2 Somerville Residents Receive 2022 Commonwealth Heroine Award

SOMERVILLE, MA — Two Somerville residents have received the 2022 Commonwealth Heroine Award from the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW).

Mary Jo Rossetti and Dyan Blewett are two of 121 women across Massachusetts who will be honored at the 19th annual Commonwealth Heroines ceremony on Wednesday, June 22 at the The Venezia in Dorchester.

Opening remarks will be made by MCSW Chairwoman Denella Clark, followed by a special recognition of the honorees.

"As the first Black woman to chair the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, and also as a proud appointee of Governor Baker and Lieutenant Governor Polito, we are thrilled to recognize women from all across our great Commonwealth who sometimes are not seen for their amazing contributions," Clark said in a statement. "We are also pleased to be joined by our dedicated Lieutenant Governor who will deliver a keynote address. We are excited that this year's event will be in person and look forward to celebrating our honorees.”

Commonwealth Heroines are women who have been chosen by their legislators for their extraordinary acts of service that are making a big difference in their communities. According to the MCSW, they perform unheralded acts daily that make Massachusetts' homes, neighborhoods, cities, and towns better places to live.

The honorees use their time, talent, spirit, and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others in their community and serve as mentors, volunteers, and innovators who strive to protect and represent the interests of seniors, victims of violence, children, immigrants, and other vulnerable populations.

"They are the glue that keeps a community together," the MCSW said in a statement.

The program book with bios of each Commonwealth Heroine will be available here after the event concludes. For additional information on the event, email mcsw@mass.gov.

The MCSW is an independent state agency that was legislatively created in 1998 to advance the women of Massachusetts to full equality in all areas of life, to promote their rights and opportunities, and to provide them a permanent, effective voice.