Across the country, young women and gender-expansive youth?the very people closest to our nation?s most urgent challenges?face escalating threats to their safety, visibility, and voice. Political violence, rollbacks of rights, and exclusion from leadership aren?t isolated incidents; they are barriers designed to silence. Too often, they succeed.

Diverse young women are disproportionately affected by social problems while also being the most likely group to make politics work for everyone, not just the powerful few. At IGNITE, we believe a person?s proximity to social problems should be criteria for their proximity to power. That?s why we invest in diverse, young women and gender-diverse youth. We help them see that their lived experiences aren?t barriers to leadership?they?re qualifications for it. By embracing proximity to power, they discover that their perspectives and stories are their strongest assets.