Where was I this morning? I often say that I have the most exquisite Senate district in the Commonwealth. That's why — every so often — I'm going to post images of natural and community beauty invite you to guess where I've been.

🔊Please SHARE: Stunning organizing in an open letter to the people of eastern MA, from the Quabbin Watershed Stewards — a growing group of people organizing in the communities that ring the Quabbin Reservoir. The letter is available through this link: senatorjocomerford.org/western-mass....

The Quagmire of Trump’s Venezuela open.substack.com/pub/robertre...

Trump's attack of Venezuela is "wildly illegal" — says U.S. Senator Chris Murphy: www.cnn.com/2026/01/04/p...

Glad to celebrate key funding ($5+ million) on its way to municipalities in the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester district. TY to the Healey-Driscoll Administration, EOHLC, and municipal leaders for your work to rehabilitate housing, improve sidewalks and roads, upgrade public facilities, + more.

Farms across MA are facing unprecedented challenges — from rising costs to market volatility to climate change — and they deserve strong, sustained support. Check out 63 recs via the Special Com. on Agriculture in the Commonwealth in the 21st Century: malegislature.gov/Bills/194/SD...

So many in our region serve the public — in education, health care, human services, local government, public safety, food provision, the arts and tourism, keeping small businesses alive, + more. Love and gratitude to each of you in this new year. The work you do is important + life-affirming.

Glad to join Patrick Berry and InFocus earlier this month to talk about our team's work on behalf of the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester district. Thank you, Patrick, for a great conversation: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JCB...

Celebrating key funding ($5+M) on its way to municipalities in the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester district. Thank you to the Healey-Driscoll Administration + muni leaders. Glad to be your partner in this work.

Once again, inspired young people show us how to make government work. Hadley Third Graders, many from farming families, have prompted a bill to make asparagus — known locally as Hadley Grass — the official state vegetable.

Joyous, love-filled Hot Chocolate Run for Safe Passage as thousands flocked to Northampton to support its work with courageous survivors and its mission for a world free of violence and relationship abuse.

🎙️🎶: 2025 Wrapped (Jo's Version) - Are you ready for it? Grateful for every partner, every community conversation, + every leap forward we took together. Take a look at what + who I listened to the most this year. (H/t to Katelyn Billings on my team for helping me try to be much cooler than I am!)

This fall, my team + I worked with a superstar team of interns and fellows. From L to R, starting at the top: Kainoa Chesmore Walling (Mount Holyoke), Miles DeRiggi (UMass Amherst), Depre Carr (UMass Amherst), + Janine Nanez (Northeastern University School of Law). Grateful for their stellar work.

Our team's latest newsletter is live, filled with updates, highlights, and ways to engage. Here: conta.cc/3XymNpX

A fabulous visit yesterday w/ @massago.bsky.social @ Northampton High School. Grateful that the AG took the time to speak so passionately and candidly about her personal journey and her work to students, staff, and faculty. H/t Northampton Youth Commission

Grateful for this big beautiful team.

Join me for the People’s Town Hall via Zoom on December 10 from 6:00–7:30 p.m. Register for this free event: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi... Accessibility information is available through the registration link. Any questions? Email [email protected]

Sunrise with Monte, Jim, and a record number of good folks who are walking to raise funds for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts — in the leg between Northampton and Greenfield.

Today is World Pancreatic Cancer Day, part of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. Join us in raising awareness today to help shine a light on this disease. #PancreaticCancerAwareness #WorldPancreaticCancerDay #mahealthcare #cancerawareness #LegislativeAction

In recognizing #TransDayOfRemembrance, we recommit to ensuring that Massachusetts is a place where everyone can live, work, and love safely and with dignity.

Today at Prospect Place in Northampton was magical as a crowd gathered to support 60 new units of affordable housing for families and individuals in a reclaimed former nursing home. Pictured: A breathtaking mural and its artists and a playground that screams, "Come live and play here."

The Gov's Anti-Hunger Task Force is holding a listening session. Grateful to serve among this coalition of advocates, providers, state agencies, + community leaders working to ensure everyone in MA has access to nutritious, affordable food. More: www.mass.gov/governors-an...

I joined Rep. Natalie Blais @ the @mascschoolcomm.bsky.social conference. The topic of our panel was RURAL and LOW/DECLINING ENROLLMENT SCHOOLS — and the actions the *state must take* to ensure equitable opportunity to students in schools across our region.

Thrilled to see $10.23 million coming to the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester district in economic development and housing infrastructure grants. Grateful to @massgovernor.bsky.social, @kimdriscollma.bsky.social, + their administration for investing in western and north central Massachusetts.

"What happens to the letters I write when Clean Water canvassers knock on my door?" We deliver them directly to your elected leaders! We're fighting for legislation to clean up air pollution. Shout out to Sen Mark's and @jocomerford.bsky.social's enthusiastic staff! Keep the letters coming!

On Friday, officials from the MDAR, MassHealth, and DPH joined farmers and producers @ Just Roots in Greenfield to learn about the health and economic benefits of locally-grown, nutritions food - delivered like medicine.

