IGNITE's Blog

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill into law on March 28, during the same week as International Transgender Day of Visibility. This bill, officially titled the "Parental Rights in Education" bill, "prohibits classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels.” Though this bill was passed in Florida, it’s part of a slew of anti-LGBTQ+ bills that were introduced over the past year in states like Alaska, Arizona, Tennessee and more. 

Political representation is crucial to success, and America has been making strides towards gender parity. But did you know that the U.S. ranks 72 in the world for women’s representation in politics? Yes, 72. The U.S. is currently tied with the Dominican Republic. On the flip side, Rwanda sits at the number one spot, followed by Cuba and Nicaragua. 

Black History Month was first celebrated in 1970 at Kent State University, but its origins can be traced further back. Originally, it started as a week to ensure Black history would be preserved through time. This week-long celebration introduced by historian Carter Woodson in 1926 eventually evolved into Black History Month and is now celebrated internationally. 

Celebrities have been getting political this month. Angelina Jolie went to Capitol Hill last week with her 17-year old daughter Zahara. They urged lawmakers to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. Meanwhile, Dolly Parton's Dollywood will pay full tuition for employees pursuing college, reigniting the conversation about student debt. 

Many young Black women are using their voices to create change across the country, but their stories often go untold. Let’s celebrate these young leaders, today and every day. Keep reading to learn more about some of the young Black women who are making history. 

Did you hear the news? Rihanna is pregnant! The news broke the internet earlier this week, accompanied by some iconic photos. We’re beyond excited that the singer/actress/businesswoman is expecting her first child. But what if RiRi wasn’t RiRi? What if she wasn’t a billionaire? What if she didn’t have the resources, networks and access she has? 

You have the power to make a difference in your community. While it doesn’t always seem that way, your voice really does count. Don’t believe us? Keep reading to discover how you can turn up the volume to make sure that your voice is heard. 

IGNITE is pleased to announce that Rebecca Yanez will be serving as our first-ever Oklahoma City Fellow! We caught up with Rebecca to chat about her hopes for the Fellowship. 

IGNITE is excited to announce that we have our first-ever South Bay Fellow, Rahel Bachmann! We spoke with Rahel to learn more about her political leadership journey and Fellowship goals. 

We are so excited to welcome Carlyn ‘Kiki’ Michelbacher as our Baltimore Fellow for the 21-22 Program year! We caught up with Kiki to chat about the Fellowship.