room
Come hear Marilynn and Sheila Brass discuss their adventures, winding career paths, and escapades that led them to being cookbook authors and television baking celebrities. Free—refreshments provided!
(This is a joint Women+Words!, Women in Cambridge, and Cambridge Women’s Heritage Project event)
20th Annual 5th Grade Girls’ Sports Day
May 31 8:30am–1pm Danehy Park
Women in Cambridge: WoW! Embrace spring and get inspired at the WoWtlet!
May 22 6pm WoWtlet Boutique Cambridge, 1740 Massachusetts Ave.
Come explore this fun addition to Cambridge—hear from the owner, Alexa Grossman, about her business model and experiences, mingle, eat, drink, and explore the “wearable art”!
Women in Cambridge: Spring Tapas!
April 24 6pm Casa B Restaurant, 253 Washington St., Somerville, MA 02143
Join us as we venture over the border to Union Square and grab some tapas as Casa B. Co-owner Angelina will be sharing her story over their signature chips and dip.
Left on Pearl official premiere at the Boston International Film Festival
April 14 5:30–7:30pm Boston International Film Festival, Paramount Center, Bright Family Room, 559 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111
Left on Pearl is a documentary film about the 1971 building takeover that led to the founding of the longest operating community Women’s Center in the United States (located in Cambridge!). One of three films in Section 5 of the Boston International Film Festival. **The theater is small, so get your tickets early.
COME OUT OF THE MARGINS: Cambridge Town Hall Meeting
April 13 6–8pm Cambridge City Hall
Come voice your concerns over the direction of the country. Take action together with your city and neighbors! Sponsored by Mayor E. Denise Simmons
Trailblazing Women: Mothers and Daughters Carrying on the Legacy
April 12 5:45–8pm Cambridge City Hall, Sullivan Chamber
The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. Event co-sponsors include the Office of Mayor E. Denise Simmons, the Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women, YWCA Cambridge, and Mass Humanities.
Women Take the Reel Film Festival
All Month Long, March 2017
Many of the outstanding films being shown in the festival are being shown in Cambridge. wgs.mit.edu/women-take-the-reel/
This annual film festival is a collaborative effort among Women’s and Gender Studies departments involved in the Graduate Consortium in Women's Studies (as well as select institutions/universities aligned with its mission) that features films directed by women and about issues relating to gender, race, sexuality, class and/or feminism. All films are free and open to the public.
Women in Cambridge: A Night at the Theater
March 21 6pm Central Square Theater, 450 Mass Ave., Cambridge
For March, we are taking a trip to the Central Square Theater to mingle and meet the Directors! They have a beautiful and versatile space, as well as a wide range of productions, programs, and community involvement. Catherine Carr Kelly, Debra Wise, and Lee Gardner will be there to share their passion for the Central Square Theater with us. This is a can’t miss!
International Women’s Day Celebration: Music, Poetry and Collaborative Art
March 8 7–9pm YWCA-Cambridge, 7 Temple Street
Join with other people to work on collaborative banner celebrating women that will be displayed at the YWCA! Feel free to bring your favorite art supplies and your favorite empowering poem to share.
International Women’s Day Breakfast: Responding to Changing Policies: Engaging Women’s Voices
March 8 8am Simmons College, Paresky Center, Boston
Panelists will discuss the current challenges and opportunities facing immigration, religious liberty, environmental, and LGBTQIA policy, with a specific focus on strategies for women organizing for action.
Signs of Protest: Posters, Photos, and Art from the Women’s March (Reception to talk about the pieces, the Boston Women’s March, and more!)
March 3 6–8pm YWCA-Cambridge, 7 Temple Street
Art show featuring work from Boston area artists and photographers who participated in the Boston Women’s March for America on January 21, 2017. The works explore personal reactions to the March, both positive and negative. The show is organized by MA Artists for Change, a group of artists and musicians who come together to create, resist, and build a community engaged in activism.
Women and Words!: From March to Action: How to interweave and intersect the women’s movement with other movements to create the world we envision
March 2 7pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
Please join Mary Wallace, co- founder of the Boston Women’s March, and Janet Santos, Executive Director of the Boston Women’s Fund, for a discussion on what we can do to affect change in today’s world. Women and Words! is a quarterly series hosted by the Cambridge Women’s Commission.
