On Movement Leadership and Fear

By: Poonam Dreyfus-Pai

Ravina Daphtary came into the Generative Fellowship wondering about fear — how it constrains reproductive movement leaders, how it shapes emergent leadership, how leaders experience it, and what supports them to overcome it. After going through the Generative Fellowship process and speaking to 15 movement leaders, she designed an infographic as a minimum viable product, to showcase and share what she learned. 

On how she arrived at this infographic, Ravina says, “I wanted to keep it simple, and to represent my brave interviewees largely in their own words. I therefore decided to include lightly edited versions of their own words. (I edited them to remove details that would threaten confidentiality and also for continuity with the format.) While people’s experiences were very different, all of my interviewees recognized a need to hear and know shared experiences, but many saw a grave cost at doing so within their workplace. So sharing something from each interview, I think, communicates the universality of the experience of fear in leadership situations. I chose the quotes on the first page to be able to provide some framing for the interview quotes. I tried to be thoughtful about what I chose and the order – they go from perspectives on fear to calls to action about going above them.”

Check out Ravina’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP) — what resonates with you?

Ravina is an outgoing and curious Scorpio. True to her sign, she is usually interested in what’s going on beneath the surface. She is the Senior State Strategies Manager at All* Above All and is serious about getting rid of the Hyde Amendment. You can find her on Twitter at @RavinaD.