Months before the nation turned its focus to civil rights challenges, Marilou Barsam and the Bedford Embraces Diversity (“BED”) group that she founded were hard at work addressing the hurdles facing marginalized groups in a largely Caucasian region.  Recognizing the importance of her leadership early this year, State Rep. Ken Gordon (D-Bedford) nominated Ms. Barsam as the Commonwealth Heroine of the 21st Middlesex District. The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women recently released the members of its 2020 class of Heroines, Ms. Barsam among them.