UPDATE: Also, see below the first post a separate one by Stair Calhoun. And make sure you sign up for the Women’s Summit if you’re interested…not much time left until it starts on Friday!
By Laura Martinez
Next weekend I’m attending the 9th Annual Women’s Summit (June 27-29, 2025), and you should too. Why? Let me tell you a little story.
A Summer To Remember
It was the summer of 2018 when I walked into my first Virginia Women’s Summit . I didn’t know anyone there at the time, and I was hesitant to just show up at an event with no one else but my own company. Yet, I felt that I needed something to lift my spirits after the 2016 election. And while I had been involved in activism at the local level at the time, working hard and hoping to make a difference, things still seemed too uncertain for my liking. Despite my doubts, I registered for the event and showed up.
Hey, 90% of life is showing up, so there is that.
The minute I set foot there, I felt an electrifying energy that defied all expectations. A sisterhood united in a common goal, to look after each other, make the world a better place, and elect representatives who could help realize that goal.
After a day of workshops, meeting amazing people, music, food, and candidates up and down the ticket, I returned for the Sunday brunch. The energy was palpable. The event ended with every one up on their feet dancing to the Batala drummers.
In that moment, I realized that this was something bigger than me, and that together, there was nothing we couldn’t achieve.
Not Even The Pandemic Could Stop the Women’s Summit
The Women’s Summit has faced many challenges. In 2020, the Summit went virtual, which also gave rise to the Friday Power Lunch, a weekly Zoom podcast that has helped us keep our sanity since. 2021 resulted in a Summer of Summits all over the Virginia Commonwealth, with a virtual element for those of us who couldn’t travel. This format made an encore in 2022, and the energy never waned.
The Summit returned to its original format in 2023, and the energy has kept us going through thick and thin.
The 2025 Summit Program At A Glance
This year’s program is a joyful one. Friday night is everyone’s favorite National Postcard Palooza, where postcard writers from around the country get together to share tips, supplies, and get to network in person, followed by meet-up gatherings and even an appearance by gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger.
In the evening, there will be a grassroots community celebration of our 2025 Virginia Candidates. Fun for everyone! Here are a few of the candidates and elected officials you’ll meet over the weekend: Abigail Spanberger-Candidate for Governor, State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi-Candidate for Lt. Governor, Senator Tim Kaine, Rep. Jennifer McClellan & Don Beyer, Speaker Don Scott, State Sen. Danica Roem, Del. Candi Mundon King, Del. Dan Helmer, Del. Kathy Tran, Del. Michael Feggans, and lots and lots of candidates for Delegate and School Board. Oh yes, and we’ll be learning the line dance “Boots on the Ground” because we need to hit the streets and talk to voters after the weekend.
Saturday will be a day with a jam-packed program, from morning to night, featuring speakers addressing the audience from the small stage, as well as small sessions for hands-on learning and discussion. As the sun goes down, the Rue Music and Arts Festival will take over with live music, as well as an arts and craftivism station.
I recommend staying for the Sunday Badass Brunch. It’s one of my favorite things ever. This year’s theme is Telling our Stories and will feature artists, authors, and activists. It will also be the launch of the Persisterhood Oral History Project, with the stated mission of collecting and preserving the stories and voices of the women who’ve stepped up to defend democracy since 2016. In other words, our stories.
There will be over 35 speakers on the main stage as well as some dozens of workshop facilitators. Here are just a few of inspirational folks you will hear and met: Andrea Miller (NWPC-VA), Antjuan Seawright (Blueprint Strategies), Neera Tanden (Center for American Progress), Billy Ray (Screenwriter & Democratic strategist), Carly Figueroa (Courier VA Creators Pilot Project), Clara Bingham (Author “The Movement”), Dr. Shellie Bowman (Central Commonwealth Black Caucus), Ellie Smeal (Feminist Majority Foundation), Heather Booth (Lifelong Activist), Krysta Jones (Author “Ella Goes to City Hall”), Kyle Spencer (Reporting Right), Lauren Burke (Virginia Black News), Leah Greenberg (Indivisible), Liuba Grechen Shirley (Vote Mama), Lynlee Thorne (Rural), Robert Hubbell (Today’s Edition Newsletter), Simon Rosenberg (Hopium Chronicles), Tom Bonier (The TARA Group), Tram Nguyen (New Virginia Majority), and Yasmin Radjy (Swing Left).
Why Do We Do This?
