Since Donald Trump took office for a second term, he has already begun a devastating and chaotic wave of executive orders to roll back a wide variety of laws and protections impacting women, people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, and other marginalized communities.
It’s hard not to feel hopeless in the face of these attacks. Many of us can’t help but wonder: “Where do we go from here?”
In moments like these, finding hope is not just an act of defiance but a necessity for sustaining the movements we’ve built to fight for equity and justice. Leading up to Inauguration Day, I reached out to a diverse group of leaders and activists to get their insights into how they’re remaining hopeful in the face of such adversity, what they and the organizations they lead will do to fight against rollbacks to our hard-won rights, and how we can all take action to preserve and even advance gender equality and intersecting issues in the coming years.
The words of these leaders remind us that while the fight may be long, it is far from over—and that hope itself is a revolutionary force.
“What gives me hope is the resilience of people who refuse to give up, the passion of young leaders stepping into their power, and the strength of our collective action. Progress isn’t always linear, but it is always possible. For those feeling disheartened, know this: setbacks are part of the journey, but they don’t define the outcome. Your voice, your effort, and your persistence matter. Together, we will keep moving forward.”
“We have to look back in history: After the terrible depression of the 30s, we had President Roosevelt, the New Deal with workers' rights, public education, etc. After the turmoil in the 60s and 70s, we came out of that with the peace movement, the civil rights and environmental movements, the resurgence of the women's movement, and the push for LGBTQ+ rights. I believe after this era, we have to organize and win economic equity and challenge our capitalistic systems and corporate rule that govern the daily lives of people in society and the world.
I do have faith in the goodwill of the people in our country and that ultimately justice will prevail, but it’s going to take a lot of organizing, education, and hard work to make it happen. As the United States is the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world, we have a greater responsibility to lead and set the example that democracy can work. As Senator Robert Kennedy said just before his assassination (I am paraphrasing), “We have obligations and responsibilities to our fellow citizens.”
“While the presidential election was certainly a disappointment, I want to make sure that we aren't viewing November as simply about one race. Women and LGBTQ people, including transgender and nonbinary people, were elected to office easily: Congressmember Sarah McBride, Montana’s Zooey Zephyr, Illinois’ Precious Brady-Davis. Representative Emily Randall of Washington is the first out Latina elected to Congress, and went to work on behalf of her trans colleagues, staff, and constituents, opening up her office restroom to all genders. There is a lot still to be hopeful about—a world where not just women, but out trans women and out trans women of color, win elections and are at the tables of power. Voters across the country supported abortion rights and marriage equality: that’s a world with hope. Progress is never quick or easy, but I am confident that fair-minded Americans will come together now more than ever to stand in our power, to support each other, and to build a better future for ourselves and for our children.
The months and years ahead will not be easy, but I know for a fact that we will not just survive, but thrive. We always have, and we always will.”
“I’m staying hopeful by remembering that when women come together and are well-resourced, we can continue to advance a world where everyone can thrive. It’s happening—we can’t allow Trump’s election to allow us to lose sight of the gains we have made. We have much further to go, but our wins can help us build replicable models that truly create change.”
“Yes, we are tired and disheartened, but we can't just stop showing up. We stand on the shoulders of great activists, and that gives me hope. Lucretia Mott didn’t stop marching. Ida B. Wells didn't stop writing. And Congressman John Lewis didn't stop making good trouble. And neither will we. We must continue to do the work. We must show up, not give up. It's more important than ever for us to protect, support and hear each other. And if we can take the time to get to know each other, hear our stories, hear what we're going through and hear what we need, we will be better off. I remind myself of all the work done to get us this far, and we must keep marching forward.”
“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. 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.
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.”
“What gives me strength when I feel disillusioned by what's happening in the world is leaning on and meditating about my ancestors and transcestors. I think history gives us a bit of a roadmap, but a lot of inspiration to continue the journey toward collective liberation. Yes, things feel difficult right now, but things have always been difficult for someone or some group. And more often than not, people have found a way through those difficulties.