Women in Cambridge: Heat Things Up!
February 20 6pm The Rising Bar, 1172 Cambridge Street
Join us as we hear from Liliana Jimenez, owner of Rumba y Timbal, a Latin dance studio in Central Square offering private and group classes. Liliana and her dance instructors have been quite active in the Cambridge community.
Roxane Gay
February 17 7pm Cambridge Rindge & Latin School Auditorium
Main doors open between 6 and 6:30. No tickets. First come, first seated.
Take Back the Night March
January 15 6pm CRLS Main Entrance
Sponsored by the STARs Peer Leaders. Come march to empower everyone to be able to be out at night without fear of discrimination, harassment or violence.
Women in Cambridge: Holiday shopping with a conscience and fundraiser for Tutoring Plus
December 13 6pm Ten Thousand Villages, 694 Mass Ave., Central Square
Women and Words: Art Meets Social Change: Celebrating Transition House’s 40 Year of Activism & Advocacy in Cambridge
December 1 7pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
Women in Cambridge networking event
November 14 6pm The Abbey, 1755 Massachusetts Ave, Porter Square
A Revolutionary Practice of Public Storytelling: Addressing Violence Against Women through Community Conversation
October 19 7pm Cambridge Main Library
Discussion and Q+A with Author and Educator Kathleen Cash
Women in Cambridge networking event
October 18 6pm Mayor Denise Simmons’ Office, 795 Massachusetts Ave
Domestic Violence Vigil
October 5 6pm City Hall front steps, 795 Massachusetts Ave
Women In Cambridge
August 16 6–8pm Aeronaut Brewery, Somerville
Women in Cambridge
June 20 6–8pm Cambridge Spirits
Women and Words! Let’s Be Honest: Becoming the Primary Sexuality Educator of Your Children
June 2 7–8:30pm City Hall Annex
5th Grade Girls’ Sports Day
June 2 8:30am–1pm Danehy Park
Unslut, a film screening and talkback w director Emily Lindin
May 31 6pm Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Lower Level Auditorium
WorkSmart Workshop: Negotiate a Higher Salary & Help Close the Wage Gap
May 26 6–8pm Cambridge City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd floor
Girls Only Leadership Development program Informational Session
May 18 Drop-by between 4pm and 6pm Mayor’s Office, City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue
Women in Cambridge
May 17 6–8pm Naco Taco
Women in Cambridge
April 25 6–8pm Salt & Olive on Mass Ave
Boston Area International Women’s Day Celebration
March 8 7:30–9am Simmons College, Paresky Conference Center
Screening of Left On Pearl: Women Take Over 888 Memorial Drive
March 8 7pm and 9pm shows Kendall Square Cinema
Women and Words! A Voice of Her Own: How to Communicate with Confidence
March 3 7–8:30pm 344 Broadway, City Hall Annex
Learn easy-to-use practical tips and techniques to help you develop and project poise and confidence, from Pamela Enders, Ph.D., Public Speaking Coach.
Women in Cambridge event
February 22 6–8pm Bisq, 1071 Cambridge St.
BODY & SOLD
February 7 7pm The Democracy Center
A reading of the play BODY & SOLD and talkback with Mia Alvarado, Roxbury Youthworks Inc., and Cambridge Police. Seating is limited.
Outreach and Engagement to GLBTQ Communities
December 17 9am–12pm Cambridge College, 1000 Mass Ave.
A Community Engagement Team Networking Event
Women and Words! An Evening with Kristen Sykes, founder of BABES (Boston Area Beer Enthusiasts Society)
December 3 7–8:30pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Community Room, Second Floor
Women in Cambridge: Make Sure Your Brand Represents!
November 17 6–8pm CCTV Studio, 438 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA
Come network, socialize, and hear a presentation by Tamar Haber-Schaim offering information and tips about brand identity and design. Also come learn about the exciting programs and resources CCTV offers the Cambridge community.
Get Energized! Walking Series
Wednesdays in September and October 12:15pm Leaving from Sennott Park
Walks are designed to promote health, community, share fun facts about Cambridge and help get people energized. Each walk is approximately 2 miles. The walks are open to everyone – Cambridge employees and other interested people.
