As recently as 1974, women were not allowed to have a bank account, credit card, or sign a mortgage without a man. Young women might think of this time as some bygone era, but the generations before us know that these rights are not guaranteed. They were fought for. And as we’ve seen in recent years, they can be taken away.
In order for society to create lasting change, we have to move through life with an appreciation of the pathways created for us. Intergenerational relationships allow us to tap the confidence of life experience while still possessing the bravery of youth. Research has found that older adults with younger friends may feel younger themselves and may be healthier because of it. Sharing the diversity of life’s experiences with people of different ages, careers, and backgrounds is critical to lay the groundwork of support for the issues that matter most to us.
That is the foundation of The Shift, a new biannual impact publication and community. The Shift aims to cultivate rooms of intergenerational, diverse people who can learn from each other. On October 16, activist Gloria Steinem, legendary fashion photography duo Inez and Vinoodh, and social entrepreneur Shilpa Yarlagadda gathered for the group’s inaugural event at L’Avenue at Saks in New York City, bringing together historical icons and current pop culture changemakers to honor Steinem’s lifelong legacy of fighting for women’s rights. By juxtaposing historical icons with current pop culture changemakers, The Shift is building a platform that contextualizes the road paved by women before, and spurs desire for action in the present day.
As climate advocate Sophia Li said about the event, “Intergenerational mingling is vital to the core of The Shift because it fosters mutual respect. By the end of the evening, Millennials and Boomers had confirmed their attendance to Z-Con [a conference celebrating Gen-Z] and contacts were exchanged to continue the movement Gloria Steinem ignited, passing the torch to the next generation so we can carry this weight together.”
By sharing women’s stories, The Shift honors the fluidity of forward progress, intersectionality, and ultimately impact. At the center of every achievement, failure, accolade, or redirection, women can see what’s possible for themselves and the collective. “It’s so important for younger generations, especially young women, to realize the power we have to shape the future,” dinner guest and popular Youtuber Xuân-Mai Phạm said. “Learning from people like Gloria Steinem shows me that when we use our voices and stand up for equality, we can actually make a difference. It’s not just about individual success, but about creating space for other women to thrive too.”
A core component of The Shift community is the ability to create actionable change, and learn from those who are walking the walk. Vicky Tsai, founder of skincare brand Tatcha, was honored for her contributions toward girls' education globally. Because of Vicky’s early partnership with nonprofit Room to Read, Tatcha has contributed over 10 million days of school to girls in low income communities around the world. Right now, 122 million girls are still out of school. Exclusion from education drastically limits young women in their life options. Access to education creates lifelong opportunities, and a ripple effect for generations to come. In support of The Shift, Tatcha used Inez and Vinoodh’s charity gifting platform, Double Dutch, to make a donation in each guest’s honor to both Gloria’s Foundation and Room to Read. “Our core purpose at Tatcha is to change the way people see their skin and themselves. I’m so proud that our clients and partners have made 10 million days of school possible for incredible girls around the world who deserve to know their self-worth and will one day soon be leaders in their families, communities, and nations. This is the milestone that we measure ourselves by at Tatcha, and we look forward to the next 10 million,” said Tsai.
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Among the dinner attendees were influential figures from diverse fields, including models Irina Shayk, Andreea Diaconu, Devyn Garcia, and Rebecca Dayan, along with musicians, actors, and industry leaders such as Eric Nam, Padma Lakshmi, Anna-Sophia Robb, William Jackson Harper, Sarah Slutsky, Ali Ahn, Sophia Li, Ziad Ahmed, and Xuân-Mai Phạm. United Nations Consultant and sustainability leader Saad Amer also delivered remarks about the consistent challenges our society faces in achieving gender equality, sharing that, “at the current rate, it will take 140 years for equal representation of women in positions of power and workplace leadership.”
As Gloria Steinem has proven, sharing women’s stories can be a vehicle for lasting change. “Creative collaboration is a hallmark of impact, and a great way to meet new friends like Vicky Tsai, one of The Shift’s inaugural Shiftmakers, who is building a brand with purpose,” Jill Heller of Gloria’s Foundation said, “Gloria's Foundation is honored that it can be a vehicle to coalesce leaders across generations to share space, build alliances and ultimately, feel inspired to create change in the world. Gloria's Foundation ensures that Gloria Steinem's home and archives are always a resource for activists and those working to make the world a better place.”
Shilpa Yarlagadda echoed this sentiment, “Collaboration is key to driving impact. I’m inspired by Gloria, Inez and Vinoodh, and these environments which bridge art and impact by bringing together an intergenerational and interdisciplinary community.” Just as Steinem’s own home has been a historic gathering place for the feminist movement, The Shift invites its community to take a seat at their table.