For trans people in this time, I would say most trans people have walked through fire and ice and over water to find our truth and find a path to living our truth, so we're no strangers to struggle. We're no strangers to being misunderstood and we're no strangers to finding strength at unlikely times and from unlikely sources. So we'll hold onto that. Trans people have always been on the soil since before the United States of America existed. We predate, literally, this country, and we have ancestors and transcestors to look to who lived their lives on their own terms, with far less resources and protections than we have today, so we are more than equipped to do the same.”
“I find hope in the resilience of our people. History shows us that movements do not succeed overnight, but we win because we persist. The power we build today is the foundation for the victories of tomorrow.
To those feeling disheartened:
We are the inheritors of generations of struggle, and we owe it to the future to keep going. Hope is not passive, it is the fuel that keeps us in the fight.”
“What gives me hope and strength and gets me up in the morning is that, for how imperfect the election turned out and for what the big threats that lie ahead, I know for a fact that there are more of us that believe in a more inclusive vision of America. I know that. And we have to make sure that the folks that believe that, who have tapped out because they feel overwhelmed, that we bring them back in.
I look at what's happening in Ukraine where people are losing their lives for a democracy that is less than 20 years old because they understand what the opposition is; they understand what it means when the government dictates who you are, who you love, what your work is dedicated to, the grift that comes with it. And if our job as Americans is simply standing in line to cast a ballot, what a privilege.”
“Never give up. It took 100 years to get the vote. Our work is never done. This is the second Trump administration since our founding—our mission is unchanged and undeterred because we have always viewed women’s progress as a lifetime project and democracy as a marathon not a sprint. Our message has always been that we must lean into civic participation no matter who is in power. We will continue to focus on supporting women across the political, racial, and economic divides, especially those at the margins. It matters more than ever that they understand the tools of power and leadership available to them. Many of the issues most vital to women’s health, power, and welfare are decided at the state level where there remain many opportunities for women to use their voice and power. And I do believe there are places for common ground that are always possible.”
“At Reproductive Freedom for All, we are going to be doing three things: building our movement’s power, holding Republican lawmakers—including Trump—accountable, and preparing for elections in 2026 and beyond.
This inauguration marks a recommitment and a pledge to fight every day to protect reproductive freedom as the man responsible for the fall of Roe v Wade and the escalation of our nation’s abortion access crisis is sworn in as our 47th president. This is not the time to check out or sit back. It’s the time to double down, get new community members and friends involved, and continue to grow our movement. We have a clear mandate from voters to protect reproductive freedom. The American people are watching, and we have their backs.”
“The return of a Trump administration signals a renewed urgency to protect and advance gender equity, racial justice, and human rights. We cannot afford to be reactive; we must be proactive in strengthening the resilience of our movements, building collective power, and safeguarding the policies and progress that directly impact marginalized communities.
Now, more than ever, our focus must be on:
“The partnerships that we have built in the ERA Coalition continue to strengthen—over 300 major national and local organizations have come to the table to share their strategies, essential funding, and powerful voices. We are not defeated, nor despairing. We are encouraged by organizations like Win With Black Women (a partner) that still can bring 5,000 Black women to a call on Sunday nights, fundraise for urgent causes, and defend Black women in the political sphere.”
“At Equality Now, our mission is clear: to drive systemic change by strengthening legal frameworks, holding leaders accountable, and championing economic and fundamental rights as non-negotiable pillars of non-violence and equality. Our approach is rooted in:
This is a collective journey, and the time to act is now. Together, we can create a world where every woman and girl has the tools to thrive and where justice and equality are not ideals but realities. Real progress is possible when we work together. It is now up to us as leaders to honor the legacy of those women who went before us and ensure that future generations inherit a nation where equality is guaranteed, not debated. It’s time to strategically turn passion into progress.”
