Young feminists are on the ground in Colorado, working to defeat Amendment 67, a dangerous personhood amendment up for a vote this November, and we’re working alongside them until the election is over. Here are their faces! 

Shelby Shively

I earned my bachelors degree in sociology and women’s and ethnic studies, with a minor in creative writing in May 2014 from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, and I am now working on my masters degree in sociology at the same university. I identify as a feminist because we have not reached anything resembling equity across multiple forms of privilege and oppression, including (but not limited to) sex, race, gender, ability, sexual orientation, and social class. If there is any hope for reaching a point of equity, intersectional feminism is one of many movements capable of accomplishing this.

Janet White

I am a feminist because I believe in equal rights and opportunities for everyone. As I am a hard working African- American female planning to work in the male-dominated profession of business, I want to have equal chances and opportunities at the same careers as any male. I also believe that if women put in the same level of work as men, than those women should get the same level of reward as a man would because every woman is just as mentally capable of succeeding as any man.

Mayra Barragan

I am a student at CSU-Pueblo majoring in criminology. I am a feminist because I believe in equality. The word feminism nowadays has a bad connotation but it has nothing to do with man hating as some people would like to have you believe. It is a challenge to the oppression we experience all of the time, and a movement that advocates that all people deserve the same dignity, respect, rights, and opportunities.

Emily Morgan

I study Biochemistry and Women and Gender Studies at Colorado University at Boulder. A love of modernist literature was my first avenue to feminism with Virginia Woolf. Feminism has become integral to my life because it let’s me see and make sense of the social constructions that feed into the particularities of my lived experience. It has made me more compassionate but also analytical. I also love cats, metal music, and embroidery.

Phoebe Renfrow

I’m a freshman at CSU. I grew up overseas in Germany, so I’m new to Colorado and love it so far! I’m the middle child of three girls, and I’m very close with my sisters. I’m extremely interested in foreign cultures and my passion is reading! I’m a feminist because I find it incredibly important for women to strive to their potential and be allowed the same rights as men. I love encountering empowered women; it fuels my drive to work hard and see changes being made in today’s society. I want to live in a world where women are viewed as equally capable and valuable to the work force.

Berenice Gamez

I am a Latina who is majoring in criminology at the Colorado State University in Pueblo. I am a feminist because I am tired of telling people that I want to work with the FBI, and have them laugh at me as if it is some kind of joke for a woman to work for the FBI. Being a Latina means being brought up in a culture where machismo is far too common, but I won’t settle for that ideology. I will prove to my culture that it is okay to be a feminist and that it is okay to not feel inferior to men. Feminism is about gender equality, not gender superiority.

Julia Puckett

I am studying History and Elementary Education at Metropolitan State University of Denver. I currently hold the position of Vice President of the MSU Denver Feminist Alliance, and am looking forward to this year with the organization! My passions include traveling, biking, crafting, and finding outlets for intentional communication. To me, feminism is an all-encompassing term that understands the need for equality among all. Feminism is not only about elevating the status of women, it is also about creating a society where the binary gender boxes society tries to put women and men in begins to fade. Feminism is a conversation about all the many injustices in our community and at large, our society, that affect all people at all times. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”-Martin Luther King Jr.

Ashley Clevenger

I am currently a senior at the University of Colorado, at Boulder studying cultural anthropology with minors in women & gender studies and leadership. I am so excited to be working with the Feminist Majority Foundation this election season! When I came to CU I was definitely an advocate for social justice but I had never really been exposed to the idea of feminism as I grew up in a conservative, rural area in Southeastern Colorado (think Kansas). After taking a women & gender studies class my first semester freshmen year, I discovered the term feminism and immediately declared myself a feminist. Today, being a feminist is part of my identity. After I graduate this May, I plan to get my master’s in non-profit management and to pursue a career in the international non-profit sector working with human advocacy rights, specifically with women & women’s empowerment programs… I am thankful to the Feminist Majority Foundation for allowing me the opportunity to put my passion for women’s rights & social justice issues into action. Let’s vote down Amendment 67!