On Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., CAIR Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) host a free Know Your Rights workshop at the Islamic Society of Western Massachusetts, 377 Amostown Road, West Springfield, MA 01089. Dinner is provided. Tickets are free on Eventbrite; organizers ask everyone to register in advance because of anticipated interest. The night is aimed at helping Massachusetts Muslims—and anyone who faces discrimination—understand state anti-discrimination law and where to turn when something goes wrong at work, in housing, or in a public place.
What the workshop will cover
Eventbrite lists five topic areas: employment discrimination and workplace rights; housing discrimination protections; public accommodations discrimination; the MCAD complaint process and available resources; and how CAIR-MA supports community members facing discrimination. The training is led by Ashley Longmoore of MCAD. CAIR-MA is also on the program to describe its Civil Rights Department and community resources. Eventbrite names Tahirah Amatul-Wadud and Mariam Aydah alongside Longmoore on the public listing. Amatul-Wadud is CAIR-MA’s executive director and chief legal officer; Mariam Aydah, Esq., is the chapter’s civil rights attorney, according to CAIR-MA’s About page. A minute-by-minute agenda is not published on the ticket page—expect a two-hour community education session with dinner, not a formal CLE or a public hearing.
Who is putting it on
CAIR Massachusetts is the state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Established in 2015, the chapter says it serves an estimated 150,000 Muslims in the Commonwealth, with a mission to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions for justice and mutual understanding. The office listed on cairma.org is at 10 Center Street, Suite 306, Chicopee, MA 01013; the public phone is (617) 862-9159 and the email is info@ma.cair.com, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. MCAD is the independent state agency that enforces Massachusetts anti-discrimination laws in employment, housing, public accommodations, and other areas of everyday life. It also offers training and publishes guides. For Western Massachusetts residents, MCAD’s Springfield office is at 436 Dwight Street, Room 220, Springfield, MA 01103, phone (413) 739-2145—useful context for follow-up after the workshop, not a claim that staff from that office will handle every case discussed that night.
Why a Know Your Rights night at ISWM matters
The venue is the Islamic Society of Western Massachusetts, the Pioneer Valley’s long-standing masjid and community hub at 377 Amostown Road. ISWM’s public site describes a mission that includes serving local Muslims’ religious needs and building constructive relationships with the wider community; the center’s phone is (413) 788-7546 and the email is info@iswmonline.com. Pairing CAIR-MA’s civil-rights desk with MCAD’s enforcement agency at a Western Massachusetts masjid puts practical law next to the people who need it—especially for families who may not easily travel to Boston for a downtown training. CAIR-MA’s resources page already publishes Know Your Rights fact sheets on workplace discrimination, fair housing, discrimination in public places, hate crimes and harassment, school bullying, and filing MCAD complaints. This workshop is a live walkthrough of those themes with MCAD in the room.
What to know about filing—before you need to
CAIR-MA’s January 15, 2026 fact sheet on filing MCAD complaints (general information, not legal advice) says MCAD investigates claims in employment, housing, public accommodations, credit and lending, and admission to public schools. Filing is free. You do not need your own lawyer to file, though CAIR-MA strongly recommends calling CAIR-MA or another lawyer first so the complaint is as strong as possible. For most discrimination types other than public-school admission, that fact sheet says you must file within 300 days; school-admission cases have a shorter 180-day window in the same sheet. MCAD’s Mass.gov deadline page states complaints must be filed within 300 days from the last discriminatory act under M.G.L. c. 151B, with limited case-by-case exceptions. Mass.gov says visiting an MCAD office in Boston, Springfield, or Worcester for intake is the quickest path; mail-in complaints go to Boston headquarters, and virtual intake is also offered. Investigations can take a long time—CAIR-MA notes two or more years is possible—so the workshop’s value is knowing the process and the phone numbers before a crisis.
Getting there, and before you go
ISWM sits on Amostown Road in West Springfield, a short drive from Springfield and Holyoke and about 90 minutes from much of MetroWest in light traffic via the Mass Pike (I-90) and I-91. Set your map to 377 Amostown Road, West Springfield, MA 01089. On-site parking is commonly available; confirm accessible-parking details with the organizers. Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) buses serve West Springfield—check the live schedule for the stop nearest Amostown Road. Ride-share from Springfield or Springfield Union Station is usually simplest without a car.
Register for a free ticket on Eventbrite (search “CAIR-MA x MCAD Know Your Rights Workshop,” or open the link once we list it on masshalal.com/events). Save the confirmation, note the 6:00–8:00 p.m. window, and arrive a little early for dinner and seating. For day-of questions, use the Eventbrite organizer contact for CAIR-MA, call CAIR-MA at (617) 862-9159 on weekdays, or call ISWM at (413) 788-7546. Facing discrimination now and cannot wait until Saturday? Start with cairma.org/resources or MCAD intake—do not treat this article as legal advice. Hosting a civil-rights workshop we have not covered yet? Tip us at masshalal.com/contact.