Womxn
Worcester Women to Watch in 2023
This year, we celebrate 20 local women who have taken on new roles in Worcester, despite continued bias and barriers faced by female leaders across the nation. McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace report for 2022 showed that for every 100 men who are promoted from entry-level roles to manager positions, only 87 women are promoted, and only 82 women of color are promoted. The “broken rung” results in a persistent deficit of women to advance to senior leadership positions. Our “Women to Watch” are creating a new culture of work in Worcester as leaders in government, education, community organizations, the arts, and entertainment.
Worcester’s Women to Watch in 2022
The year 2021 was full of victories for women across the nation. Vice President Kamala Harris became the first woman sworn into the White House. Sarah Thomas became the first female referee to officiate the Super Bowl. Sarah McBride became our first openly transgender state senator. Simone Biles became the first woman to complete a Yurchenko double pike vault in competition. Despite a tremendous year of progress, women still faced a host of institutional barriers resulting in an embarrassing gender pay gap, occupational segregation, and housing insecurity caused by domestic violence.
In Worcester, we look to the fresh faces in our community who are doing the hard work of pushing back against bias. Some of them are fresh in the sense that they have stepped into a new role or reached new professional heights this year. Others are brand new to Worcester altogether. All of them are women for us to watch and learn from in 2022.
Madam President
“He’s resigning? Resigning why?” asks Senate President Harriette L. Chandler when Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Strategy Scott Zoback ducks into her office to share the news that Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy will retire this summer.
“Because he’s your age and he has a worse work ethic than you,” Zoback responds.
It’s true the Senate President does not give up easily. At 80 years old, her work ethic is nothing short of extraordinary.
“That’s too bad,” she says, “I would have stayed.”
“I know you would have,” Zoback replies.
Sexual Assaults on College Campuses: Is Title IX Working?
Brett Maguire couldn’t help but laugh when he saw a poster for the current exhibition at the Holy Cross Cantor Art Gallery, “Rodin: Truth, Form, Life.”
“I’m sorry, but that’s just so ironic,” he said.
Maguire was referring to an infamous affair the sculptor Auguste Rodin had with his student, Camille Claudel, who was driven to a life of recluse and eventually committed to a French mental asylum in 1913. Maguire is grappling with his own story of abuse allegedly suffered at the hands of former Holy Cross professor James David Christie – and he is not alone.
'They Travel Together' is a beacon of female friendship
I love parsing depictions of female friendship from pop culture. Issa and Molly on “Insecure.” Anne and Leslie on “Parks and Rec.” Taylor Swift and the Haim sisters on “nobody, no crime.” In a society designed to pit women against one another, love, appreciation and understanding persist.
The Eggroll Lady
Bao Bui sits quietly behind the counter of his family’s fish shack in Worcester, wrapping egg rolls in silence while his wife, Phuong Lam, does all the talking. He only looks up once, when she tells the story of their special scarf, a broad smile flashing across his face. Bui has always thought of her gift of conversation like a bird’s singing — intuitive, natural and exquisitely beautiful.
Sexual misconduct allegations raise concerns at Holy Cross
Former students at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester say the school has not adequately responded to allegations of sexual misconduct against two professors.
In one case, multiple sources from inside Holy Cross have confirmed to Worcester Magazine the 2018 demotion of former Holy Cross Dean Christopher A. Dustin amid sexual misconduct allegations brought forward by a recent alumna. Without detailing the circumstances, the school recently announced Dustin will be on leave during the spring 2019 semester.
Disrespected: Sexual harassment leaves professional women & their companies dealing with the fallout
Long before we knew her as the 94th president of the Massachusetts Senate, Harriette Chandler worked as a graduate teaching assistant. Chandler, who went on to earn her Ph.D., remembers the experience with angst.
“The professor made it very clear to me that he expected more than just my teaching assistance. He expected sexual favors,” said Chandler.
Worcester firefighter's wife leads fight against carcinogens in firefighter gear
Diane Cotter refused to let the love of her life become another tragic statistic. She began emailing everyone, from activist Erin Brokovitch to famed environmental attorney Robert Bilott. To her surprise, they both got back to her.