“We Need Everyone in This Battle”: A Fireside Chat with Teresa C. Younger
On October 16, International House hosted Teresa Younger, President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women, for a powerful fireside chat on what it takes to build community and address gender disparities globally.
Younger reflected on her life’s journey, from Girl Scout to an eventual leader of the ACLU and a celebrated advocate for women and girls of color. The talk explored themes of moral courage, systemic inequity, and the importance of building community rooted in trust, respect, and shared humanity. Younger shared stories about her upbringing in rural North Dakota and how her path influenced her eventual career trajectory.
“I didn’t grow up in a space that was actually designed for me, and I actually am very grateful for that,” Younger said. “It gave me an opportunity to learn how to navigate rooms, to figure out when your voice should be heard, and to know that your voice has value. It’s the only currency that every person has.”
I-House resident Nina Collymore served as moderator and presided over a question-and-answer session with fellow residents. Younger stressed to the audience that community building comes from active listening, mutual understanding, and collective action. She reminded attendees that true allyship means showing up and advocating for one another.
“I always ask myself this question: Who’s not at this table? And in many cases, I didn’t see myself at the table,” she said. “That’s really a key to how I got there and what I navigated. And what it looked like was to be really thoughtful, to challenge the system, and to know that the world is not fair and it wasn’t designed to be fair. It is designed for us to make it fair.”
The event was preceded by a reunion for alumnae of the Women’s International Leadership (WIL) program, which historically promoted women’s education, professional careers, and leadership at I-House. Current residents met with alumnae from all eras of the WIL program during a special reception in the Dodge Room. I-House Trustee Lauren States and WIL alumna Alexa Fairchild ’03 gave remarks about the WIL program during the reception, before guests moved to the Home Room for Younger’s fireside chat.
During the Q&A session, Younger was asked what gives her hope for the future during periods of uncertainty or difficulty. “Honestly? Being in community with rooms like this,” she said. “I would build community around anything and everything. We are not supposed to have this fight by ourselves. If we are able to be in community, and that could be however you define it, that is what brings me hope.”