Shift Happens | April 18, 2024

Last year’s inaugural SHIFT Happens Summit represented the culmination of a season of change at DOSW. This year, we are once again convening to get to the heart of our work of empowering women, girls and nonbinary people with the education, tools and resources they need to create opportunities, build pathways to healthy and prosperous futures and to thrive!

The 2024 Elections are shaping up to be some of the most consequential of our lifetime. Gender equity is on the ballot. Marriage equality is on the ballot. Our planet’s health is on the ballot. DEMOCRACY is on the ballot. A confluence of brilliant minds, policymakers and movement builders, this year’s event will bring together in community and conversation some of the most prolific movers, shakers and change agents to help us create action plans to flex our civic, political and electoral muscles to create a gender equitable future.

Fireside chats; power panels; interactive workshops; breakout sessions; live performances; a networking lunch and small business vendor fair and more; this will be one of the most dynamic convenings of 2024.

Why “SHIFT Happens”? Collectively we’ve been through a lot of s%$# these past few years. The path to gender equality has not only stalled, we’ve slid backwards. "Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG): The Gender Snapshot 2022" found that at the current rate of change, it may take close to 300 years to achieve full gender equality. And that’s about 300 years too long!

If the fall of Roe v. Wade taught us anything, it’s that when it comes to making real change, we are the ones we’ve been waiting for. Now, more than ever, it’s on us to flex our civic, political and electoral muscles to create a gender equitable future.

We’re thrilled to host this year’s Summit in partnership with IGNITE National. IGNITE is a national nonpartisan movement of young women-identifying people, ready and eager to become the next generation of civic and political leaders.

We’re thrilled to host this year’s Summit in partnership with IGNITE National.

IGNITE is a national nonpartisan movement of young women-identifying people, ready and eager to become the next generation of civic and political leaders. IGNITE programs across 36 states have provided 35,000+ participants the tools, trainings, and networks they need to become candidates, campaign staffers, commissioners, community organizers, and policymakers.

Tasked with helping to transform San Francisco into a fully gender equitable City, the San Francisco Department and Commission on the Status of Women champion the equitable treatment and advancement of women, girls and nonbinary people across social, economic and political indexes through policies, programs and legislation, both within City and County government and in the private sector.

With a focus on its three core service areas, the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women is rebuilding itself as the:

• City’s Watch Dog and Accountability Partner on all issues related to gender parity;

• Chief Advocate for equity in service delivery, employment opportunities, leadership and policy development and budget allocation; and

• Community Convener - bringing people together inside and outside the City to collaborate on ideas, strategy and impactful action to help San Francisco transform into a fully gender equitable City.