“Politics isn't a male space. It's an equal space and it's time we take our place in it.” 🎙️

Before Mayor Joy Belmonte took office, 30 years had passed since a woman led Quezon City in the Philippines — and that previous leader was appointed, not elected. Since becoming the city’s first elected female mayor in 2019, Mayor Joy has transformed her convictions into action, earning over 500 local and international awards for transparent, people-centered governance.

In this powerful bonus episode of Resist, Persist and Reimagine, Mayor Joy opens up about breaking cultural barriers for young women, anchoring good governance in equal rights, and building a community where every single voice, from elders and children to non-binary individuals, is valued and heard.

For our Season 2 finale of Resist, Persist and Reimagine, we’re in conversation with Congolese activist and lawyer Gloria Sengha.

Gloria has faced arrests and threats, but she refuses to step back. She reminds us that politics shouldn't just be for the rich or the few, it belongs to all of us.

Change is a process, and we are the ones driving it. 🌍

Episode 6 of Resist Persist and Reimagine is now live!

How do we make politics make sense to everyone?

In our newest episode, Tabitha Oluoch explains how she simplifies complex laws to reach young women. Instead of using confusing jargon, she breaks down the 2024 Finance Bill into its real impact on everyday items like bread and sanitary towels.

She calls this the "broccoli effect", using digital platforms to make civic education easy and enjoyable to consume. By meeting people where they are (on TikTok, X, and Facebook), Tabitha is ensuring that young women aren't just voters, but active participants.

"We have to stand up because no one is going to speak for us," she reminds us.

We are honored to welcome Hon. Winnie Kiiza, Uganda’s first female Leader of the Opposition and a Member of Parliament for 15 years.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

- The Personal as Political: How her mother’s strength inspired her journey into activism.

- Legislative Wins: The impact of the Women’s Caucus in passing critical laws, including the Domestic Violence and Anti-FGM bills.

- Reimagining Democracy: A vision for a system centered on people's issues, fair participation, and freedom of speech.

- Advice for the Youth: A call to action for young women to defy the norm and occupy the spaces where decisions are made.

Listen now!

Her journey began as a shy child in Mombasa who found her voice through the performing arts, and today she uses that voice in the Kenyan Parliament to represent youth, women, and people living with disabilities.

In this episode, Crystal discusses her personal path and explains why she believes we must stop using "borrowed" ideas to build political systems that actually work for our context. If you’ve ever felt like you don’t belong in the current system, this conversation is for you.

Catch the full story on Season 2, Episode 4 of Resist, Persist and Reimagine.

Fadzayi Mahere shares her experience as a women actively engaged in politics.

In this episode, we talk about:

The Power Gap: How structural barriers and online violence target women leaders.

Resilience: Finding purpose during and after severe state persecution.

Ubuntu in Politics: Why democracy and leadership should be about the community, not just one person.

Solidarity: The real, practical support and funding women need to build political power.

Fadzayi’s vision for the "African Dream" starts with replacing fear with courage. 🇿🇼✨

The second episode of season 2 of Resist, Persist and Reimagine podcast we sit dowmn with Samia El Hashmi, a prominent lawyer and the co-founder of Mutawinat.

Samia has spent over three decades proving that "Mutawinat"—an Arabic word meaning "women working together"—is more than just a name; it is a lifeline. From providing legal aid to refugees to training law enforcement on anti-FGM legislation during active conflict, Samia’s work reminds us that the fight for rights does not pause for war.

🎧 Listen to the full conversation, share and subscribe!🔥

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 1 of the Colmena Fund’s podcast: Resist, Persist and Reimagine: A New Era for African Women’s Political Power. 🎙️✨

In this season premiere, we sit down with Bina Maseno, Executive Director of Badili Africa, to explore how we can consolidate our numbers to move the needle on justice and safety across the continent. 🌍

Bina breaks down the barriers facing young women in political party structures, she discusses the vital importance of believing survivors and naming the problem of GBV directly, and she shares how her organization uses "glam sessions" to bring diverse voices into the democratic space. 💄✊🏾

From her journey as a 22-year-old on the ballot to her work today redefining leadership • Bina reminds us that democracy doesn't work if half the population is left off the table • and that it is time to build a political pipeline that reflects us all. 🗳️💎

🎧 Listen to the full conversation, share and subscribe!🔥