“For more than 40 years, WFN and the women’s funds we support have played a key role in advancing gender equity across the world by ensuring deep investment in the frontline every day, every year, until victory. Now is the time to fund them for the long-term work ahead. Knowing what a second Trump administration may hold, we need philanthropy’s greater-than-ever investment in gender and racial equity ecosystem leaders. Their light builds powerful local strategy that will show us the way out of darkness.
We’re focused on three key areas: advocacy, policy, and moving new money in new ways to groups at the local level who are affecting change.”
“My call to action is simple: insist on progress. Insist on being heard, on standing firm, and on building a future where equality is non-negotiable. Because it works. While we remember the climax of movements, we often elide how often they faced setbacks and betrayals. Those who oppose equality know that if they wear us down, if we are too weary, they win without having to fight. Our response is to double-down.”
“Here’s what we must do going forward:
“We’re in a long-term, historical struggle. The strength and ferocity of the backlash (e.g. the re-election of Trump) is a measure of how much progress we’ve made. Unfortunately, there is intense pressure on young men to fall in line with Trump and MAGA, or else face ridicule, ostracism, and worse from their peers. In the face of that sort of bullying, grown men have a special responsibility to young men to unapologetically support gender justice, and feminist women’s leadership, at all levels. Young men need to see us standing strongly and proudly with women as their partners, allies and collaborators in the long struggle for gender equality, both because they look to us for guidance, and because our leadership in this area takes some of the pressure off of them.”
“Right now our biggest defense is completely old school: it is firing up those phones. A long time ago, I used to work on the Hill, and what people don't realize is that every single time you sign a letter, every single time you make a phone call, that phone call represents 10,000 constituents for that representative; that letter represents 10,000 constituents. They take it really seriously. But you have to be from that district. And I know that it sounds Pollyannaish, but if you are a member that won with 800,000 votes and you have even 800 people calling you about an issue that you really care about in these congressional districts—no one won by a landslide—that call does impact and change their equation, and it makes them, at minimum, think twice.
We need to make sure that if we deeply believe that women lead differently, they prioritize life differently, then we have to make sure that we are not just retweeting them, but we have to throw support with them by giving them $5. One of the biggest barriers of entry for women to run for office is that oftentimes they don't have the network of resources as cis white men. And so that $5 actually boosts the confidence of like, ‘Okay, I'm not the only one who thinks I can do this,’ but it also translates into real political power.”
“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.”
“Just because we lost the election doesn’t mean we were wrong to lean into intersectional feminism. We didn’t lean enough and didn’t make racial justice, indigeneity and poverty our cornerstone issues. We need new kinds of courageous leaders who come with a history of organizing, who tell our truths and who are openly pro-democracy. Countries around the world who have gone where the U.S. couldn’t and wouldn’t. They have keys to our next moves. The U.S. has never held itself accountable for the crimes of land theft, genocide of native peoples and enslavement of 13 million African descendants. We are an empire that has a military around the world and desperate people at home. We didn’t lose because we went too far. We lost because we didn’t go far enough.
We go forward by learning how other countries—Iceland and Mexico and Rwanda and Nicaragua to name a few—are achieving equality. We drop the myth that America knows best. We do not know best. And our wealth, flowing into fewer greedy and hateful hands, will not protect us. In the weeks and months ahead it is our job to study our own history and share this knowledge with this generation of leaders.”
“This is the time to remember that we have everything we need to thrive—even when traditional power wants to squash that. It’s time for us to get back to basics and re-engage elements of community, mutual aid and creative subversion. Yes, we push back on all that is coming for us, but we also grow what we need in solidarity and community, together. If you have resources, share them. If you have knowledge, teach others. If you have space, offer it. If you have talent, gift it. We save us—now more than ever.
My ancestors achieved their own freedom with far less of the tools than I have at my disposal now. I am looking to them to tell me how to organize, protect and provide for myself and my community in the face of the strongest headwinds of my generation.”
To read each leader’s full responses, visit our “Where Do We Go From Here?” section.