Tufts’ Speaker Series Highlights Challenges, Opportunities for Women in Politics

Tufts University’s Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service will host a panel discussion focused on “Women in Politics” on November 12, featuring U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, state Representative Keiko Orrall, and Boston City Council member Ayanna Pressley. The public lecture, which will be moderated by Boston Globe columnist Yvonne Abraham, will examine the challenges and opportunities for women serving in all levels of elected office.

The free public event will take place at 5:30 p.m. in Alumnae Lounge on Tufts’ Medford/Somerville campus. It is part of the Tisch College Distinguished Speaker Series, which brings leaders from a range of fields and perspectives to campus to discuss pressing public issues.

Online registration for the event is available at: activecitizen.tufts.edu/speakers.

Yvonne Abraham is a columnist for the Boston Globe. She has held many positions at the Globe, including writing for the Metro section and covering state and national politics and immigration;

Katherine Clark has served as congresswoman for Massachusetts’ 5th District since 2013, representing 24 cities and towns including the area of Tufts’ Medford campus. She previously served as a state senator, a state representative and as chair of a local school committee;

Keiko Orrall is the first Asian-American woman to be elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. She represents the 12th Bristol District;

Ayanna Pressley has served on the Boston City Council since 2009, when she became the first woman of color elected to the council.

Cosponsors of the event include the Department of Political Science, the Africana Center, the Asian American Center and the Latino Center.

The Tisch College Distinguished Speaker Series, which launched in the fall of 2014, educates and engages students at Tufts, providing them with opportunities to interact with leaders in various fields. Previous speakers include former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence H. Summers, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, and former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown.

The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service is a national leader in civic education that sets the standard for higher education’s role in civic engagement. Serving every student at Tufts University, Tisch College prepares young people for lifetimes of civic engagement and creates an enduring culture of active citizenship.

For those unable to attend, the event will be live streamed and available at activecitizen.tufts.edu/livestream/.

– Submitted by Tufts University