Thank you @massago.bsky.social for always answering the call for and leading us to justice. Donald Trump must release all available funds for the November SNAP payment to states.

How can parents protect their kids from cauldrons of unknown toxic threats? Good news! There is legislation pending in MA that requires the disclosure of toxic chemicals in children's products! Take action to support the Toxic Free Kids Act: cleanwater.org/ma-toxic-fre... @jocomerford.bsky.social

Delighted to nominate Naomi Bledsoe, Youth Engagement Coordinator for the Communities that Care Coalition, + Nate Woodard, Co-Chair of the Greenfield Human Rights Commission, to represent the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester district @ the Senate's 90th Citizen's Legislative Seminar.

I was deeply honored to be recognized at the Disability Policy Consortium's annual John Winske Memorial Awards last week — receiving the Thomas Menino Award for Public Service alongside the wonderful Rep. Christine Barber. (Pictured with DPC's great ED Harry Weissman.)

Just passed UNANIMOUSLY: An Act relative to menstrual product ingredient disclosure, a bill I share w/ Rep. Natalie Blais. Today in the Senate we focused on menstrual equity. We know that access is not equitable if menstrual products are not safe. www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6Ny...

Massachusetts has made strides in expanding college access—but completion rates still lag. Learn how the #SUCCESS program addresses this challenge & more. Don’t miss our briefing alongside the Hildreth Institute, @jocomerford.bsky.social, and Rep. Dave Rogers.

Fabulous to meet with @umassamherst.bsky.social nursing students in the State House as part of an American Nurses Association lobby day.

On Monday, I'm celebrating #IndigenousPeoplesDay, proud to be the Senate sponsor of a bill to make that change official, working in partnership with Indigenous leaders across the state. The legacy of colonization, in the name of Columbus, is one not worthy of memorialization.

October 18 Rallies across WMA and central MA www.nokings.org See you there

Until recently, MA had an ineffective, inefficient, inequitable public health system. That changed w/ the passage of SAPHE 2.0 + w/ $200 million to transform our state's public health delivery system. If you want to be inspired by transformative work, watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsC_...

Somehow these two messages just aren't aligning.

THRILLING to be at Greenfield Community College to cheer the graduation of new HVAC techs AND the launch of the Climate Service Corps with Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer and Massachusetts Clean Energy Center executive director Dr. Emily Reichert and team.

Our team's latest newsletter: conta.cc/4mC2gLd

Catch up with episode 4 of Keeping Hope Alive featuring Adela Imul Ajanel from the Center for New Americans in Northampton. Catch the full video here: youtu.be/LjeRpo_TxfQ

Tune in to episode 3 of Keeping Hope Alive to hear from the formidable Kirsten Levitt, Executive Director and Chef of Stone Soup Café in Greenfield. Full video available here: youtu.be/v5BJDS4VAfU

Episode 2 of “Keeping Hope Alive” features Dr. Sunny Shukla, Chief Medical Officer at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. He talks about the challenges health care providers face, his commitment to protecting and caring for patients, + how volunteering builds community + hope. Watch: youtu.be/20kvXlPCacA

Brian Shortsleeve and Mike Kennealy joined forces in opposition to a new state flag, seal, and motto. Here's my response:

I joined the 50th Anniv. celebration of the MA Caucus of Women Legislators. Since its founding, 243 women have served in the MA State Legislature. I’m proud to be part of this legacy, working w/ incredible, ceiling-shattering colleagues. Here’s to the next 243 women shaping the future of MA.

Episode 2 of “Keeping Hope Alive” features Dr. Sunny Shukla, Chief Medical Officer at Cooley Dickinson Health Care Hospital. 🎥 Full video: youtu.be/20kvXlPCacA

I joined Rep. Natalie Blais for what's become our annual participation in the Connecticut River Conservancy's Source to Sea cleanup. In 1 hour, we collected the trash that's pictured in this post. More: www.ctriver.org/source-to-se...

Thrilled to kick off “Keeping Hope Alive” w/ the first guest, Monte Belmonte @ the Shea Theater in Turners Falls. “Keeping Hope Alive” is a series of 11 videos featuring community changemakers who are leading hopeful + community-strengthening work. 🎥 youtu.be/HmGDKtBkiJI

TONIGHT: Virtual Public Forum for the Trails for All To present draft recs for improving trail accessibility across Massachusetts. Register: bit.ly/accessibletrails2 TY to Paul Jahnige, Director of the Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation and a host of wonderful advocates!

Super fabulous to see Mattea Kramer's 'Untended' as @nepublicmedia.bsky.social's book club choice. I know and love Mattea and her writing. On my fiction pile, Untended is on the TOP. TY NEPM for raising up this book and its author. www.nepm.org/nepm-events/...

👏👏👏 Yes! It's past time to protect Massachusetts kids from toxic chemicals! Thank you @jocomerford.bsky.social for standing with Clean Water Action, the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, and our coalition partners to fight for children's health! www.masslive.com/opinion/2025...