WORCESTER, MA — The Worcester NAACP is condemning racist and sexist harassment directed at two young women involved in the Worcester Wall of Women project, saying the artists were subjected to degrading comments that included use of the N-word.
In a statement dated Sept. 4, Worcester NAACP President Fred Taylor Sr. said the incident occurred the previous day. The statement does not identify the person accused of making the comments, say where the incident occurred, or indicate whether police were contacted.
The two artists have been working on the Worcester Wall of Women project, which honors women who have made lasting contributions to the city, according to the NAACP statement.
“These talented artists have devoted their time, creativity, and passion to honoring women who have made a lasting impact on Worcester,” Taylor said in the statement. “No one working to uplift others should be subjected to hateful and degrading attacks.”
Taylor described racism and sexism as forms of hate and called on residents to challenge racist, sexist and divisive behavior when it occurs.
“Let me be LOUD and clear: racism is hate. Sexism is hate,” the statement said. “Hate has no place in Worcester, and it has no place in any community that values dignity, respect, and equity.”
The NAACP said it stands with the artists and with community leaders who have spoken against the incident. The organization also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting people targeted because of race, gender or identity.
The statement did not provide the artists’ names or describe the specific work being completed through the Wall of Women project. It also did not say whether the person accused of making the comments has been identified or whether any response, investigation or other action is underway.
Still, Taylor said the harassment would not stop the project’s work or diminish the contributions of the women it seeks to recognize.
“The contributions of the women being honored matter, the work of these artists matters, and the message of unity, recognition, and progress matters,” the statement said. “We will continue moving forward together, committed to justice, equity, and a community where hate has no home.”
The Worcester NAACP’s statement is the primary public account available in the materials reviewed by What’s Up Worcester. Additional information about the incident, including its location, the identity of the person involved and whether it has been reported to law enforcement, has not been released in that statement.
🔎 W.U.W. Verification Box
- Project / Topic: The Worcester NAACP’s response to reported racist and sexist comments directed at two young women working on the Worcester Wall of Women project.
- Current Status: The Worcester NAACP publicly condemned the incident in a statement dated Sept. 4, 2026, and said it stands with the artists.
- Key Dates or Decisions: The NAACP said the incident occurred Sept. 3, 2026. Its public statement was dated Sept. 4, 2026.
- Estimated Cost: No project cost or financial information was included in the Worcester NAACP statement reviewed for this article.
- Timeline: The statement does not provide a schedule for the Wall of Women project or identify any planned response beyond the NAACP’s continued support and opposition to racism and hatred.
- Immediate Next Steps: The NAACP said it will continue to stand with people targeted because of race, gender or identity and continue supporting the work represented by the Wall of Women project.
- Primary Sources: A Sept. 4, 2026 statement from Fred Taylor Sr., president of the Worcester NAACP.
- What We Do Not Yet Know: The statement does not identify the artists, the person accused of making the comments, the location of the incident, whether police were notified, or whether any investigation or disciplinary action is underway.
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