International Women’s Day 2025: It’s Time to #AccelerateAction

Every year on March 8, the world pauses to recognize International Women’s Day—a moment to celebrate progress, acknowledge ongoing challenges, and commit to building a future of true gender equality.

This year’s theme, #AccelerateAction, is a powerful call to move beyond conversation and take meaningful steps toward real change. At the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158—roughly five generations from now—to reach full gender parity, according to the World Economic Forum. That’s simply too long.

We can’t wait. We won’t wait. It’s time to act.

Taking Action Through Connection & Confidence

I founded EmpowHer Collective because I saw firsthand the barriers that hold women back—and the power that comes when women connect, lead, and support each other. In my career, I was fortunate to have mentors who encouraged me to take risks, step into leadership, and believe in my own ability to drive change.

But I’ve also seen what happens when women don’t have access to mentorship, community, or confidence-building resources. I’ve worked with women who second-guessed their ability to ask for a raise, who hesitated before applying for leadership roles, or who struggled to navigate male-dominated industries. These challenges aren’t just personal—they are systemic, deeply ingrained barriers that slow down progress for all women.

From Conversation to Action: How We #AccelerateAction

Gender equality isn’t a waiting game. It requires bold, collective action. So how do we turn intent into impact?

🚀 Mentorship & Sponsorship Matter: Studies show that only 24% of women leaders have had a formal mentor, compared to 30% of men. And at the senior level, only 27% of women have had a mentor compared to 38% of men. This gap slows career progression for women and makes leadership roles harder to attain.

🎤 Advocating for Ourselves & Others: Whether it’s negotiating for equal pay, championing more diverse leadership, or mentoring emerging women leaders, we need to actively push for change. Change doesn’t happen in silence.

👩‍🎓 Investing in the Next Generation: Girls’ confidence peaks at age 8—a shocking statistic that highlights how early societal messaging impacts self-belief. Programs like Project Friendship in our hometown, where my daughters are mentored by college women from St. Olaf College and Carleton College, show how early intervention and support can make a real difference.

👊 Challenging Systemic Barriers: We must demand policies and workplace cultures that support women—from pay transparency to flexible work arrangements and equal representation in leadership. Gender equity doesn’t happen by chance; it happens through deliberate action.

This Is Our Moment to Step Forward

This International Women’s Day, let’s do more than celebrate women—let’s accelerate the movement for gender equality. Let’s push for action, mentorship, leadership, and systemic change that ensures progress happens now, not five generations from now.

💡 How will you #AccelerateAction for gender equality? Drop your commitment in the comments and let’s take action together.

Because when one woman rises, we all rise. 💜