Holding Space
An International Women’s Day reflection on community, conversation, and the power of women coming together
By Jade Blue
There are moments when you step back and realise that something quietly powerful has taken place. This International Women’s Day weekend felt like one of those moments.
What began as a small gathering for our International Women’s Day event hosted by Make Yourself Heard with the Victims’ Commissioner became something much more meaningful than I had imagined. A room filled with women - each bringing their own stories, experiences, perspectives and strength - simply coming together to talk, listen and share space.
There was no pressure to speak or present. Just conversation. Honesty. Laughter. Reflection. And that felt incredibly powerful.
Too often, discussions around justice, violence against women, or survivor experiences take place in formal rooms, structured panels, or policy spaces. Those spaces matter, of course. But what struck me most about the evening was how important it felt to create something slightly different - something more human. A table. A drink. A conversation.
Moments where people could speak freely, or simply listen. Moments where people realised they were not alone in their experiences, their frustrations, or their hopes for change. There is something quietly radical about that kind of space.
Alongside it, we curated a special MYH International Women’s Day playlist for the weekend - a mix of pop classics and a few throwback anthems - because every good celebration deserves a soundtrack. And of course… cupcakes were involved. Because frankly, who doesn’t love a cupcake?
Then on the Saturday, that sense of connection carried through the streets of London at Million Women Rise. Thousands of voices, signs, chants and stories moving together through the city. A visible reminder that this work is not carried by one voice or one organisation, but by a collective.
The march had its own energy - loud, proud and unapologetic. But it also carried the same underlying feeling as the evening before: solidarity. Seeing so many people come together, in different ways, with different experiences, all united by a shared determination to challenge violence and injustice, was really moving.
Weekends like this remind me why Make Yourself Heard exists.
Yes, we write. Yes, we campaign. Yes, we push for change in policy and systems. But at its heart, MYH is about people. About creating spaces where voices can be heard, experiences recognised, and connections formed.
It has made me think more about the importance of nurturing these offline spaces. The justice conversation so often lives online - through articles, posts, campaigns and debates. Those spaces are important and powerful. But there is something irreplaceable about being in the same room. Looking someone in the eye. Sharing a story over a drink. Feeling the collective energy of people who care deeply about the same issues. It reminds us that this is not just a conversation. It is a community. And community needs space to gather.
The IWD evening felt like the beginning of something I would love to continue building - moments where people can step away from the noise of the online world and simply come together.
To talk. To listen. To reflect. To connect.
Because sometimes the most powerful change doesn’t begin with a headline or a policy paper. Sometimes it begins with a room full of people who feel safe enough to speak. And brave enough to be heard.
