Women In Power: 2025 Cohort Closing
Our cohort arrived carrying various levels of fatigue - long hearings, hard votes, tough challenges they were leading - pushing institutional powerbrokers, worries about being away, and ‘life is life-ing’ stuff. They left exuberant, with concrete plans for safety, sustainability, and policy roadmaps that they’re going to run to create lasting change where they serve.
Our opening night guest speaker, Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cázares-Kelly (also a WDL alum!), helped set the tone with a question we know they often ask themselves: “What’s the danger in not doing this work - in not showing up in this way?” It hit.
Over three days we mapped the pressures and the openings ahead, made space for rest and connection (there may have been some dancing involved thanks to our CFOO Tasha), and we focused on what helps women stay effective, safe, and supported in office.
They expressed gratitude for being surrounded with people who understand. They said thank you for the “woo-woo” spiritual work and admitted it’s been missing. They thanked one another for showing up and bringing in their best. They thanked us for addressing the hard things and honored the vulnerability in the room. Many described a new clarity and the sense of taking something special from everyone home with them; some said peace met them the moment they arrived. And the one we are especially cherishing is:
“This felt like ceremony.”
What We’re Carrying Forward at WDL:
This closeout confirmed what we already knew: safety and sustainability are not “nice to do’s,” they’re governance infrastructure. When women in power have space to regulate, plan, and be honest about the external and internal risks to them, it is empowering. They are re-energized to govern more boldly, protect their people more effectively, and move transformative change faster.
These truths will continue to shape the work we do at Women’s Democracy Lab, not only in future cohort models but also across our entire network of elected women. We envision an American democracy where diverse women hold equal representation at every level of public service — and are able to do so safely and sustainably.