Launch of the Cambridge Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative
October 28 4pm Community Appreciation Reception; 4:30pm Program Begins Cambridge City Hall, Sullivan Chambers
For more information, please visit: www.cambridgema.gov/dvinitiative
Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Candlelight vigil for Massachusetts victims of domestic violence
October 7 6pm Steps of Cambridge City Hall
Women in Cambridge: Back to School
September 22 6pm Elephant Walk, 2067 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge
The kids are heading back to school and so are we. This month join us in welcoming the Cambridge Cambodia School Project. Snack on some Cambodian fare and learn about the exciting relationship between Cambridge and Cambodia.
Women and Words! A Discussion on Women’s Health and Cancer
September 3 7–8:30pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Cambridge, 2nd Floor Conference Room
Please join us for a fascinating and intimate discussion with health education professionals from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. We will hear about some cancers that particularly affect women, learn about screening tests and prevention, and have a chance to ask the experts questions. Women and Words! is a series hosted by the Cambridge Women’s Commission.
Get Energized! Walking Series
Wednesdays in June, July, and August 12pm Starting at DPW (147 Hampshire St.) and City Hall Annex (344 Broadway)
Location switches every week. Check with Emily, eshield@cambridgema.gov, for starting location each week. Each walk will be approximately 45 minutes.
Women in Cambridge: Cambridge Represents!
August 17 6–8pm Akai Ryu Shabu & Sushi Restaurant, 822 Somerville Ave, Cambridge, MA
Come network and chat with Pardis Saffari from the City of Cambridge Economic Development Division. Pardis is instrumental in the city’s programs for assisting businesses and their employees. She is also an accomplished blogger and community events organizer.
Women in Cambridge: Get Your Buzz On
July 21 6–8pm Follow the Honey, 1132 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA
We are meeting up at Follow to Honey to hear from owner Mary Canning and learn about bee-keeping! We will have some great snacks that pair well with honey and will hang out on their beautiful Nectar Deck. (If you have a bee sting allergy, be warned, there is an apiary.)
Women in Cambridge: Enjoy the Arts
June 15 6–8:30pm Cambridge Arts Council, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
In addition to networking and enjoying the Arts Council’s current art exhibit, Artlifting will be speaking about the local art scene.
18th Annual 5th Grade Girls’ Sports Day
June 9 Danehy Park
Now an eagerly anticipated annual event, the day is organized in collaboration with the School Department’s Health, Physical Education, and Athletics Department and represents a unique citywide attempt to direct girls toward physical activity as a way of life. Research has shown that girls who participate in organized sports and other forms of physical exertion on a regular basis are at a substantially reduced risk for teenage pregnancy, smoking, obesity, and osteoporosis.
Women and Words! Women Navigating the Mental Health System; stories, tips, resources
June 4 7pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
Come hear from Cambridge experts Dr. Xenia Johnson Bhembe, MD and Catherine Pemberton, LICSW.
Get Energized! Spring Walking Series
June 3 12pm Cambridge Water Department, 250 Fresh Pond Parkway
Bring friends and colleagues, meet people from other City departments, get moving, and take a beautiful walk around Fresh Pond!
Get Energized! Spring Walking Series
May 27 12pm Alice K. Wolf Center, 5 Western Ave
Bring friends and colleagues, meet people from other City departments, get moving, and learn fun and interesting facts about City neighborhoods!
Women in Cambridge: Fashionably May
May 11 6–8:30pm Christopher’s Restaurant & Bar, 1920 Massachusetts Ave
Come hear from Cambridge resident Allison Daroie, owner of Paridez, an apparel line that transitions from work, to yoga, to a night on the town.
“The Talk” – Realistic Strategies for Promoting the Sexual Safety of Young Children
April 28 6:30pm Cambridge Main Library
Dr. Nora Shine, a Child Psychologist and parent of two young children, will share realistic strategies that parents (and teachers/counselors) can use to promote the safety of young children, especially in regards to child sexual exploitation. drshinethetalk.wordpress.com
Promtacular
April 27 Afternoon, Session I: 3–4:30pm Evening, Session II: 5–6:30pm
Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Community Room, Lower Level 2
Women in Cambridge: Ole OLocal!
