Hearing DetailsJoint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion

Event Details

Status:

Completed

Event Date:

Monday, September 15, 2025

Start Time:

1:00 PM

Location:

B-2 and Virtual

Event Description

"Demystifying Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion"

The purpose of this informational hearing is to provide accurate information about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs to Massachusetts policymakers and the public, its benefits to the state, and to assess the impact of anti-DEI federal orders.

The public is invited to attend and observe the hearing, although Oral Testimony is by Invitation Only. Invited Witness Scheduled to Testify Include:

Patrick Tutwiler, MA Secretary of Education

Abigail Taylor, Chief Deputy Attorney General, MA Attorney General’s Office
Elizabeth Matos, Chief of the Civil Rights Division & Senior Advisor, MA Attorney General’s Office

Evelyn R. Carter, Phd., Social Psychologist, DEI Expert and Author

Virginia Benzan, Director of Racial Justice Advocacy, MA Law Reform Institute
Mary-dith Tuitt, Chairwoman, MA Commission on the Status of Women
Shaplaie Brooks, Executive Director, MA Commission on LGBTQ Youth
Gretchen Van Ness, Executive Director, LGBTQ Senior Housing Inc.

Sophia Hall, Deputy Litigation Director, Lawyers for Civil Rights

MaryRose Mazzola, Senior Vice President and Director of External Affairs, Eastern Bank
Ive Gonzalez, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director, Eastern Bank

Corey Yarbrough, Executive Director, 826 Boston
Aba Taylor, President and CEO, YW Boston
Leigh Handschuh, Senior Program Officer, Nonprofit Sector Program, The Boston Foundation

Tatishe Nteta, Phd., Provost Professor of Political Science and Director of UMASS Poll, UMASS Amherst

The hearing will be livestreamed on the General Court's website, https://malegislature.gov/. It will be recorded and posted publicly at the Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion webpage.

Written testimony may be submitted by any member of the public prior to, or by close of business on Friday, September 19, 2025. Testimony should be addressed to House Chair, Bud L. Williams and Senate Chair, Elizabeth Miranda and may be submitted by email to Brendan.Morris@mahouse.gov or by sending correspondence to:

Rep. Bud Williams, House Chair
Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion
Massachusetts State House
Attn: Brendan Morris, Esq.
24 Beacon Street, Room 236
Boston, MA 02133

All written testimony received by the Committee will be made publicly available, provided however, the Chairs may limit and redact testimony that includes sensitive personal information or information that may jeopardize the health, wellness or safety of the testifier or others.

ACCESSIBILITY ACCOMMODATIONS
The Committee will work to coordinate reasonable accommodations required to ensure that people with disabilities are able to participate fully in the hearing process. Requests for accessibility accommodations, such as assistive listening devices and systems, sign language interpreting services, closed captioning and transcription services, will be provided upon request. Requests for services should be submitted by completing the state house accessibility form, https://malegislature.gov/StateHouse/AccessibilityForm/. You may also make a request by email to: Carl Richardson at carl.richardson@mass.gov.

Please be advised that the schedule and agenda are subject to change at the agreement of the Chairs.

Revised 09/18/25

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