Here is recap of last weekend’s International Women’s Day gathering, She Spoke Up! We came together to talk about something many of us are navigating right now: how to speak up during uncertain times while protecting our mental and emotional well-being. It was a thoughtful and energizing conversation with our speakers Gwen Pepin (Democratic Party of Illinois), Ashley Alvarez (attorney and community advocate), and Jacqueline Carmody (art therapist). The room was full of women ready to listen, share honestly, and think about what action looks like in our everyday lives.

Here are a few insights that stayed with us:

1. Protect your energy
Jacqueline reminded us that boundaries are essential. Before taking on any issue or battle, she encouraged us to pause and ask: What is my personal boundary? Not every fight is ours to carry, and trying to take on everything can quickly overwhelm us. She also spoke about turning self-care practices into intentional rituals, small ways of grounding ourselves so we can keep showing up.

2.Be honest about how you’re feeling
Gwen shared something simple but powerful. Sometimes the most honest thing we can say is: “I’m not doing great.” She spoke about being real with ourselves and others – crying when we need to, going to therapy, taking naps, and allowing ourselves space to process. As women, we are often expected to hold everything together for everyone, but that’s not always sustainable.

3. Community helps us process
One of the strongest themes discussed was the value of being in community. Women shared that simply sitting with others, releasing what we’re carrying, and speaking openly about our experiences helps us feel less alone. As Jacqueline shared from her perspective as a therapist: The goal isn’t having the answer, it’s sitting with someone as they process. That’s where healing begins.

4. Be intentional about what you consume
Several women also talked about protecting our mental health when it comes to news and information. Some suggestions included: limiting how much news we consume, reading trusted local sources like NPR and local reporters, cross-referencing information, stepping outside our echo chambers, trusting our intuition, and praying.

5. Action can be small
From mentoring and volunteering to supporting local initiatives, Ashley reminded us that everyone has something meaningful to contribute. Action doesn’t always have to be big or dramatic. It can look like: volunteering your time, mentoring young people, donating clothes or books, supporting local initiatives, attending community meetings, helping the next generation understand what’s happening in the world by strengthening reading and comprehension skills. As Gwen reminded us, action can be both individual and collective! We each bring our own gifts.

6.Use joy and creativity as resistance
We also talked about the importance of joy. Laughter, creativity, art, and moments of rest are not distractions from the work, they help sustain us. As someone in the room said beautifully: It doesn’t cost a thing to laugh! A reminder we needed.