In the words of Robbin Warner, one of the founders of the event, “The real measure of our success isn’t the number of people who attend or the political celebrities on the main stage. We know our event is a success when we see smiling faces in the crowd laughing, networking, and telling us they feel rejuvenated and ready for the big push to the November General Election. That’s why we keep volunteering to put on this event year after year.”
The Women’s Summit is a labor of love organized by the badass women of Network NOVA, and we’ve been joined by badass women everywhere. Joy and enthusiasm are contagious!
Do you feel you’re living in Groundhog Day? Many of us have been doing this for the past ten years. Yet, we know that we’re not going to stop now. If this is your first time, you will enjoy it, trust me. This is a welcoming group of people with a single mission: to support one another and make the world a better place.
Whether you have been working the polls, writing postcards, protesting, becoming the supporting person at home for your activist friends, or you are simply worried about what’s happening around you, this event is for you. It will lift your spirits and give you a chance to celebrate achievements, plan for future actions, make new friends, meet with old friends, and have a jolly good time while at it.
Remember, joy is an act of resistance. We could use some joy right now.
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Joy is a radical act of resistance — and we could all use a little more of it right now.
Come discover your spark at the Women’s Summit! Experience the vibrant energy, connection, and inspiration you’ve come to love from the Friday Power Lunch — this time, in person and in community.
We’re just 3 days away: June 27–29 at the McLean Hilton, Tysons Corner, Virginia.
Check out this year’s complete program below — it’s packed with powerhouse speakers, strategy sessions, and moments to recharge and reconnect.
Tickets are still available, but they won’t last long. REGISTER NOW
And don’t keep the good vibes to yourself — share and spread the joy!
Friday – June 27
Postcard Palooza
4:00-7:00pm
Come meet, write postcards, and share postcarding tools and techniques with other postcard writers from across the country. Bring your extra supplies for the big Supply Swap.
Community Meet-Ups
5:30-6:30pm
Expand your community or meet-up with friends you mostly see online by attending one of the scheduled meet-ups.
- Indivisible: “Organizing Summer – Meetup with Jake Fein, Senior Regional Organizer, Indivisible & Micaela Pond, Founder of We of Action”
- Red Wine & Blue: “TroubleNation Forum: Your Community. Your Power”
- Chairs of the Democratic Black Caucus of Virginia, the Virginia LGBTQ+ Caucus, and Democratic Latinos of Virginia Caucus: Truth Tellers Talk: Why Representation Without Advocacy Isn’t Enough
- SEIU Virginia State Council: Unions for All
- National Women’s Political Caucus-VA: Women Lead/Women Run/Women Win
COMMUNITY POWER UP STAGE
7:00-9:00pm
Celebrate our Virginia candidates with a stage full of community leaders.
- Susan Greenbaum, singer
- Senator Tim Kaine
- Abigail Spanberger, Virginia Candidate for Governor – DEMOCRACY SPONSOR
- Manisha Singh, CD-11 Committee
- Catherine Marie “Smitty” Smith
- Tram Nguyen, New Virginia Majority
- EJ Scott, Virginia Democratic Black Caucus
- Kelsey Lawrence, TroubleNation by Red Wine & Blue
- Dorri C. Scott, Banned Together
- LaNoral Thomas, President SEIU Virginia 512
- Delegate Michael Feggans, HD 97
- Jess Schaer, Prince William Women That Wine
- Hala Ayala, Virginia Women’s Democratic Caucus
- Dr. Shellie Bowman, Central Commonwealth Black Caucus
- Heather Booth, Lifelong Activist
- Andrea Miller, National Women’s Political Caucus – VA – BLUE ROOTS
- Celebration of our Virginia Candidates
- Advocacy Village Participants take the stage
- Speaker Don Scott – SUMMIT BADASS
- Delegate Candi King & Bella J, Boots on the Ground 👢🪭👢
Food Trucks on site 4:00-7:00pm
Saturday – June 28
9:00am-12:30pm – Main Stage
Over 30 speakers will appear on the Saturday main stage.
