Aeris McDaniel, Jessie Gao, Audrey Symon, Frances Strickland and Radha Pareek stand together Oct. 21 for a photo at the “Outcry: Alchemists of Rage” screening and panel at the Suzanne M. Scharer Room in the Ohio Union. Credit: Courtesy of Brianna Stoneburner

For many Ohio State students in feminist, student-run organizations, advocacy does not begin with a protest, but instead, a conversation.?

Through education, open discussion and civic engagement, organizations such as Feminist Majority Foundation and Ohio State’s Ignite aim to challenge misconceptions about feminism and make advocacy more accessible across campus.?

Aeris McDaniel, a fourth-year in criminology, criminal justice and political science and president of Ignite, said that for her, feminism is about uplifting the women around her.?

McDaniel said she was first introduced to Ignite by Kathrina Noma, an Ohio State graduate and former vice president of the Undergraduate Student Government. According to McDaniel, the Ohio State chapter had been inactive for several years before Noma recruited her as vice president in 2024.

“It’s rarer for women to go and protest or take action in politics by themselves,” McDaniel said. “To be able to mobilize women as a body and a group of people that are empowered by each other and learn from each other, that’s feminism to me.”?

Founded by Anne Moses in 2010, Ignite started as a pilot project in California to encourage young voters to become involved in politics and civic issues, according to the website, and the nonprofit organization trains young women to “own their political power.”

At Ohio State, Ignite leads voter registration drives, policy workshops and meetings with elected officials and candidates. McDaniel said not every meeting focuses on policy and feminist issues, but also professional development and community-building activities, including “hot girl walks,” a viral TikTok trend that encourages walking as a fun and accessible form of working out, according to a CBS News article.?

“I think the friendships that women have, from girl to girl, [are] so special, and I want to just preserve that within our space here at Ohio State,” McDaniel said. “My favorite part about being part of a feminist community is just looking forward every week to going and talking to like-minded women. I love hearing other people’s perspectives.”?

During the midterm election season, both organizations have focused on voter education and discussions surrounding feminist issues, encouraging students to engage with policies affecting their generation.?

Brianna Stoneburner, a fourth-year in strategic communications and head media? coordinator for Feminist Majority, said she spends her afternoons standing at a table on the Oval asking students a simple question: “Are you registered to vote?”?

Stoneburner said students often respond to her work with varying assumptions about feminism. She said her experiences have encouraged her to highlight the importance of maintaining open dialogue in every conversation.?

“I feel like when people think, ‘feminism,’ they think of someone that’s in your face,? screaming [and] not listening to your opinion or hearing you out,” Stoneburner said. “Having that shared space, sitting down and [having] a calm, collected conversation really helps.”?

The nonprofit, which is not affiliated with Ohio State, was founded in 1987. According to the website, Feminist Majority Foundation seeks to empower young women and girls to see themselves in “all sectors of society.”?

Radha Pareek, a second-year in public health and coordinator with Feminist Majority, said the nonprofit hires students to engage with peers across the 44 states in which the organization is active.?

Through outreach at concerts, classrooms and campus hubs, the organization aims to educate and answer questions about candidates and feminist issues during both its nonpartisan and partisan seasons.

“We’re not pushing women to call themselves feminists, but to appreciate that they are willing to critically think and embrace skepticism, then actively decide to walk on the path of determining what they stand for,” Pareek said.?

Beyond voter outreach, Pareek said Feminist Majority has collaborated with Ohio State’s Ignite, Feminist Research Education and Engagement — also known as the FREE Center — and other feminist organizations to host a film screening Oct. 21 in the Suzanne M. Scharer Room in the Ohio Union.?

The groups screened “Outcry: Alchemists of Rage,” directed by Clare Major. The documentary follows photographer Whitney Bradshaw’s project to create spaces where women can release anger, grief and frustration in their community — transforming private emotion into collective expression.?

“Having that display of vulnerability creates a space where everyone can express their vulnerability, whatever form and stage that may take,” Pareek said.?

The screening was followed by a panel discussion centered on intersectionality, the future of the feminist movement and the importance of self-expression.?

Student panelists included McDaniel, Jessie Gao, a second-year in statistics, public policy analysis and philosophy and Audrey Symon, a second-year in public health. Former Ohio First Lady Frances Strickland also shared insights from her experiences in politics.?

Ahead of the midterm election, Feminist Majority leaders in the Ohio State community are encouraging student voters to engage in critical conversations through initiatives such as Vote for Equality, a campaign aimed at increasing voter participation.?

“Having conversations about the issues we’re voting on is especially important because it helps people confront their own thought processes and helps unravel why it is they believe what it is they believe,” Stoneburner said.?

Although voter engagement remains a priority, leaders within both organizations are looking beyond election cycles. Members of Feminist Majority said the organization hopes to establish itself as a registered student organization and expand its presence on campus, while Ignite plans to continue gathering Ohio State students through weekly meetings.?

Whether through voter information sessions, conversations with state lawmakers or community-building activities, McDaniel said progress within feminist spaces depends on people being willing to engage with one another and show up for their communities.?

“I think intersectionality is very important. People from different backgrounds — that’s how we are the strongest, when we have diversity,” McDaniel said.