By Elle Knott and Madison Potts-McAdoo, YWCA Greater Atlanta
Each March, Women’s History Month reminds us that generations of women have advocated for greater opportunity for women, girls, and families across Georgia. Their perseverance has reshaped workplaces, schools, and communities throughout the state. That legacy is not only something to celebrate — it is a responsibility to continue the work they began.
That responsibility becomes especially clear during the Georgia legislative session, when decisions made under the Gold Dome define the daily realities of families and communities.
One moment during this legislative session captured why women’s advocacy matters. A recently unhoused mother attending her first Advocacy Day arrived at the Capitol with her two young daughters, unsure whether her voice belonged in those halls. With encouragement from fellow advocates, she shared with her senator the realities of raising young children while living in transitional housing.
Later that week, the senator referenced her story during a committee hearing, reminding colleagues that the policies debated during the session impact real families.
Moments like this illustrate why women’s voices are essential in policymaking. When the people most affected by policies take part in the conversation, those conversations change because the realities become visible to decision-makers.
Many of the challenges women, girls, and families face in Georgia — from access to health care to economic opportunity — are shaped by decisions made at the state level. State policies determine how public resources are allocated, how services are delivered, and which priorities guide Georgia’s future.
Women are often disproportionately affected by issues related to health, safety, economic opportunity, and social justice. Women of color and LGBTQIA+ individuals frequently face overlapping barriers that influence access to resources. Ensuring that those most affected by policy decisions are represented in the conversations that shape those policies is essential.
Research consistently shows that women in public leadership are more likely to seek consensus, work across differences, and prioritize policies that strengthen families and communities — outcomes that benefit all of society.
Advocacy in Action
During this legislative session, women have been present throughout the Capitol coordinating testimony, reviewing amendments, leading press conferences, and supporting one another through long committee days. Their leadership reflects not only policy expertise but lived experience.
For many advocates, participation in the legislative process begins with simply walking through the Capitol doors and realizing their voice matters. Encouraging more women to participate in policy conversations helps ensure that the experiences of families are reflected in the decisions shaping their lives.
Key Issues Impacting Women and Families
Several issues affecting women, girls, and families remain central to this year’s legislative session, including maternal health outcomes, access to high-quality, affordable child care, and economic stability for working families.
These challenges are deeply interconnected. Child care access affects workforce participation and economic mobility. Maternal health outcomes are shaped by coverage and access to care. Economic stability often depends on the ability to balance work and caregiving responsibilities.
When women participate in policy conversations, these connections become clearer. Their perspectives help illuminate how policies intersect in the lives of real families — and why thoughtful solutions must address multiple challenges at once.
Developing the Next Generation of Advocates
Sustaining progress also requires preparing the next generation of civic leaders. Programs like YWCA Greater Atlanta’s Georgia Women’s Policy Institute help women build the knowledge, networks, and confidence needed to engage in public policy and civic leadership.
Equally important, these efforts connect women from communities across our state who continue supporting one another long after the legislative session ends. These networks help ensure women’s voices remain present in the policy conversations shaping civic life in our state.
Women’s History Month highlights how progress has always been driven by women who organized, spoke up, and worked together to expand opportunity for all. The responsibility now rests with all of us to carry that legacy forward.
That work happens in committee hearings, community meetings, and conversations with elected officials. Honoring the legacy of those who came before us means continuing to participate — by voting, advocating, and ensuring the voices of women and families remain central to the decisions shaping our communities.
Elle Knott is public policy and partnerships manager at YWCA Greater Atlanta, where she leads the organization’s advocacy agenda and builds cross-sector partnerships focused on advancing racial and gender equity in Georgia.
Madison Potts-McAdoo is advocacy education manager at YWCA Greater Atlanta, where she leads initiatives that prepare emerging women leaders to engage in public policy and civic advocacy, including the Georgia Women’s Policy Institute.
This is sponsored content.
