Trump takes office again on January 20. For those of us working to advance gender equality and intersecting issues, where do we collectively go from here? What do we need to focus on?
The path forward is clear: we must continue fighting for a more robust care economy— because care is at the heart of everything. Our movement doesn’t shift just because the party in power changes. The policies the administration will attempt to dismantle—Medicaid, Medicare, paid leave, Head Start, protections for care workers and immigrant workers—are essential for gender and racial equality, economic security, and democracy itself.
We must stay grounded in our collective power, remembering that we’ve built an ecosystem of support at the national and local levels. Our focus will be protecting and expanding a care agenda that improves wages, access, and rights for domestic workers, home care workers, and child care workers. At the same time, we must be prepared to push back against attacks on immigrant communities and the very systems that make care possible for millions of families.
Now is not the time to despair. Now is the time to organize, to hold the line, and to build the future we know is possible.
How do we make progress during this time? Are there new strategies we should be adopting in terms of organizing and coalition building?
We make progress by doubling down on what we know works: organizing, coalition-building, and centering care in every policy conversation. But we must also adapt—this moment demands new strategies and bolder action.
We’re entering an era where we must go on the offensive. Our organizing must not just be defensive, but expansive. We will build power in every corner of this country, in both red and blue states, bringing more domestic workers and care advocates into our movement. We will push for city and state-level policies that protect care workers and create models that can outlast any administration.
And we will make care a top political issue that no leader can ignore. Across party lines, voters overwhelmingly support care investments. We will use every tool available—media, digital organizing, and direct action—to ensure that care remains at the center of our political agenda.
We are not alone in this fight. Our movement is millions strong, and we are just getting started.
What is your call to action?
Care is still the solution, and this movement is still growing. If you believe that no one should have to choose between caring for a loved one and putting food on the table, join us. If you believe that the people who do the essential work of caring for our families deserve respect, fair wages, and protections, join us.
Support organizations fighting for care workers. Push your elected officials—at every level—to prioritize investments in care. Speak up when policies threaten the well-being of care workers and immigrant workers. Organize with us, stand with us, and demand a future where care is a national priority.
We will not back down, and we will not stop until care workers, families, and our communities have the dignity, respect, and security they deserve.
The U.S. once again failed to elect our first woman president. What will it take to get a woman president and more women into political leadership?
We know that women, especially Black women, immigrant women, and women of color, are already leading. They are organizing, running campaigns, making policies, and holding their communities together. But our systems—our policies, our narratives, our economy—still make it harder for women to succeed in public life.
To elect more women, we must ensure that women, especially care workers, have the economic security and support they need to participate fully in our democracy. That means affordable child care, paid leave, fair wages, and protections for working mothers. Women can’t run for office, organize, or advocate if they are constantly fighting just to survive.
We also need to change how we talk about leadership. Care is leadership. Women who have been caregivers their entire lives—nannies, home care workers, mothers—are some of the strongest, most capable leaders we have. It’s time we recognize and uplift that power.
What gives you hope? For those feeling disheartened by this setback or overwhelmed by the work ahead, what words of encouragement would you offer?
What gives me hope is the movement we’ve built. Care workers—who have long been undervalued and overlooked—are organizing, speaking out, and demanding their rights like never before. The infrastructure we have built is strong, and it is growing.
To anyone feeling disheartened, I want to say this: we have been here before, and we have won before. Progress is not linear, but it is inevitable when people come together and refuse to accept anything less than justice.
This work is hard, but it is also powerful. Every time a worker stands up for their rights, every time a community comes together to protect one another, we are moving forward. The next four years will not be easy, but we are ready. And we are not alone.
Are there any other thoughts you would like to share?
We will not shrink in the face of these challenges. We have built a powerful, multiracial movement for care, and we are here to stay. We will fight to protect care workers. We will fight to expand Medicaid and Medicare. We will fight to ensure immigrant care workers can live and work without fear.
And most importantly, we will build a future where care is recognized, valued, and fully funded. No administration, no policy attack, no setback can erase the truth: care is the foundation of a strong economy, a healthy democracy, and a just society.
Care is still the solution, and our movement is just getting started.
Portions of this interview appeared at ForbesWomen and Women’s Media Center.