Take Your Place in The Shift: Engage, Support, Participate (Vol. 2, No. 3)
- Leaders Up
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- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
By John “JR” Roberson
The Shift | Vol. 2, No. 3 – We have to build our own power”: Women’s Fight Endures
When Women Build Power, Systems Change
The Legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer in Today’s Fight for Economic Justice
Economic justice has always been about power—and about who gets to shape the rules. More than half a century ago, civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer understood that political rights and economic survival were inseparable. When she founded the Freedom Farm Cooperative in 1969, she wasn’t offering charity—she was building autonomy. By securing land, food, and income for Black families in Mississippi, Hamer proved that communities thrive when they control the resources that sustain them and the political leverage to protect those gains.
Her lesson still rings true: systems change when people build power. Today, that legacy lives on through Black women who continue to redesign the political and economic systems that shape opportunity.
Few embody this spirit more than Stacey Abrams. After witnessing how voter suppression restricted democratic participation in Georgia, Abrams built the civic infrastructure needed to expand it. Through organizations like Fair Fight Action, she helped mobilize hundreds of thousands of voters historically excluded from the process—showing that democracy is not just about elections, but about economic influence. When communities vote, they help decide who controls policies on wages, housing, education, and mobility.
But building power takes more than access—it takes awareness. That’s where voices like Lynae Vanee come in. Through her digital series Parkin’ Lot Pimpin’, Vanee turns complex political issues into accessible conversations that meet people where they are. By blending culture, history, and humor, she sparks civic engagement and helps a new generation understand not only how systems work, but how they can reimagine them.
If Abrams builds the structure of democracy, Vanee builds the consciousness that keeps it alive. Together, their work mirrors Hamer’s belief in community-led power, translated for a new era.
Why This Matters for Young People
Too often, conversations about youth outcomes focus on individual effort—skills, preparation, motivation—when the real challenge is structural. The obstacles young people face are often baked into economic and policy systems not designed for their success.
That’s why political power remains essential to economic justice. Women like Hamer, Abrams, and Vanee remind us that progress doesn’t come from good intentions alone. It comes from organizing, influence, and the courage to rewrite the systems that determine who has access to opportunity.
How LeadersUp Builds on That Legacy
At LeadersUp, this principle guides our work every day. We believe that the next generation—particularly BIPOC young adults—must not only access opportunity, but also help design the systems that shape it. Through initiatives like the LA Economic Empowerment Alliance, we are bringing together employers, educators, policymakers, and community leaders to redesign regional workforce ecosystems so they create real pathways to economic mobility. By centering the voices, experiences, and leadership of young adults, we are working to ensure that the systems shaping their futures are informed by those most impacted by them.
This work does not happen in isolation. It requires collaboration, imagination, and a willingness to rethink how our economy works. That is why LeadersUp convenes Future Maker Studios—spaces where stakeholders come together to examine system bottlenecks, co-design solutions, and build the coalitions necessary to turn bold ideas into actionable change.
If the legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer reminds us of anything, it is that building a more just economy requires participation. Systems do not change on their own—people change them.
If you are ready to help design the future of economic opportunity, we invite you to take the first step. Sign up for a Dream Session with our team and learn how you can join an upcoming Future Maker Studio to help shape the next chapter of inclusive economic growth.
Because the future of our economy will not simply be inherited—it will be built.
John “JR” Roberson is the Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement at LeadersUp, driving transformative partnerships and systemic workforce equity through cross-sector collaboration and policy influence.
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