What The Hell America!

Young feminists are shaping history. Here’s what leaders want them to know.

Here is a collection of inspiring words from the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference held last weekend in Washington, D.C.—for any young feminist who might need some inspiration and encouragement right now.

These quotes have been lightly edited for clarity. You can watch the full program on Feminist Majority Foundation’s Instagram.

“You all are the future of this movement, the ones who will continue to push boundaries, challenge injustices and demand a better, more equal world. We are living in a time where fundamental rights are under relentless attack, but history has shown us that when young people show up, when we organize, when we mobilize, we have the power to change everything. We’ve seen it in elections. We’ve seen it in movements. And we’ve seen it in the way that young people refuse to accept injustice as the status quo. When we fight, we win.”

—Madelyn Amos, Feminist Campus director, Feminist Majority Foundation

“One of the things the Feminist Majority has done since we opened our doors, is we are seeing things with a global perspective and a national perspective. And basically, this movement of ours *is* worldwide. We are making a difference in states and nations all over the world, but now we have this old fascist, or whatever you want to call it, backlash. And what that means is we’re getting stronger and stronger. People only do backlash when they think that we’re winning.”

—Ellie Smeal, president, Feminist Majority Foundation

“I just want to make sure that you all understand that we were built for this moment. Because, unlike some other people, nothing has been given to us. We have to fight for our right to vote. We have to fight for our right to interracial marriage, to go to school. We have to fight for the right to own property. Fight for our right to not *be* property. And so we have to march and to fight and to strike and to walk out and to sit in for all of the things that we have now that people are trying to take away.

“We were built for this moment. We stand on the shoulders of amazing women—and some men—who came before us, who laid the foundation, who showed us the framework, to never back down from a fight, to never say no, to never sit in the back, to make sure our voices are heard. Because now is our time, and now is our moment, and you must give us what you owe us. And that is full equality in our constitution enshrined right now.”

—Virginia state Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy

“Progress we fought for is being rolled back, and it is exhausting. But extortion is not the same as defeat. History has shown us that change is not a straight line, it is a battle of persistence, and persistence is something our movement has in abundance, from suffragists who refused to back down, to the activists who stood up against workplace discrimination, to the millions who continue to fight for bodily autonomy and equal rights today, feminism has never been about giving up.

“When the odds are stacked against us, as we navigate these tumultuous times, it is crucial that we remain steadfast in our mission. Progress is on our side, and we must never allow anybody to take that from us. Those who fear the future we envision do so because they fear our power, a testament to its strength, and for that very reason, we must never give up.”

—Hannah Irvine, campus coordinator, Vote for Equality, Cornell University

“The road is long and it is hard, but a better world and a better country, a better world, is worth fighting for. So I am asking you to fight as hard for USAID as you do for Medicaid, to fight for others, as much as ourselves, and to learn from global siblings, the gender justice movements around the world, who have been fighting this fight and who, now that the United States has pulled out of global investments, will have to fight even harder, and what they show us is, do not give up.

“Do not be afraid. Do not concede. Do not just hold the line. Redraw the lines and build a better world than the one that they tear down. Build it to include not just you, not just us, not just your country, but the world, because all of our safety, all of our dignity, all of our equality depends on it.”

—Tarah Demant, national director of programs, Amnesty International

“Don’t be fooled. Don’t allow the bullies to bully you. Bullies will continue to bully you until you give up everything, including your life.”

—Michele Bratcher Goodwin, Georgetown Law, professor of constitutional law and global health policy; executive producer, Ms. Studios

“We all need to stay connected as a feminist community and learn about what’s happening, not only here in the United States but around the world, to organize this resistance to the authoritarians who are in office.”

—Kathy Spillar, executive director, Feminist Majority Foundation

“I’ve always been somebody ready to change the world, the woman who wanted to fulfill the promise of a better world, and the girl who knew it at a young age, that somebody had to do it, and might as well be her.”

“Keep volunteering, keep advocating, working, learning, protesting, boycotting, donating, expanding your community, and most importantly, keep reaching out to our hands so that other women have the opportunity to fight for a better world.”

—Bella Jabbour, campus coordinator, Vote for Equality, Grand Valley State University

“You aren’t just participating in democracy, you’re reinventing it. In 2020 when everyone was worried about youth turnout, you showed up: 55 percent of young women voted, compared to just 44 percent of young men. That’s not a gap, that’s a chasm.”

“Yes, this work will break your heart. Some days, it will exhaust you, and still, you must continue, because here’s what the research ultimately shows, when younger people lead. Democracy doesn’t just survive, it thrives.”

—Leela Strong, director, Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement

“We are living in a moment where civil rights and higher education are under attack, not just through words, but through real, coordinated actions and policy changes meant to not only weaken protections, but to sew chaos.”

—Gloria Blackwell, CEO, American Association of University Women

“I believe that diversity, equity and inclusion is not a dirty word. It makes our nation stronger. It makes our state stronger, communities stronger, now in leadership and then in the General Assembly.”

“Do not allow anybody to bully you, because I feel that we are in a situation where bullying politics think they’re going to win their day, but they’re not, because we believe, I believe in each and every one of you and your humanity and your ability to do good.”

—Leader Charniele Herring, majority leader, Virginia House of Delegates

“I have been the witness of two collapses and two times of Taliban power, but still I’m standing to fight and do advocacy for women’s rights in Afghanistan.”

“[The Taliban] were hiding or turning their face … and didn’t want to look at us directly. … It was a really tough time. But, we were accepting that because we wanted to be at the table. We wanted to challenge them that the future of Afghanistan is women.”

—Dr. Habiba Sarabi, former governor of Bamiyan and minister of women’s affairs