Bedford's Marilou Barsam Named 2020 Commonwealth Heroine

BEDFORD, MA — Bedford's Marilou Barsam was recently named 2020 Commonwealth Heroine. Marilou co-founded Bedford Embraces Diversity in March of 2014 in response to incidents of anti-Semitism in the Bedford schools. She was recommended for the award by State Rep. Kenneth Gordon.

The annual Commonwealth Heroines celebration recognizes women from across the state who "perform unheralded acts daily that make our homes, neighborhoods, cities and towns better places to live." State legislators are responsible for recommending women within their districts for the honor.

As founder of BED and chair of the group, Barsam helped create a “Diversity Quilt,” consisting of individual drawings expressing how each artist interpreted diversity and respecting differences. BED is now a non-profit organization and has organized three independent multicultural festivals, which have since become a permanent fixture of the town’s Bedford Day.

"Marilou’s dedication to facilitating inclusion and celebrating diversity has made her an

unsung heroine in the Bedford community," the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, which gives out the honor, wrote.

Click here for the full list of Commonwealth Heroines.