April 14 6–8:30pm Ole Mexican Grill, 11 Springfield Street
Carissa Blackburn, new Executive Director of Cambridge Local First, will be the featured speaker at this locally-owned restaurant.
One Woman’s Courage: Empowering Nepal’s Lowest Caste Women
March 24 6:30pm Refreshments, 7pm Film and Discussion Cambridge Main Library, Auditorium
Join us for a screening of the micro-documentary, Untouchable, about human rights activist Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar’s journey back to the village where she was born and raised as one of Nepal’s Dalits, the so called untouchable people. The film depicts the tremendous obstacles of gender and caste discrimination, poverty and exclusion that Dr. Pariyar overcame. Following the film, Dr. Pariyar, now a prolific scholar, social entrepreneur and internationally respected advocate, will discuss the film and the efforts of her non-profit EDWON (Empower Dalit Women of Nepal) which strives to give women the tools to become agents of change through social and economic empowerment. EDWON’s programs develop leadership and encourage women of different castes to work together.
Women, Action & the Media’s WAM! Boston Film Festival
March 21 Brattle Theater, Cambridge
Come experience a unique lineup of films made by women, and about women, from up-and-coming filmmakers from New England and around the globe. Click here for more information about films and tickets.
International Women’s Day Breakfast: Making Women’s Rights Real
March 6 7:30am Simmons College
Women and Words! Street Harassment 101
March 5 7pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway
Join us for a lively and engaging discussion with Katie Zeigler, founding member of Safe Hub Collective and former Director of Hollaback! Boston.
Huddle for Warmth at Gendel’s Den
February 23 6pm 87 Winthrop St., Harvard Square
Women in Cambridge and the Cambridge Women’s Commission Unite! Come learn more about this exciting partnering.
Do you know an 8th grade girl in Cambridge?
Encourage her to join Councilor Denise Simmons’ GOLD (Girls Only Leadership Development) program. Learn more, and sign up.
Women and Words! Mothers Out Front: Women mobilizing around climate change
December 4 7pm City Hall Annex
Mothers Out Front is a movement of mothers, grandmothers and caregivers who use their collective energy and voice to convince elected officials and business leaders to push for a swift and complete transition away from fossil fuels, to clean energy.
Screening of The Supreme Price, followed by discussion with filmmaker Joanna Lipper
October 27 6:30pm Cambridge Main Library
The Supreme Price explores Nigeria’s attempt to transform a corrupt culture of governance into a democracy capable of serving Nigeria’s most marginalized population: women.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Candlelight vigil for Massachusetts victims of domestic violence
October 1 6pm Steps of Cambridge City Hall
Women and Words! For the Love of Food & Marketing: From Blogger to Restaurant Marketer
September 4 7–8:30 City Hall Annex, Community Room
Featured speaker Jacki Morisi, PR and Marketing Manager at Rialto and Co-Founder of JustAddCheese.com, discusses turning a passion into a paycheck.
Women and Words! Women Powered Transportation
June 5 7–8:30 City Hall Annex, Community Room
Featured speaker: Jennifer Lawrence, Sustainability Planner, City of Cambridge
18th Annual Girls Sports Day
June 3 9am Danehy Park
Women in Prison: A Cambridge Conversation
May 21 6:15 Refreshments, 6:30 Program Cambridge Citywide Senior Center
Screening of The Grey Area – Feminism Behind Bars, circle discussion and expert speakers
Promtacular
May 6 & 7 Cambridge Public Library
A workshop for CRLS girls to help them prepare for prom
Rebel: Secret Soldier of the American Civil War
April 3 Cambridge Public Library
Women Business Leaders of Cambridge Networking Event
March 27 5:30 to 7pm Cambridge City Hall, 2nd Fl
A Moment in Her Story: Stories from the Boston Women’s Movement
March 20 6:30pm Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway
Documentary Screening and discussion with Filmmaker Catherine Russo
Women and Wage Equity: Strategies Locally and Globally
March 7 7:30am Simmons College, 300 The Fenway, Boston, Linda K. Paresky Conference Center
17th Annual Boston-Area International Women’s Day Breakfast
Friendship Knows No Boundaries: Stories of Friendship with True Story Theater
March 6 1:30–3pm Cambridge Citywide Senior Center
International Women’s Day Event! True Story Theater performers spontaneously transform audience members’ stories into theater through drama, movement and song.
