Women's State-Wide Legislative Network of Massachusetts.

The Women's State-Wide Legislative Network of Massachusetts (the "Network," or WSLNM) was formed to educate women and girls about the legislative process, advocacy, and how to shape public policies that affect their lives. The Network grew out of a series of meetings held by women's organizations from the Greater Boston area and the Caucus of Women Legislators between 1982 and 1983. The Network was formally incorporated in 1983, with feminist and peace activist Diane Balser as its first executive director. Representatives from Boston area women's organizations also served on the board of directors. The Network received its initial funding from the Ms. Foundation for Women, establishing it as one of the first organizations in Massachusetts to focus solely on gaining legislative empowerment for women. Subsequent funding from the Boston Foundation, Boston Women's Fund, Resist Foundation, and other grant-funding agencies, helped the Network expand its outreach strategies and attract a diverse range of women and girls, including immigrants, women of color, poor and low-income women, and the elderly, through training programs, thematic workshops, annual conferences, and public forums that addressed their special needs.

The Network's educational focus, proven effectiveness, and ongoing interaction with legislators and state officials, led to a growing advisory role. In 1988, Governor Michael Dukakis appointed Diane Balser chair of the Governor's Advisory Committee on Women's Issues. During the 1990s, Network staff served on the advisory councils, steering committees, and planning groups of various organizations, including the Girl Scouts Council, the Institute for Women's Policy Research, the National Center for Policy Alternatives, Working Massachusetts, Welfare Dollars and Corporate Sense, and WomenIn. The Network's membership benefitted through legislative updates, action alerts, newsletters and training workshops, and roundtable discussion series led by its board of directors.

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