🔥 Staying, Speaking, Surviving: Feminist Leadership in an Era of Rising Backlash 🔥

Catalyst Co-Labs is proud to announce an Invite Only PRIVATE Compass Event with Mendy Marsh, ED of VOICE and Kavita Mehra, ED of Sakhi both fierce advocates for feminist leadership in humanitarian crises. Apply here to be part of the conversation. 

Across the globe, feminist leaders are navigating rising authoritarianism, online abuse, burnout, and severe funding cuts. We are in a dangerous—but defining—moment. The rollback of women’s rights in the U.S.—from attacks on reproductive justice to book bans to threats against gender-based violence services—is not an outlier. It reflects a global trend of shrinking civic space, escalating authoritarianism, and targeted backlash against those advancing gender justice—especially women of color, queer leaders, and frontline crisis responders.

And yet—many are still staying. Still speaking. Still surviving.

This 90-minute private Compass Session, hosted by Mendy Marsh and  Kavita  in conversation with other leading experts, will sharpen our collective understanding of the threats facing feminist leaders and frontline providers. Together, we’ll explore:

💥 Real-time dilemmas around advocacy, visibility, and safety—and workshop practical responses.
🤝 Where solidarity, collective voice, and strategic silence intersect—and when to choose each.
💪 Hard-earned strategies for navigating this landscape—staying visible where possible, staying safe where necessary.

We will leave with a renewed sense of connection, courage and a strategy for adaptation. Let’s hold space. Let’s build strength. Let’s stay in the fight. 💜

We are recruiting 20 visionary experts (apply here) to join Mendy and Kavita for this powerful conversation on: 

🗓️ September 3, 2025
🕓 4PM CET/10AM ET for 90 minutes
📍Virtual | Invite Only (apply here)

Are you a….

✅ Feminist leader with experience navigating authoritarian regimes (activist, policymaker, grassroots organizer, NGO head)
✅ Specialist in digital security, secure communications, or online safety
✅ Survivor-advocate, frontline healer, or practitioner working at the intersection of trauma, justice, and resistance
✅ Expert on authoritarianism, political violence, or shrinking civic space
✅ Strategist in disinformation, narrative shift, or counter-messaging

📩 Apply here to be considered to join this powerful and protected conversation here. Applications close August 22nd. Invitees will be confirmed August 25th.

 🚀 What Is Catalyst Compass Event?
Catalyst Compass is a strategic conversation series by Catalyst Co-Labs 💡— a space where social innovators, bold thinkers, and unlikely allies come together to spark ideas and shape collaborative, real-world solutions.

🎤 About Mendy Marsh
Mendy Marsh is the co-founder and Executive Director of VOICE, a global feminist organization shifting power to women and girls in crisis. A former UNICEF senior leader, she shaped global policy on gender-based violence and trained thousands across 18 countries. At VOICE, she leads bold, women- and girl-centered strategies that challenge systems, resource frontline leaders, and reframe women and girls as essential infrastructure in crisis response.

🎤 About Kavita Mehra

Kavita Mehra is a committed nonprofit leader and the Executive Director of Sakhi for South Asian Survivors, bringing over 20 years of advocacy experience. A Harvard-educated changemaker, she drives culturally responsive programs and systemic change to support survivors of gender-based violence, embedding equity and empowerment at every level.

#FeministLeadership #SocialInnovation #CatalystCoLabs #VOICE #GenderJustice #HumanitarianLeadership #CompassSessions #StayingSpeakingSurviving #MendyMarsh #DigitalSecurity #IntersectionalFeminism #CatalystCompass

LEARNING RE-IMAGINED

🌍 Where in the World is Learning Headed?
We’re thrilled to announce our Catalyst Compass event  featuring 🎙️ Howard Blumenthal — Co-creator and Producer of the PBS TV series Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? 🕵️‍♀️🌎 

🗓️ September 16, 2025 🕓 5 PM CET | 11 AM  ET for 90 Minutes. 📍 Virtual Event - REGISTER HERE

📚 As Howard launches his new book  KIDS ON EARTH: The Learning Potential of 5 Billions  Minds (based on 1,000+ global interviews!), we’ll explore a timely and urgent question:

Growing up in the 21st century requires a different approach to learning and school. How do we transform that plan into reality for children and teenagers currently in school, and those who will immediately follow?

In this Compass session hosted by Howard Blumenthal, we will spend a total of 90 minutes, the first 60 minutes with 10 global experts, practitioners & visionaries including children and teenagers, who should always be part of this conversation! They will explore ten big ideas below and focus on HOW we can move forward with radical change.  We will welcome audience participation for the final 30 minutes. 

✅ Every Child Is Different—Education Must Reflect That

✅ Learning Happens Everywhere, Not Just in School

✅ The Old School Model No Longer Works

✅ The Future Belongs to Lifelong, Self-Directed Learners

✅ Global Thinking Is Now Essential

✅ Caring Adults Make the Difference

✅ Curiosity Drives Real Learning

✅ Testing Can’t Measure What Matters Most

✅ Adults Must Shift from Control to Collaboration

✅ It’s Time to Rethink the System—Not Just Patch It

🚀 What Is Catalyst Compass Event?
Catalyst Compass is a strategic conversation series by Catalyst Co-Labs 💡— a space where social innovators, bold thinkers, and unlikely allies come together to spark ideas and shape collaborative, real-world solutions.

🎤 About Howard Blumenthal
In the 1990s, Howard co-created and produced one of the most popular and successful educational television series, the Peabody and Emmy Award winning PBS series, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? As his interest in kids, and learning, and the world continued to grow, he founded KIDS ON EARTH as a global interview platform featuring hundreds of young people from every continent, which grew into The University of Virginia’s 21st Century Learning Project, and then, with co-author Robert Pianta, a fresh look at growing up, learning, old school (the current version), not school (what we learn without school), new school, and human progress.

Register HERE Today.

#CatalystCompass #CatalystCoLabs #SocialInnovation #EducationFutures #HowardBlumenthal #CarmenSandiego #GlobalCitizenship #FutureOfLearning #ImpactDialogues #SystemsChange