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The Future is in the Room Today: A Recall from the Power Up YWI Summit 

YWI Summit participants

On Saturday, September 28, the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota and Marnita’s Table hosted a gathering called the Power Up YWI Summit. This event was for all current Young Women’s Initiative (YWI) participants, our statewide and Mankato Young Women’s Cabinet and Innovators.  

Our young cohorts have shared how much they appreciate being in community and working together. We designed the Summit for all the cohort members to gather for the first time and build connections, train on policymaking and civic engagement, and foster understanding of using our Intersectional Equity Framework.  

A welcoming session introduced participants to one another and to YWI and its various programs. Stations were set up around the room where they could make bracelets, design masks, add songs to a music playlist, and have fun.  

Participants from across the state enjoyed connecting with others across the YWI network. 

Valerie Ritsch

“One of my biggest takeaways today, being part of the Young Women’s Cabinet, growing up learning about the government and how certain processes happen, it feels like it’s all way up here, when actually it’s right here. And we continue to work together. All these people that we all see in the room we’ll know their names, and we’ll remember this in 20 years. A lot of these names will probably be writing legislation and making changes. We can continue to make [impacts] in our own communities just by showing up, signing up, and talking with people, meeting.”  
Valerie Ritsch, Mankato Cabinet

Next, we conducted a Human Survey, where participants shared aspects of their identities, promoting mutual understanding and support. This was followed by an intimate circle activity, allowing everyone to express how they wanted to be seen and receive affirmations from their peers, fostering a strong bond among the cohorts. 

“It’s really great to be in a space that is mostly women and gender nonconforming people. We get to exist in this space and show off our passions. It was really cool to hear these passions and be able to express myself and then feel heard as well.”
Ely Zeimet, Young Women’s Cabinet  

Ely Zeimet

A lecture by Luna Allen-Bakerian, director of public policy at Citizens League, provided insights into practical methods of civic participation, which supports the Cabinet’s work to create their legislative policy agenda for the year.  

Alex Zuñiga

“My biggest takeaway was from the civic engagement presentation, and specifically what was said about how policy changes are only in our legislation, but it starts within ourselves. This is a very powerful place, and we’re all working towards the betterment of the same things. Just existing as the powerful people that we are, and hopefully putting that energy into other people, is a little part that we can take with us everywhere that we go.” — Alex Zuñiga, Young Women’s Cabinet Member 

Afterward, cohorts gathered in their groups for team-building exercises. The day concluded with a group share-out, where participants reflected on their takeaways.  

“One key takeaway was really the importance of being able to give yourself a pat on the back, being able to wake up every morning and say, ‘I’m innovative, I’m strong, I am a woman that can do amazing things.’ Having the capacity to sow that into the future generation. Earlier we were talking about the fact that older women love to see young women take that initiative. So as young women, we should be able to have the capacity to sow a seed into the future generation, so they know that they’re women, they’re strong, and they’re innovative.”  
Heritage Aluko, Innovator 

Heritage Aluko

It was inspiring to hear how the event affected each individual and reinforced their connections to this unique and ambitious group of women and gender-expansive people. 

Himeeka Sunbeeb

“I was right to feel very optimistic coming into this. Just hearing everybody’s ideas and initiatives — we’re in an election year right now — it’s really easy to feel kind of hopeless or down pretty often. Just hearing everybody’s different viewpoints and perspectives and the things that they’d like to work on really makes me feel like we have a future, and you guys are all right. The future is in this room today.”
Himeeka Sunbeeb, Young Women’s Cabinet

For participants and staff, the YWI Summit was inspiring, and one step in building leadership and community power with and for young women, gender-expansive people, and their communities. The Young Women’s Initiative of Minnesota was created in 2016 because WFM knows that young people are not just leading in the future, they are leading today. Building pathways to leadership and changing systems for the better is the hallmark of the Young Women’s Initiative, as a leading partner in a powerful national network.  

To be part of the change we are driving together, listen to the voices of young women and gender-expansive people in your lives, and stay tuned to WFM News & Events to see all that’s next for these Innovators and Cabinet members. 

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