Stacey Abrams, Meena Harris, and Other Activists on How to Fight For Women

Published on March 7, 2025 at 8:00 AM

Every year around Women's History Month and International Women's Day, I think about my late friend and mentor Neema Roshania Patel. Neema was my manager at The Washington Post, where I helped her run a team of women in our 20s and 30s covering issues of gender and identity. Every year, we joked about the influx of emails we'd get on March 1, imploring us to cover Women's History Month. We found it ridiculous to suggest that these stories should be relegated to just one month a year or focused around one holiday — we were advocating for their importance year-round.

I was so proud to work closely with Neema, someone who spent her whole career fighting for a better world for women on a global scale, as well as on a personal level. She was always advocating for me and other women in the workplace, helping us negotiate our salaries and championing our accomplishments. So much of my life has been inspired by how she led her own.

So while I sometimes still cringe at the many blast emails drawing attention to women's rights during this month, I also know how important it is to bring attention to these issues, no matter the reason. In a world in which abortion restrictions continue to impact millions of women, trans folks' rights are being stripped away, and DEI initiatives are being erased, there's never been a more urgent need to use our voices to advocate for the equal rights of everyone.

That's why, for International Women's Day, we asked leaders we admire about what they're doing to fight for women's rights in this moment. Below, hear empowering words from Stacey Abrams, the well-known author, politician, and voting-rights activist; Meena Harris, founder of Phenomenal Media; Amanda Nguyen, an astronaut and civil-rights activist who founded Rise; and Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

We hope their words inspire you to extend the spirit of International Women's Day into your everyday — all of our rights depend on it.

Stacey Abrams on International Women's Day

"Genuine progress in women's rights starts with everyday choices — listening more intently, learning continuously, and actively supporting women-led initiatives that strengthen our communities. Every day, we have a chance to lift up voices that are often overlooked and/or to mentor new talent — for example, by acknowledging someone in a meeting or following a creator on social media. We can also harness the power of advocacy, backing grassroots organizations, championing policies that promote equality, or standing for public office ourselves. Every effort, no matter how small, contributes to a larger ripple of change, and together, our collective actions can reshape the narrative around women's rights."

Meena Harris on International Women's Day

"At this moment, when trans people are under relentless attack by those in power, I'm using my voice to recognize that trans rights are women's rights. None of us are free until all of us are free."

Amanda Nguyen on International Women's Day

"After I was raped, I put my dreams of becoming an astronaut on hold to rewrite the law in the United States Congress and the United Nations with my organization Rise. Now after passing 91 laws, I'm honoring the girl I was before I was hurt to return to the stars as an astronaut. My advice to all women is to choose yourself, to pursue your dreams — you can be multitudes. Honoring your past, present, and future selves is an act of radical resistance. The torch you carry through those darkest moments lights the path for those that follow. This International Women's Day, I ask that anyone reading this finds their spark to make both the 5-year-old you, and the 85-year-old you, proud."

Alexis McGill Johnson on International Women's Day

"The fight for reproductive freedom is never done. In our current political reality, it may be hard to imagine what victory for reproductive rights looks like on the other side. That's why it's important to stay informed and take lessons from the people we see battling for their rights and freedom every day worldwide. I draw inspiration from movements that have reclaimed their abortion rights, including in Ireland, 'Niñas, No Madres' in Latin America, and right here in the US in states like Ohio, Kansas, and Montana, to name a few.

People who share their stories chip away at stigma and move us toward freedom. They are proof that we all have a role to play in ensuring that people have the power to make decisions about their own bodies, lives, and futures. It's through the conversations we have, experiences we share, and community we build that a vision of reproductive freedom will one day be realized."

Lena Felton (she/her) is a senior content director at PS, where she oversees feature stories, special projects, and identity content. Previously, she was an editor at The Washington Post, where she led a team covering issues of gender and identity. She has been working in journalism since 2017, during which time her focus has been feature writing and editing and elevating historically underrepresented voices. Lena has worked for The Atlantic, InStyle, So It Goes, and more.