Los Angeles Sparks’ Post

"Empowered women empower women. 💪👩🤝👩✨ In a world where women face countless challenges, we hold the power to uplift, inspire, and support each other. When we recognize our collective strength, amazing things happen. Together, we can break barriers, shatter glass ceilings, and create a future where every woman thrives. By lifting one another up, we create a ripple effect that spreads positivity, courage, and resilience. Whether it's through mentorship, friendship, or advocacy, every act of empowerment strengthens the foundation upon which we build a more inclusive society. Let's celebrate the accomplishments, dreams, and potential of women around us. Let's amplify their voices, acknowledge their achievements, and stand shoulder to shoulder as we navigate the road to success. Because when one woman rises, she paves the way for countless others to follow. Remember, your success is my success, and mine is yours. Together, we can rewrite the narrative, rewrite history, and create a world where every woman is empowered to be her best self. Cristina España - Elaine Marshall -Mary-Ann Baldwin - Maria Cervania - Gale Adcock So, let's continue to support, uplift, and inspire each other. Let's be the change we want to see. 🤝Together, we are an unstoppable force. -Hasti #peace #womenentrepreneurs #hasti #womenempoweringwomen #changemakers #womenentrepreneurs #womeninpower #empoweredwomenempowerwomen #womensupportingwomen #inclusivity

𝐈 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞—𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝. … 𝐖𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤. -𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐥𝐚 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐳𝐚𝐢 Women’s History Month celebrates female identifying leaders in the arts, business, education, tech, politics, social justice, and much more. At 𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙡𝙩, we believe in the importance of building the next generation of social and racial justice reformists, abolitionists, and scholars who will lead our fight for freedom and justice. Over a third of our participants at 𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙡𝙩 are young women, mostly of color. When they walk through our doors they are already facing systemic societal challenges long before that fateful moment they encountered the police, a court, a judge. MckInsey’s Women in the Workplace 2023 report summarizes that: “Women are more ambitious than ever, and workplace flexibility is fueling them. Yet despite some hard-fought gains, women’s representation is not keeping pace.” When we take a closer look, we see that women of color, the young women that exalt serves, are especially vulnerable.   * The gender pay gap has barely closed in the last two years, leaving women earning 82 cents for every man’s dollar. In 2022, Black women earned even less. * Just 70 cents on the dollar compared to  White men * For every 100 men who get promoted, just 87 women do and just 54 black women do. * Women account for less than 28% of C suite positions. Women of color account for just 6% * About 42% of US women have faced discrimination in the workplace on the basis of gender.  * About 41% of US mothers don't bring up their caregiving problems to their employer. These statistics only underscore my fervent belief that the only way we will overcome such inequity is to create the conditions for success for women. That 33% of young women who attend the exalt program are succeeding. They are thriving. They are escaping the criminal justice system, re-engaging with their education and working at well paid internships that set them up for economic success. I have worked in the field for over 20 years and I know that we make great strides when powerful women say ‘YES’ to each other. I know that our society was not created for us; but I don’t accept it. We must support each other and to claim our influence, based on the insights, the innovations, and the contributions we are making.  This month, in honor of Women’s History Month, we will be highlighting the members of the growing exalt team and leadership who are doing just that. We will share with you the women who are empowering women, as well as spotlight 𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙡𝙩 alumni thriving and building successful careers, despite the odds. Join me on this critical mission. https://bit.ly/49C4KEf

The landscape of feminist activism is constantly changing and so are the ways our grantees are responding. Read our annual report to learn how feminist activists responded to the challenges brought by 2021: https://ed.gr/eegjt

16 Days of Activism: I believe in the power of conversations to create change. It's more than a movement; it's an opportunity for us to challenge harmful norms and stereotypes, fostering an environment where everyone feels safe. With 1 in 6 women facing violence, it's a reality we can't ignore. Let's use these 16 days to amplify our voices, question existing beliefs, and commit to actions that promote respect and equality. Together, we can make a difference.

Let's talk about the corridors and all they're doing for small businesses ☺️ #corridorsofopportunity #smallbusiness

As a proud Mama to two boys, ages 11 and 13, raising them to be great men is something I take very seriously.   Women's History Month isn’t just about recognizing incredible women throughout history and celebrating how far we’ve come. It’s also about shaping the future generation. Shaping them ALL to know their worth and to make it their mission to help others to see theirs.   Being a #BoyMom is my most treasured job- and is MUCH more challenging than my ‘real job’, so here are a few ways I try to be intentional:   ●Lead by Example- Actions speak louder than words. By demonstrating respect, equality, and inclusivity in our daily lives, I show my boys what it means to be a true ally to women. ●Encourage Empathy- We often have conversations about putting ourselves in others' shoes. Most recently the topic they came to me with was about the 'unspoken thing' that middle school girls experience and how to handle delicate situations without embarrassing someone. ●Support Their Ideas & Opinions- My boys have diverse interests, and I encourage them to pursue what they want regardless of gender stereotypes. We cook, we craft, we paint, we plant flowers, I ask their opinion about what jewelry or shoes look best with my outfit- all in the name of fun and love, while also preparing them to be the best version of themselves for whomever they choose to spend their lives with. ●Champion Consent and Respect- We have open discussions about consent and respecting boundaries. Teaching them now about the importance of consent will hopefully lay the foundation for healthy relationships in the future. Above everything, I want to emphasize how incredibly important and precious my boys are to me. These guys are my whole world. 💙 Through the laughter, challenges- and everything in between- they are a constant source of inspiration and remind me how blessed I am to have the opportunity to raise them.   Let's work to raise a generation of boys who champion equality, celebrate diversity, and uplift women every step of the way! 💫 #WomensHistoryMonth #RaisingAllies #BoyMomProud

Justice. At Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism, we work towards a world in which all human rights, including women and LGBTQI+ people’s rights, are upheld and regarded as equal. We are committed to removing systemic barriers that frontline feminist activists face in their fight for justice. We apply a feminist, human rights and social justice lens to all aspects of our work by focusing on structurally marginalized groups and critically analyzing unequal power structures and how they operate. 📸: Rucha Chitnis

A much needed and very feminist initiative. If you want to learn about the current global feminist ideas and discussions and need references for feminist research and knowledge sharing here it is.

Want to see how we engage the next generation of leaders in inclusion activism? Check out Connection Corner!