Women and Words!
March 6 7pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Cambridge
A discussion on family transitions after birth or adoption of a child with Maria Dolorico of A Mom is Born.
One Billion Rising for Justice: Stand Out Together
February 14 8–8:30am Kendall, Harvard, Central Square T Stations
Be part of the global call to action to end violence against women and girls. More info: Facebook OneBillionRisingCambridge
Memory Lane Women’s History Walking Series
January 15 and 20, March 12 and 19 12pm Meet in Front of Cambridge City Hall
Use your lunch time to get exercise, meet new colleagues and learn about women’s history in Cambridge.
Women-Powered Transportation: How do you get to work?
January 8 12noon–1pm Community Room, 344 Broadway, Cambridge
Brown bag lunch hosted by the Community Development Department and the Cambridge Women’s Commission. Hear about different options to commute to work, clothing considerations, safety, and exciting opportunities and incentives, specifically focusing on women. Open to all employees of the City of Cambridge.
Women and Words! How to Talk with Teens about Relationships: what parents and others should know
December 5 7pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Cambridge
Produced and presented by Transition House's Youth Action Corps (YAC), a team of Cambridge teens working within the community to promote safe, respectful, and healthy relationships for everyone. Women & Words is a series hosted by the Cambridge Women’s Commission.
Cambridge Community Health Assessment Survey Presentation
December 5 9:30am–12 noon 20 Chimneys Room, MIT
A Community Engagement Team Event, presentation from Cambridge Public Health
International Day of the Girl Event
November 21 7–9pm Simmons College
Creating Community Solutions: an update on the 21 Days of Action/365 Days of Questions
November 7 5:30–9pm Cambridge College, 1000 Mass Ave. Cambridge
Girl Rising screening
October 10 6–8pm MCLE Auditorium, 10 Winter Place, Boston, MA 02108
How Women Become Political
October 7 6–8pm John Hancock Hall, Boston
An open forum with Gloria Steinem, Senator Elizabeth Warren and others.
Candle light vigil for Massachusetts victims of domestic violence
October 2 6pm Steps of Cambridge City Hall
Left on Pearl screening
September 30 6:30pm Cambridge Public Library - Main
Come see this documentary-in-progress about a little-known but highly significant event in the history of the women's liberation movement, the 1971 takeover and occupation of a Harvard University-owned building by hundreds of Boston area women.
A Place at the Table screening
September 25 6:30pm Cambridge Public Library - Main
Screening of documentary that investigates incidents of hunger experienced by millions of Americans, including those living in Cambridge who are often single mothers and children.
Women and Words! What Is My Sister’s Name? Whore, Prostitute, or Jane? Case Studies of Social Naming that Fragment the Power of Sisterhood
September 19 7–8:30pm 344 Broadway, 2nd floor
Mary Setterholm, a recent Harvard Divinity School graduate who entered and experienced prostitution as a teen, will explore the power dynamics and effects of shaming labels among and between sisters and ways to reclaim our solidarity.
16th Annual 5th Grade Girls’ Sports Day
June 5 A unique citywide event to encourage girls to engage in physical activity as a way of life
Promtacular
May 1 A workshop designed to help girls explore positive self-image and positive self-regard, all through the lens of prom
WAM!Boston Film Festival 2012
March 23 and 24 Movies throughout the day and evening. Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA
Screening and discussion of The Invisible War
March 13 6:15pm Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge
Come see the Oscar-nominated film exposing the national scandal of sexual violence among US military personnel, then stay for an inspiring talkback that will help us all take action for change. The Cambridge Women’s Commission is presenting this movie in collaboration with Women, Action & the Media (WAM!).
16th Annual International Women’s Day Breakfast
Women and Hunger: Putting food on the table
March 8 7:30–9:30am Simmons College, Linda K. Paresky Conference Center
A Forum on Immigrant Rights
March 7 9:30am–12:00noon Cambridge College, 1000 Mass. Ave, Cambridge
A Community Engagement Team Event
Women and Words! Healthy Aging in Cambridge: Expanding Housing Options for Women
March 7 7–8:30pm Cambridge Citywide Senior Center, 806 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge
Ellen Kokinda will talk about Cambridge’s Silver Ribbon Commission Report and its focus on housing and creating more options for women to age in the community.
