You are here:

#SheInspiresMe Live Feminist Festival 2018

Published on

Updated:

#SheInspiresMe Live

Our First Ever Feminist Festival - in partnership with Refinery29

We assembled a dream team of feminists – from seasoned campaigners to up-and-coming young voices in the fight for gender equality.

Speakers shared their personal experiences from the frontlines of fighting the patriarchy, the essential tools in their activist toolkit, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Speakers included: Amna Akhtar, Nimco Ali, Kelly Anna, Alison Baskerville, Munroe Bergdorf, David Brockway, Jane Cordell, Charlie Craggs, Emma Gannon, Amika George, Rahila Gupta, Lydia Ibrahim, Mariah Idrissi, Harnaam Kaur, Kiran Kaur, Anna Kessel, Basma Khalifa, Hannah Little, Catherine Mayer, Jennifer Nadel, Hannah Price, Sarah Raphael, June Sarpong, Brita Fernandez Schmidt and Jude Wanga.

What was it all about?

Guests built their feminist toolkits with women for women international and refinery29

This year's #SheInspiresMe LIVE Feminist Festival was filled with inspiring talks and hands-on workshops from our amazing speakers energising a new generation of feminist changemakers. Guests came away with a set of practical skills, a network of allies and mentors, and a plan of action to make 2018 the most feminist year yet!

Meet our speakers

After serving in the UK Armed Forces for 12 years, Alison is helping female identifying people become more emotionally and physically resilient.

Amna Akhtar

subtitle:

Co-founder of GirlDreamer, Amna grew up in one of Birmingham's most inner-city areas where she dreamed of a life creating real change.

Anna Kessel

subtitle:

Anna is a sports journalist, acclaimed author and vocal campaigner for equality in sport. She has covered Olympic Games and World Championships.

Brita is the Executive Director of Women for Women International - UK and is a dedicated advocate and promoter of women’s empowerment, rights and equality.


Catherine Mayer

subtitle:

Catherine is an award-winning journalist, author, and co-founder and president of the Women’s Equality Party.

Charlie Craggs

subtitle:

Charlie is a trans activist, founder of Nail Transphobia and author of To My Trans Sisters. In 2016 Charlie topped The Observer's New Radicals list of social innovators in Britain.

David Brockway

subtitle:

David manages the Great Men project and has worked with thousands of boys and young men, to discuss what masculinity and "being a man" means to them.

Emma Gannon

subtitle:

Emma is a writer, broadcaster, podcast host and guest digital lecturer at Condé Nast College since 2014.

We chose three broad themes representing important components of becoming a successful changemaker. All our speakers talked about their personal feminist activist journey and their particular area of work in relation to these themes. 

Hannah Little

subtitle:

Hannah is a passionate advocate for a woman’s right to choice, she co-founded the London-Irish Abortion Rights Campaign.

Hannah Price

subtitle:

Hannah Price is the founder of Revolt Sexual Assault, a national campaign working to expose the real nature and extent of sexual violence and harassment at universities.

Harnaam Kaur

subtitle:

Harnaam is a body positivity warrior, model, world record holder, and activist who inspires people across the globe to embrace their beauty, whatever form it comes in.

Jane Cordell

subtitle:

A musician and teacher, Jane supports disability equality and helps people to achieve their full potential.

Jennifer Nadel

subtitle:

Jennifer is a qualified barrister, author, speaker and an award-winning journalist. She has reported for the BBC, Channel 4 and ITN from around the world.

Kiran Kaur

subtitle:

Co-founder and CEO of GirlDreamer, Kiran, is bettering a new generation of girls.

Mariah Idrissi

subtitle:

The first hijab wearing model to be featured in an international fashion campaign for H&M, Mariah is a voice for her community.

Munroe Bergdorf

subtitle:

Munroe was the first transgender model to be selected to take part in a national beauty campaign, a project that promoted diversity and inclusiveness.

Rahila Gupta

subtitle:

Rahila Gupta is a freelance journalist, writer, activist and longstanding member of Southall Black Sisters, founded in 1979 to highlight and challenge all forms of violence against minority women.

Sarah Raphael

subtitle:

Sarah is Editor-at-Large of Refinery29, the leading digital media company for women. She has written for numerous publications including The Guardian, Elle magazine and Vice.

Building your toolkit

Through inspiring talks and hands-on workshops, our speakers shared that there are many ways to be an activist for gender equality.

Globally, we’re at a watershed moment for feminism. Women are breaking their silence about harassment and abuse, they are collectively harnessing their outrage, and they are using their voices to demand change. Men are realising that gender equality is not just a ‘women’s issue’ and getting behind the cause.

We’ve seen millions taking to the streets in Women’s Marches, whilst the rise of digital activism is making it quicker and easier than ever to ignite a global movement. There’s never been a more important time to step up and get involved.

Our goal was that everyone who attended left feeling more confident in their ability to make a difference, equipped with tools and resources to tackle an issue they're passionate about. Check out social posts from our attendees below to see whether we succeeded! 

Photo: Rada Akbar

Find Your Voice

Programme participant

Be Resilient

Programme participants_SouthSudan

Build Alliances

Why Now?

Why is this relevant in 2018?

Globally, we’re at a watershed moment for feminism. Women are breaking their silence about harassment and abuse, they are collectively harnessing their outrage, and they are using their voices to demand change. Men are realising that gender equality is not just a ‘women’s issue’ and getting behind the cause.

We’ve seen millions taking to the streets in Women’s Marches, whilst the rise of digital activism is making it quicker and easier than ever to ignite a global movement. There’s never been a more important time to step up and get involved.

Our goal was that everyone who attended left feeling more confident in their ability to make a difference, equipped with tools and resources to tackle an issue they're passionate about. Check out social posts from our attendees below to see whether we succeeded! 

Hear from one of the attendees

Rosie Fitzgerald shares her experiences from our first ever Feminist Festival, which was full of inspiring talks and hands-on workshops.

Join the sisterhood!

It’s 2018, yet gender discrimination and violence against women are still alive and kicking in the UK.​

At Women for Women International, we know that when women have access to skills and resources – including a support network of peers, mentors and role models – they can create the changes they want to see in their communities and societies. We see this in some of the most challenging environments on earth, where conflict and poverty have taken root.

With thanks to our partner

With thanks to our generous event sponsor Samantha Rowe-Beddoe

  • Refinery29-Logo

#SheInspiresMe

'