From Patriarchy to Inclusion: When Outrage Leads to Power Sharing

"Outrage is mobilizing. But hope is sustaining. That is the piece we're often missing. People have every right to be outraged at the current system and the existing sexism and racism in the system. They're outraged, they march, they mobilize, and they engage. To sustain that, we need the hope that this is a system that can be changed. Patriarchy has existed for centuries. It's not going to be dismantled and replaced in ten years. That's where hope comes in. I am reassured when I look at where our moms were 20 years ago. My grandmother was illiterate, my mom got married when she was a teenager. In a generation, there has been a shift. We have to continue on that path; maintain our passion and commitment and be strategic but also be sustained through hope and recognize it will take time.

We also need to be able to say this system is inherently not working for us. Patriarchy, white supremacy: not working for us. We need to reimagine these systems, with diverse women leading the way, but also with men taking responsibility to address how they have benefitted from these systems of power".