150th Anniversary Celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation
February 12 6–8pm Sullivan Chamber, Cambridge City Hall
Join us to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, Journey Toward Freedom. Beverly Morgan Welch, Director of the Museum of African American History, will be the keynote speaker.
Outreach and Engagement of Immigrant Seniors
Dec 6 9:30am–12:00noon City Wide Senior Center, 806 Mass. Ave, Cambridge
A Community Engagement Team Event
The Last Feminist Frontier – Finances (i.e. your money)
Dec 6 7–8:30pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor, Cambridge
Wendy Weiss, financial advisor, lecturer and author, will discuss women’s financial literacy.
The Influence of Cultural Identity in Literature, Presentation by Pulitzer Prize Winning Author Junot Diaz
October 26 10–11am Cambridge Main Library, Lecture Hall, 449 Broadway, Cambridge
All City Employees are invited to attend. Please confirm your attendance in advance by emailing diversity@cambridgema.gov
A Miss Representation Town Hall
October 22 6–9pm Boston University, George Sherman Union, 775 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA
Join us for a special screening Miss Representation, a documentary by Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The event will gather educators, parents, youth, policy-makers and business leaders to address how the media’s misrepresentations of women and girls impacts our local community.
21 Days of Questions, 365 Days of Action Launch event!
October 17 4–7pm Cambridge College, 1000 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge
Join us as we begin our interactive campaign – ask a question, learn ways to get involved, find out more information about resources in Cambridge. The evening will be filled with art, music, and activities for all ages. Food will be served throughout the event.
21 Days of Questions, 365 Days of Action, Cambridge Campaign Against Domestic Violence
This October 17–November 7, Cambridge will begin a revolutionary new outreach and education campaign against Domestic Violence. Stay tuned for ways you can be involved.
Candlelight Vigil for Massachusetts victims of domestic violence
October 3 6pm Steps of City Hall
Women and Words, a quarterly series hosted by the Cambridge Women’s Commission
Sept 12 7–8:30pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor, Cambridge
Dr. Erika Kates of the Wellesley Centers for Women will discuss Alternatives to Prison for Women in Massachusetts – Why It Matters
21 Days of Questions, 365 Days of Action, Cambridge Campaign Against Domestic Violence
July 11 two Ambassador strategy sessions: 9–11am and 6–8pm (choose one)
Lesley University, Washburn Hall, 10 Phillips Place, Cambridge
Come learn about becoming an Ambassador for a revolutionary new outreach campaign against Domestic Violence in October/November 2012.
Women and Words
June 7 7–8:30pm City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor, Cambridge
Afsaneh Najmabadi, author and professor, will discuss her book, Women with Mustaches and Men without Beards: Gender and Sexual Anxieties of Iranian Modernity, and will explore Iranian modernity through the lens of gender and sexuality.
5th Grade Girls Sports Day
June 5 (Rain date June 6) Danehy Park, Cambridge
Volunteers needed! Contact the Women’s Commission at 617.349.4697 if you’re interested.
Promtacular
May 8 6:30–8pm and May 9 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.
WAM!Boston Film Festival 2012
March 24 1pm Movies throughout the day and evening. Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA
The Status of Immigrant Women and their Families in Cambridge: A Report from the Immigrant Women’s Roundtable and the Cambridge Women’s Commission.
March 15 9:30am–12pm Cambridge College, 1000 Mass Ave, Cambridge
Sponsored by the Community Engagement Team.