When We Vote We Win – The morning program is all about the Virginia election and our candidates. You’ll hear from elected officials, candidates, organizers, and more. Featuring:
- Darcy Dunn, Singer
- Dorri C. Scott, Poetess
- Rep. Jennifer McClellan – SUMMIT BADASS
- Del. Dan Helmer BLUE – POWER SPONSOR
- Del. Kathy Tran – BLUE CREW
- Malena Llanos, President Young Dems
- Rep. Don Beyer – SUMMIT CHAMP
- Yasmin Radjy, Swing Left National – BLUE CREW
- Penny Blue & Lara Bury, Red Wine & Blue – BLUE POWER SPONSOR
- Leah Greenberg, Indivisible
- Radhika Murani, WinVA – BLUE POWER SPONSOR
- Carrie Short, COVA Coalition
- Micaela Pond, WOFA
- Senator Ghazala Hashmi, Candidate for Lt Governor
- Jay Jones, Candidate for Attorney General
- Virginia House of Delegates Candidates
Living our Values – After a coffee break where you can network and visit the Advocacy Village, the focus will be on the key issues of gun violence, women’s rights, and workers’ rights. Featuring:
- Phyllis J. Randall, Chair At-Large of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors
- Tarina Keene, Executive Director, Repro Rising
- Grace Varughese, Students Demand Action
- Clean VA – BLUE ROOTS
- Monica Sarmiento, VA Coalition for Immigrant Rights
- Alissa Tafti, NoVA Labor Federation’s Federal Labor Caucus
- Amanda Hine, Power of the Vote
- Pastor Michelle Thomas, NAACP Loudoun Branch
- Del Sam Rasoul, Impact Center – SUMMIT CHAMP
Wake Up Stage – Round table of heavy hitters will share their thoughts on what happened in 2024 and what we need to do to win in 2025 & beyond. Featuring:
- Antjuan Seawright, Blueprint Strategies
- Neera Tanden, Center for American Progress
- Simon Rosenberg, Hopium Chronicles
- Tom Bonier, TARA Group
- Billy Ray, Oscar nominated screenwriter & Democratic strategist
Media War Room: This dynamic panel of messaging and social media innovators will share inspiring ways we can shape the narrative, amplify our voices, and harness today’s media to build power and community. Featuring:
- Carly Figueroa, Courier (VA Creators Pilot Project)
- Lauren Burke, Virginia Black News
- Lynlee Thorne, Rural GroundGame
- Kyle Spencer – Author/Speaker/Founding Editor, Reporting Right
We will end our morning stage with a POWER DROP from Andrea Miller, Center for Common Ground
12:30-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3:45pm Workshops
The afternoon features 28 hands-on workshops on Messaging, Campaign Skills, Organizing, Resilience, and Democracy Defense. Choose what moves you:
Messaging & Persuasion
- Antonia Scatton (Reframing America): Framing Is the Key
- Billy Ray (Screenwriter): Communicating to Win
- Melinda Burrell (WNDC): How to Talk to Anyone — Even MAGA
- Elizabeth Chur (Swing Left SF): Turning “I Don’t Vote” Into a Conversation
- Nancy Morgan (BigMoneyOut): Big Money, Big Stories They Can’t Silence
- Sara Yaseen (Blueprint Interactive): Storytelling That Sticks
- Ann Timmons: Authentic Presence Tips from the Theatre
Candidate Skills, Campaign Tools & Leadership
- Grace Freeman: Effective, Low-Cost Campaign Events
- Michelle Hobbs Morrison (Win Number): In-Depth District Research
- Kate Barr (Can’t Win Victory Fund): Predictive AI Messaging Tools
- Courtney Bickert (LaughingMatters): Drop the Mic, Raise the Bar
- Eva Posner (Evinco Strategies): Please Don’t Run (Unless…)
- Sabrina Mattin: Youthquake: Mobilizing Next-Gen Power
- Violet Kopp (Swing Left): Cultivating Leadership
- Carrie Short (COVA Coalition): Leading Activist Groups
- Alpha Woolen (ROOTED Consulting): Courageous Leadership
Organizing, Strategy & Election Tech
- Andrea Miller (Center for Common Ground): Smart Election Tech
- Heather St Amand (ACLU-VA): Reproductive Freedom NOW
- Penny Blue (Red Wine & Blue): When They Go Low, Go Local
- Susan Labandibar (Swing Blue Alliance): Do Postcards Work?
