“Do not be afraid.”
With these words, Massachusetts Attorney General (AG) Andrea Campbell anchored her remarks to the Mothers Out Front Massachusetts State Assembly, grounding the room in a moment of calm and connection. Speaking to an audience of parents, caregivers, and community members, she acknowledged the emotional weight many people carry today—anxiety, fear, and uncertainty. She encouraged the group to lean on each other for strength, and to look to the faces of children when seeking to overcome despair.
The first woman of color to be elected to a statewide office in Massachusetts, AG Campbell opened with a powerful reflection on why she felt honored and privileged to speak with our community. Her personal story is one of almost unbelievable difficulty. Her mother died before Campbell was a year old, her father was incarcerated until she was eight and died before she was twenty. She and her brothers were reared through a combination of an alcoholic grandmother and a series of foster homes. And yet, she noted, because of her faith and people who invested in her, she–the first person in her family to go to college––not only completed College but also law school.
Campbell decided to use her position to work toward a better world for all, with particular attention to those born without privilege or the ability to hold public figures accountable, working on behalf of those who “feel left out and left behind, who feel invisible, who feel as though [those public figures] are not listening.”
Consequently, her work as Massachusetts AG ties in well with the work of Mothers Out Front, supporting opportunities to create a livable climate. Her office has filed nearly fifty lawsuits against the current administration, covering not only environmental justice but also infrastructure, public schools, public health and jobs.
Fighting for Climate in the Courtroom
The projects her office has battled for include:
- Funding for offshore wind projects, without which energy costs were expected to rise by fifty percent by 2050.
- Accountability for the Department of Public Utilities (DPU): Saving over two billion dollars last year in utility costs that would have been passed on to rate payers, the AG’s office has hired experts to help reduce costs from DPU and other regulatory agencies. Campbell has noted that the DPU adopted many recommendations from the AG’s office that reined in gas companies’ spending under GSEP (Gas System Enhancement Plan), drawing applause from the audience that was all too familiar with the fight around GSEP.
- Fighting Against Scams “by hyper-focusing on everything related to competitive electric supply” through which contracts to reduce costs have actually cost consumers over six hundred million dollars.
- Financial Support for Environmental Justice: In addition to demanding accountability, the AG’s office has established grants programs to help low- and moderate- income families transition to a cleaner and greener economy. Because it’s important not only to establish these grants but also to make sure that the people who will need them know that they are available, efforts have continued to publicize these grants.
Equally important has been the establishment of an environmental justice trust fund which has helped the Commonwealth distribute funds for community-designed projects across Massachusetts. Mothers Out Front has been important to Campbell’s work and in turn, we are inspired by her advocacy.
Campbell’s message was a powerful reminder that progress comes from persistence, partnership, and the belief that every community deserves a livable future. Her leadership reinforces the impact we can have when we join together to demand accountability and advance climate justice.
Take Action
Mothers Out Front welcomes everyone to join us in our fight for a livable climate. We provide lots of opportunities to learn, engage, and take action on the issues that you’re most passionate about. Get to know us at a community event or gear up for action on a specific topic at one of our 30-minute Zoom Climate Action Calls. We can’t wait to meet you!
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Author Theresa Ammirati is a member of the Massachusetts Communications Resource Team of Mothers Out Front. She is a writer and former Professor of English and Dean of Studies at Connecticut College.