15th Annual International Women’s Day Breakfast
March 8 7:30–9:30am Simmons College, Linda K. Paresky Conference Center
Cambridge Women’s Heritage Project International Women’s Day
March 8 5:30–7:30pm (5:30–6pm refreshments) Lewis Room, Cambridge Central Square Branch Library
Cambridge: A Welcoming Community for Immigrants; Honoring the Work Women Do
Women and Words
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
Feminism & Dessert, The Racial and Gendered Political Landscape of MA
Co-sponsored Women’s History Month exhibit in City Hall
14th Annual International Women’s Day Breakfast, Unequal Treatment Under the Law: Women in the Criminal Justice System
Honoring Women’s History Month: A film screening and discussion with award-winning filmmaker Liane Brandon
Tri-City Women’s Commission Public Hearing, Boston
Feminism & Dessert, Pioneers of Feminism in Afghanistan: Faces of the Afghan Midwives Association
Left on Pearl, co-sponsored fine cut screening, Brattle Theater
Sponsored Boston Area Rape Crisis Center annual 5K walk during Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Organized A Call to Men trainings/workshops with Tony Porter for: Cambridge Police Department, West Cambridge Youth Center, and the Elks Lodge
Sponsored YWCA benefit play, Little Black Topsy and the Magical White Fairy
Sponsored Gender Sensitivity Training for Cambridge Youth Workers
Feminism and Dessert, A Discussion in Honor of Equal Pay Day
Co-sponsored with US Dept of Labor, Women’s Bureau Workplace Flexibility Conference
Feminism & Dessert, Relationships Snooki-Style: What does a “healthy relationship” mean to teen girls today?
Co-sponsored Promtacular workshops
Developed You Find Your Strength: A Guide for Women and Their Families Who Are Homeless
Served on statewide Alternatives to Incarceration Research Committee
Feminism & Dessert, Women’s Role in the Arab Spring
Hosted 14th Annual 5th Grade Girls’ Sports Day, Danehy Park
Sponsored Alternative to Incarceration for Women in Massachusetts Forum, A Presentation and Discussion with Statewide Experts and Field Practitioners
Co-sponsored Women’s Equality Day in Boston’s Public Gardens
Sponsored Fufu & Oreo’s, a one-woman public theater performance
Co-organized CAB HART State-wide Conference
SponsoredCandle light vigil for Massachusetts victims of domestic violence
UNSAFE at Home: A Strategy Summit on Domestic Violence in Cambridge
Paid Sick Days Lobby Day at Massachusetts State House
Massachusetts Women’s Justice Network Inaugural Meeting, Boston
Co-developed Anti-harassment poster campaign aimed at teens focused on texting
Women & Words! Our Bodies Ourselves: 40 Years On
UNSAFE at Home: Follow Up/Next Steps
Directed the Immigrant Women’s Roundtable in collecting survey data to increase assistance, outreach, and inclusion
Co-led a Domestic Violence Awareness Month campaign
Reviewed the assembled gender healthy curriculum components for 14 to 18 year olds and outline terms for general city-wide implementation
Creates additional Memory Lane: Women’s History Walks to promote interest in women’s lives and their impact on Cambridge
Co-led the expansion of Cut it Out Cambridge initiative with area salons
Organized the Margaret Fuller Bicentennial celebration
Directed the expansion of the newly formed Alliance for Girls’ Services for providers serving young women and girls in the city
Co-led the Cut It Out Cambridge Promtacular initiative targeting CRLS young women to attend workshops prior to having their hair done for the prom at local salons
Oversaw the development of a new reference guide for women, You Find Your Strength: A Guide for Women and Their Families Who Are Homeless
Participated in the development of StoryStream Cambridge, a citywide initiative to bring story telling events to Cambridge that ensures the presence of female voices (i.e., oral history project of women on the home front during WWII, CWHP)
Sponsored Feminism and Dessert, a monthly forum for addressing relevant, essential issues affecting women today
Presented nine week ENGAGE (Empowering the Next Generation about Gender Equality) curriculum to preteen girls group at West Cambridge Youth Center.
CAB High Risk Assessment Team Launch, January
Website launch, March
International Women’s Day Breakfast, March
Cambridge Women’s Heritage Project Panel: International Activism, March
Filament/Firmament Opening Celebration, March
Cut It Out Cambridge presentation to Nurses, April
Margaret Fuller Bicentennial celebration, May
Promtacular, May
View from a Grain of Sand film screening (Afghan women), May
5th Grade Girls’ Sports Day, June
Memory Lane Walks at Cambridgeport History Day, October
Domestic Violence Awareness Month Vigil for victims, October
CAB High Risk Assessment Team Open House, October
Domestic Violence and Ethiopian, South Asian, and Haitian Community, December
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