Op-Eds
March 17, 2026
This article by RepresentWomen's Cynthia Richie Terrell was published in Ms. magazine in March 2026. Read an excerpt below.
March 8 marked International Women’s Day, a moment each year when people around the world pause to celebrate the achievements of women and reflect on the work still ahead to build a more equitable future.
This year, I had the privilege of spending the days that followed in conversation with hundreds of people—including more than 60 speakers, panelists and moderators—who share a deep commitment to strengthening democracy and expanding women’s political power.
At RepresentWomen, we hosted the 2026 Democracy Solutions Summit, bringing together leaders, researchers, policymakers and advocates for three afternoons of conversation about a question that sits at the center of our work: How do we design democratic systems that truly reflect the people they serve?
Before anything else, I want to begin with gratitude.
To everyone who joined us, whether you attended one session or all three days: Thank you. Your engagement, curiosity and commitment to this work are what make gatherings like this meaningful.
I’m also deeply grateful to the remarkable speakers and moderators who shared their insights, and to the RepresentWomen team who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring the summit to life.
This year’s theme was “Women’s Power by Design.” It’s a phrase we return to often—because women’s representation is not simply the natural outcome of democracy. It is shaped by the rules and systems that determine who can run, who wins elections and whose voices are heard.
So we structured the summit around three conversations: where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re going.
Read the complete summary of our Democracy Solutions Summit on Ms. magazine.