Movement Resilience, Well-being & Storytelling
- Lynlee Thorne: The Time to Tell Your Story Is Now
- Dr. Lorita Daniels: Supercharge Your Story
- Mali Phonpadith: Leading Through Uncertainty
- Martha Brettschneider: Mental Fitness for Activists
- Jennifer Blair: Embroidery as Therapy and Resistance
- Luke Lorenz: Safe, Effective Public Events
Civic Power, Democracy Defense & Public Education
- Cheryl Binkley (4 Public Education): Public Ed for the Win
- Daniel Rothbart: Autocracy 101 — and How to Fight Back
3:45-4:15pm Meet Our Authors at the Bookstore
- Krysta Jones – Ella Goes to City Hall
- Clara Bingham – The Movement: How Women’s Liberation Transformed America 1963-1973
- Elizabeth Chur – The Joy of Talking Politics with Strangers: How to Save Democracy, One Conversation at a Time
- Jessica Berg – Women and Gender Studies, Loudoun County, Virginia
4:15–5:00pm It’s Up to Us 🗽
We’ll close out the afternoon with an energizing, feel-good session that celebrates our power, our people, and our purpose. Get ready to rise, rally, and revel in community as we hear from:
- Darcy Dunn, Singer
- Robert Hubbell, Today’s Edition Newsletter
- Chaplain Terry Nicholetti, The Rappin’ Chaplain
- Reed Galen, The Union – BLUE WAVE
- Sabrina Mattin, Fairfax Young Democrats
- Carrie Short, COVA Coalition
- Antjuan Seawright, Blueprint Strategy
- Finale Norton, Friday Power Lunch – SUMMIT BADASS
- Rose Fabia, Virginia Grassroots/WofA
- Melissa Knutson, Sara Steffens, Dance Against DOGE with WofA and the indivisible crew
Food Trucks on site 4:00-7:00pm
Saturday Night – June 28- Rue Music & Arts Fest
7:30-10:30pm
On Saturday evening, we’re turning the Summit into a vibrant, immersive celebration with the Rue Music & Art Festival – a grassroots, traveling showcase amplifying our voices in collective protest for a better future. This dynamic event spotlights female and trans/nonbinary artists while supporting causes rooted in mutual liberation and solidarity.
Festival Hall Highlights:
🎨 Art and artisan-made products from 15+ creatives and vendors
🎭 Interactive art exhibits and live demos
🖍️ A pop-up art café featuring a zine-making station
🌿 Henna tattoos with custom ancestral designs by Katrina Villavicencio
🖌️ Community Catharsis Printmaking with Liz Nugent
🔮 Tarot and Astrology readings with Organized Khaos
📚 Take-One-Leave-One Book Exchange — leave a book, take a book!
Live Music Performances by:
🎶 Annie Stokes — Dark Americana songstress from the Blue Ridge foothills
🎶 Mowgli — Soulful, multi-talented queer advocate and music therapist
🎶 Ari Voxx — DC’s Dreamy Pop Princess with ethereal vocals and synth-pop soundscapes
🎶 Ammonite — Punk rock energy with mesmerizing vocals
🎶 Gwen Levey — Viral Nashville rocker and bold storyteller
Let’s connect, dance, create, and build solidarity as we fight for our future.
Joy is resistance. Community is power.
Sunday – June 29
8:00am Breakfast Buffet
9:00-11:30am – BADASS Brunch — Telling Our Stories
Along with hearing from an incredible lineup of BADASS women artists, authors, and activists, you’ll be introduced to the launch of the Persisterhood Oral History Project. Its mission: to collect and preserve our stories — the voices of women who’ve stepped up to defend democracy since 2016. Featuring:
- BADASS AWARD 2025 – Sen Jennifer Boysko – SUMMIT BADASS
- Senator Danica Roem
- Lynlee Thorne, Rural GroundGame
- Lateisha Garrett, Virginia’s List
- C J Crim, Documentary filmmaker
- Margaret Morrison, Civil Rights Activist – SUMMIT BADASS
- Clara Bingham, Author & Journalist
- Krysta Jones, Political Consultant, Children’s book author
- Ann Timmons, Communications artist and playwright
- Ellie Smeal, Feminist Majority Foundation – BLUE WAVE
- Tammarrah Addison, Poetess
- Liuba Grechen Shirley, Founder, Vote Mama
Persisterhood Oral History Project Round Table
- Robbin Warner, Co-Director
- Susan Wagner, Co-Director
- Bonnie Stabile, Associate Director
- Hanna Griff-Sleven, Oral Historian
- Delegate Briana Sewell
Extras You Won’t Want to Miss!
Friday – Saturday: Giant Advocacy Village
- Featuring organizations, activism boutiques, new tech demonstrations, opportunities to be interviewed by influencers, a storytelling room, a Grassroots Gratitude Garden.
Saturday Candidate Sessions
- Whether you are running for office this year in Virginia or contemplating running in the future, we have a whole program of sessions designed just for candidates. Topics covered include where to get support, how to market your candidacy in today’s independent media environment and what tech tools are out there to help you be more efficient and effective. There will be plenty of time to network with other candidates and elected officials.
