Founded in 2009, WomenNC advances gender equity through education, leadership development, and civic engagement. Created to address the underrepresentation of youth—especially young women, youth of color, and gender-diverse youth—in civic and policy spaces, WomenNC empowers emerging leaders to research, advocate, and act on issues impacting women and girls in North Carolina and beyond.

Our approach addresses inequities at their root by creating access to mentorship, leadership development, and platforms for youth-driven research and advocacy. Through our programming, students identify barriers in their own communities—such as gender-based violence, pay inequity, and underrepresentation in politics—and develop data-driven solutions shared with policymakers, commissions, and civic organizations.

By connecting these local initiatives to global platforms like the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, WomenNC ensures that youth from North Carolina engage in shaping both local and international policy conversations.

This work changes systems by centering young, diverse voices in spaces of power, building a culture of inclusion, and cultivating leaders equipped to advance gender equity, civic engagement, and social justice for generations to come.