Intersectionality & Access

Civic leadership is something that grows from the purposeful work of women and non-binary people advocating for and making change in their communities. However, civic leadership is never experienced in the same way by everyone. Gender intersects with race, Indigeneity, class, disability, sexuality, age, immigration status, geography, and other social locations to shape who is encouraged to participate, who is seen as a legitimate leader, and what barriers people encounter along the way. An intersectional approach helps us understand that access to civic and political life is not simply a matter of individual confidence or ambition; it is also shaped by institutions, social expectations, resources, networks, and unequal distributions of power.
Access refers to the conditions that make participation and leadership possible, while also shaping the challenges people encounter. These conditions can include access to political networks, mentorship, information, transportation, childcare, financial resources, accessible spaces, institutional support, and opportunities to participate in decision-making. It also includes less visible forms of access: whose knowledge is taken seriously, who is invited into leadership spaces, who feels safe and welcome there, and who must work harder to be recognized as credible. The profiles gathered here explore how civic leaders navigate these overlapping identities, communities, and structures, and how they create pathways for themselves and others to participate, advocate, and make change.