Looking Back to Move Ahead
Reflecting on 2025, one thing is for sure – we’ve got momentum.
It wasn’t something we created in one defining moment or incredible event. It is something defined by steady work and intentional action. We had conversations that mattered, and celebrated moments that didn’t make headlines. We showed up – for women, for each other, and for the work – even when progress felt slow or uncertain. And so did many of you.
This doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because people decide that women’s leadership and advancing gender equality are worth the effort. By showing up, our trust and connections grew, and our focus on our shared goals multiplied.
Momentum is easy to miss. It doesn’t trend with headlines or hashtags. Instead, it looks like steadfast consistency. Quiet but durable. It’s built through trust, relationships, and shared commitment.
Progress Isn’t Loud
2026 provides us with the opportunity to build on the momentum of the actions we took in 2025, and 2024, and 2023… The relationships we built, the leaders we celebrated, the messages we amplified, and the stories we shared. It all matters and is necessary to help us keep gaining ground and move equality forward.
The challenges we face are real, but so is the progress. We’re not starting over in the new year, we’re continuing to move ahead with intention and resolve. Meaningful change doesn’t require doing everything. It starts with doing one thing.
Do One Small Thing
Small actions create momentum. They always have. This week you can:
Speak up when a woman’s contribution is overlooked
Share or support the work of a woman leader
Reach out to someone who could use encouragement or connection
Learn more about an issue affecting women and girls – and talk about it
One small action may not feel like much, but when we do them together – in our communities and conversations – they add up and can create real, lasting change for a more equitable tomorrow.
That’s how we keep moving forward. One step at a time. Together.
This Week on the Blog: What We’re Building Next
Just over a year ago, we pointed out that while 2024 was a BIG year, 2025 was shaping up to be even BIGGER. It did not disappoint. Along with our partners, collaborators, sisters, daughters, and friends, we continued to move progress forward. In fact, despite disasters, elections (or disastrous elections), and more than a few tense moments, we also celebrated plenty of victories.
After twelve months of incredible events and opportunities, we started 2026 by staying true to our mission and our goals. We have plans to further the work in 2026. We will continue to support, amplify, and fund initiatives that prepare women to lead through an ever-growing number of strategic partnerships, with investments in programs to break down barriers, create opportunities, and drive meaningful change. Whether by funding organizations, supporting leadership programs, or connecting our organizational partners and friends to collaborate in different ways, we’ll stay laser-focused on equipping women with the skills, resources, and networks they need to thrive. Here’s to 2026 and building a better world that works for us all! Read more…
In Closing
Moving into 2026, it’s important to remember that progress rarely announces itself. But it does show up in the conversations that lead to action or change perspectives, in relationships built over time, and in the decisions to keep going – even when progress feels slow.
We don’t need to do everything, but we do need to do something. With intention. With care. And we need to do it together.
This Substack is a reminder that change starts with us – and we’re grateful to be here with you as the work continues.
Together, we are a force.
Progress that lasts rarely kicks down doors. It keeps them open. This is a powerful reminder that momentum lives in consistency, care, and the daily choice to show up for women and for one another. Quiet work, shared trust, small intentional acts. That’s how change takes root and keeps growing. Onward into 2026, together.