Sure, Galentine’s Day may have started out as a day celebrated by a fictional character on a TV show, but ever since Leslie Knope, the beloved character created by Massachusetts native Amy Poehler, first introduced the idea of Galentine’s Day in 2010, the idea of a day to celebrate women’s friendships has taken on a life of its own.

Senate President Karen Spilka decided in 2022 that Galentine’s Day, the day before Valentine’s Day, is the perfect day to celebrate women’s empowerment, leadership and of course, friendships, and so was thrilled to host the first ever Massachusetts Galentine’s Day Celebration in 2023!

You can read more about that inaugural event in Politico and on Senate President Spilka’s website.

Please see below for Senate President Spilka’s 2022 Galentine’s Day message.