Senator Cyr, Representative Sam Montaño introduce legislation honoring Dolly Parton
Boston –– To honor the life of American icon Dolly Parton, State Senator Julian Cyr (D–Provincetown) and State Representative Sam Montaño (D–Boston) have introduced legislation declaring September 25 as “9 to 5 Day across the Commonwealth,” recognizing Dolly’s emblematic cultural impact on the United States, her steadfast dedication to charitable causes, and her unwavering support of women, workers, LGBTQ+ people, and children.
The legislation calls for an annual observance of Parton’s innumerable contributions to music, philanthropy, and culture, ensuring that her legacy endures for generations to come in the Commonwealth. This bill mirrors legislation and honors from across the country that memorialize Dolly’s storied place in American history, including in her home state of Tennessee. Senator Cyr and Representative Montaño offer the following joint statement as they file An act relative to designating September 25th as 9 to 5 Day in honor of Dolly Parton.
“In Dolly Parton, we lost an icon: a legendary singer-songwriter, a philanthropist, and a role model who showed generations of Americans what it means to lead and live with kindness and authenticity,” said bill sponsors Cyr and Montaño. “Dolly’s passing felt incredibly personal to millions of us, like we had all lost our ‘Aunt Dolly.’
To honor her legacy, this legislation would designate September 25 as ‘9 to 5 Day across the Commonwealth,’ following the lead of lawmakers from Tennessee in celebrating Dolly Parton and all people on the job working 9 to 5.
Dolly embodied the very best of what makes our country so special. She grew up in poverty in Appalachia, but was never afraid to dream big and want something more for herself. Even after reaching stratospheric fame, she never lost her humility, never took herself too seriously, and never stopped giving back to the communities that needed it most.
For so many of us, Dolly is a patron saint of audacious beauty, wit, and acceptance. She was a steadfast ally to LGBTQ+ people, decades before it was popular to be, and constantly reminded us not to be afraid of showing up as our whole selves––even if others poked fun, or simply didn’t understand us.
Dolly spent her life working to bring joy to others through her music, charity, and grace. Let’s honor her legacy on September 25 and beyond by being a little kinder to each other, finding humor even on the hard days, and asking ourselves, ‘What would Dolly do?’”