“Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly now, love mercy now, walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.”
– The Talmund
We got to experience feminist love and call it work!
In December 2024, Vandita Morarka and Kuhoo Tiwari had the opportunity to represent One Future Collective and the Feminist Leadership Hub (a virtual, community-driven, peer learning platform we have initiated in collaboration with FAIR SHARE of Women Leaders) at the AWID Forum 2024. It was a space that felt like all of our young feminist dreams come true. AWID provided a platform for feminists from all over the world to gather and reflect, and it inspired us to think and act in more ways than one.
It was an incredibly moving experience to witness the coming together of over 3000 feminists from across the world in one physical space, committed to the cause of furthering feminist justice. This was our first AWID Forum and we were blown away by the ability of a space in itself to hold the power to make us feel connected to something larger than ourselves.
Our Many Wins and Special Moments
🌏 We were able to host a booth for the Feminist Leadership Hub, our collaborative project with Fair Share! This allowed us to meet and bring in new members to the hub from across the world and forge connections necessary for feminist leadership to thrive.
✨ We felt seen, loved and held by the many feminists who recognised our work, took the time to share diverse praise and feedback and were such champions for One Future Collective throughout the forum. We wouldn’t be anywhere without you.
📣 We took our politics, activism and care to a global space and had some powerful reflective conversations with a wide group of stakeholders on what needs to change and most importantly, how we can get this to change. New partnerships and more impact is awaited in 2025!
💌 We embraced imperfection, within us and in the spaces we were in, while we remained committed to asking for and holding people accountable. Even what feels daunting alone is much easier together.
📚 We are a team of nerds so we love that we got to learn from what’s working, what needs to change and how we can come together from feminists from Mongolia to South Korea and more.
💪🏾 We need bold ambition and action which needs heavy investment in movement building, feminist work and frankly in the people doing the work. Give them a minute (and the money) to take a breath, think and see the magic we can create together.
Our Learnings (Both Big and Small!)
- Our work cannot and should not be done in silos. Our most valuable resource is our collective ability to care about and act for our world and our communities.
- We have so many questions that it sometimes seems impossible to find answers. We must honour the work of those who came before us and continue to work alongside us; our ability to think creatively to discover answers will be our greatest strength.
- There is so much love in this space. There is a lot of rage over what is still dragging us down. The belief that a better world is possible is what will fuel our revolutions.
- We must stand with all those facing injustice everywhere; and most importantly, look inward with a critical lens to ensure our support does not ring hollow in the face of injustice and violence.
AWID Forum 2024 reminded us that feminist work is as much about love and care as it is about action and resistance. We left with full hearts, new connections, and a renewed commitment to collective liberation. The work ahead is urgent, but we are not alone in it. Together, we dream, strategize, and build the futures we deserve. Here’s to more solidarity, more radical imagination, and more feminist magic in 2025.