Andrea Cabral
Women’s Pipeline for Change celebrated its first conference dedicated to getting more women of color into the political pipeline in Massachusetts.
Speakers and hosts included Maria Jobin-Leeds from the Partnership for Democracy and Education, Prof. Carol Hardy-Fanta from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at UMass Boston, Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz, U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz and Boston City Councilor At-Large Ayanna Pressley.
Also in attendance were former Lawrence School Committee member Martina Cruz, Holyoke City Council member Gladys Lebrón-Martínez, former Boston City Council candidate Sheneal Parker, Fitchburg Mayor Lisa Wong and Elizabeth Cardona, Director of the Governor’s Western Massachusetts office.
Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea Cabral reminded attendees that “As long as women, and especially women of color, remain the exception among those elected to office, equal consideration of their interests in Congress and every state legislature will never be the rule. Political power is indispensable to economic power, especially if that power is used to level the playing field for women.”
