Women Creating Change is releasing its 2025 Annual Report

In 2025, WCC connected its research to action, using findings from the Power of Participation report and pay equity research series to shape coalition strategy and strengthen advocacy at City Hall, in Albany, and across the five boroughs. It was a year in which WCC moved from publishing evidence to helping secure legislative change, grounded in our four strategic pillars: Economic Justice, Education, Health and Reproductive Justice, and Safety.

Research That Drove Real Change

We released The Power of Participation: Women's Voting and Civic Engagement in New York City, the third report in our research series. It found that 69% of NYC women voted, consistently outvoting men since 1994, while surfacing the caregiving and structural barriers that still hold women back. That research shaped our advocacy at City Hall and in Albany, and contributed directly to the NYC Council's 40-7 vote to override a mayoral veto and pass Int. 982-A and Int. 984-A, requiring large employers to report pay and demographic data and mandating a citywide pay equity study.

Building the Next Generation of Leaders

Our inaugural PowerUp Civic Leadership cohort, run in partnership with University Settlement, trained 20 emerging leaders, predominantly women of color, in advocacy skills and personalized civic action plans. 94% of participants felt more confident taking action, and 100% completed a personalized advocacy plan.

Our Biggest Gathering Yet

In October, we hosted the inaugural State of Women in NYC Conference at Civic Hall, the largest gathering in our 110-year history. More than 260 leaders, advocates, and community members came together across five boroughs for a day of panels, strategy sessions, and action planning.

Reaching Millions of New Yorkers

Ahead of the June primary and November election, our voting PSAs reached more than 7 million New Yorkers across Captivate, LinkNYC, and PSA Network placements, all donated media grounded in our research on the real barriers women face at the ballot box.

Our Next Chapter

WCC is going deeper, reaching further, and taking bolder action to advance women's economic and social well-being across New York City. Targeted symposiums on economic justice and health access will move beyond awareness to solution-building. The State of Women in NYC Conference will return, bringing together an even wider coalition to strengthen collaboration and drive systems change. Our Civic Leadership Program is expanding, and WCC is strengthening its work around childcare affordability and wage equity to ensure women can thrive economically.

With a refreshed brand and a broad community of partners and supporters, WCC is reaching more people and building the foundation to sustain this work for years to come.