The Everyday Feminist

An invigorating exploration of impactful feminist movements and strategies for replicating their success

In The Everyday Feminist: The Key to Sustainable Social Impact-Driving Movements We Need Now More than Ever, accomplished feminist activist and executive Latanya Mapp Frett delivers a powerful and practical exploration of the factors that make a feminist social movement impactful in its place and time. In the book, you'll discover popular and not-so-popular social movements and the leaders, art, research, and narratives that drove them.

The author explains what made these social movements so effective and explains the steps that organizations, nonprofits, and social impact professionals can take to replicate that success on the ground and in the present.

The book also includes:

• Discussions of the importance of feminist funds in bankrolling critical feminist movements
• Explanations of the roles played by men and boys in building a feminist future
• Actionable and straightforward advice applicable to everyone trying to make a difference for women around the world

An essential text for feminist advocates who find themselves in an increasingly challenging political and social environment, The Everyday Feminist is the practical blueprint to social change that lawmakers, activists, entrepreneurs, and non-profit professionals have been waiting for.

Preface xvii

Acknowledgments xix

Foreword xxi

Introduction: My Story and Challenging the Feminist Funding Gap xxv

Part I The Underappreciated, Under-Resourced But Overachieving Everyday Feminist 1

Chapter 1 What Is an Everyday Feminist and Why Do They Matter for Social Impact? 3

Chapter 2 Leading Social Movements for Sustainable Impact 21

Chapter 3 How We're Failing to Fund Our Most Powerful Change Agents--Everyday Feminists 39

Part II The Everyday Feminist in Action 51

Chapter 4 Stay in the Game Even When You Win 53

Chapter 5 If It Walks and Talks Like a Feminist Leader, Follow 67

Chapter 6 Feminists Work for Men and Boys, Too 77

Chapter 7 The Closer You Are to Impact Matters 89

Chapter 8 Remember the Past . . . to Craft the Future 103

Chapter 9 If the System Is Broke, Let a Feminist Fix It--In Any Sector 115

Chapter 10 Quality Partnership Is a Thing: Take Real and Unique Steps Together 127

Chapter 11 Start Feminism Young 141

Part III Getting on Board with the Everyday Feminist 151

Chapter 12 Why You Need the Everyday Feminist 153

Chapter 13 Why Everyday Feminists Need You 161

Chapter 14 Don't Re-create the Wheel: The Role of Feminist Funds 167

Conclusion: Unleashing the Power of the Everyday

Feminist for Us and Our World 177

Notes 185

Resources 195

About the Author 199

Index 201

Latanya Mapp Frett is President and CEO of Global Fund For Women, a nonprofit foundation and leading funder of gender justice movements worldwide. She is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University and serves as Board Director for Oxfam and Management Sciences for Health. She is the former Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Global.

In The Everyday Feminist: The Key to Sustainable Social Impact—Driving Movements We Need Now More than Ever, veteran women’s rights activist, executive, and speaker Latanya Mapp Frett delivers a pointed and insightful exploration of the needs of feminist movements and the champions and organizations at their foundations. In the book, you’ll discover popular and not-so-popular social movements and the women who have launched, sustained, and grown them from scratch. From the importance of feminist funds in the bankrolling of critical feminist movements to the role played by men and boys in building a feminist future, you’ll find actionable and straightforward advice applicable to everyone trying to make a difference for women around the world.

The author examines the periods of time in which these movements were born and where they began, highlighting the art that was popular, the leaders in their midst, the public narratives dominant at the time, and the academic research animating the discussions. She emphasizes what made these social movements so effective and pinpoints what steps businesses, nonprofits, and social impact professionals can take to replicate that same success on an even more impressive scale.

The Everyday Feminist confirms that the most important movements in the history of social justice have been those that arose from the grassroots and from our doorsteps. It provides us with the lessons we can learn from each movement and clear, actionable suggestions on how we can make change happen—again and again.

An inspiring and indispensable manual for social changemaking, The Everyday Feminist is a must-read roadmap for activists, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and anyone else with a stake or interest in a more equitable and just future.

PRAISE FOR The Everyday Feminist

"In this practical primer for feminists, philanthropists, and organizers, Latanya Mapp Frett introduces readers to women around the world who are creating change in their communities and gives guidance on how to better support their movements."
—MALALA YOUSAFZAI, Pakistani female education activist and the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate

"Latanya, an everyday feminist herself, has provided us a practical and inspiring journey through her life and work, introducing us to other everyday feminists and activists along the way. Her voice is comforting in an urgent moment when women are taking up the helm to change the trajectory of history and solving many if not most of our social challenges. It is a radical idea, that if we, everyday feminists, connect, activate, and mobilize, we can meet the targets for carbon emissions, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and adapt our communities to a new and bright future. This is the power of everyday feminists. And this is the power in the book. Grab a hot drink and enjoy dreaming the possible."
—MARY ROBINSON, Former President of Ireland, Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Climate Activist

"The fact that women's organizations and their feminist and grassroots movements receive less than 1% of global philanthropic funding—and that is cut in half for women and girls of color—is completely maddening. The Everyday Feminist examines this mindset and helps us pivot to a world where supporting gender equality is critical and urgent. As a Foundation that invests in the power of women and girls, we look to Latanya for her guidance, wisdom, and courage always. She has a gift for making accessible her vast experience around the globe in leading women shifting power. She has taught us to be brave and thoughtful funders of the everyday feminist."
——THE ISABEL ALLENDE FOUNDATION