Greenfield’s Joannah Whitney to Receive Unsung Heroine Award

BOSTON — Today, June 18, in the Great Hall of the Massachusetts State House, Joannah Whitney will be honored by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) as a member of the 2019 class of Unsung Heroines. State Sen. Jo Comerford nominated Whitney for this honor because of her advocacy focused on disability rights, healthcare access, and equity.

Whitney uses her experience as a person living with multiple sclerosis, and who uses a wheelchair, to increase awareness and support for accessible public spaces and inclusive healthcare policies. “I share this award with my community,” she said. “Together, we have been working to make Greenfield a place that holds accessibility and inclusion as core values.”

Added Comerford, “according to the commission, Unsung Heroines are women who don’t make the news, but make the difference. They are the glue that keeps a community together, and everyone is better off because of their contribution. Truer words could not describe Joannah Witney’s steadfast contributions to the wider Greenfield community. From the moment I met Joannah during my Senate campaign, my awareness about and commitment to disability rights and healthcare access skyrocketed. She has held me and community initiatives accountable ever since. And I am truly grateful.”