The video presents an inspiring narrative set in the future year of 2159, where the speaker shares a vision of a healed world, made possible by the collective dreams and actions of those living in the 2020s. This future utopia emerges from communities choosing empathy, diversity, and collaboration over division and isolation. The message underscores the power of community-focused efforts to create lasting global change.

The speaker, Kai Polanco, is a prominent activist and co-founder of the feminist community platform, "Eminist". She shares her personal journey from a childhood inspired by her parents' passion for fashion to becoming an influential figure in the feminist movement. Her experiences, such as working with iconic feminist figures and launching successful initiatives, illustrate how passion can drive purpose and foster meaningful impacts across the globe.

Main takeaways from the video:

Please remember to turn on the CC button to view the subtitles.

Key Vocabularies and Common Phrases:

1. utopia [juːˈtəʊpiə] - (noun) - An imagined place or state where everything is perfect. - Synonyms: (ideal, paradise, heaven)

I'm here to tell you that in this utopia, 134 years into the future exists because of your choices, your hope, and your determination to act.

2. empathy [ˈɛmpəθi] - (noun) - The ability to understand and share the feelings of another. - Synonyms: (compassion, understanding, sensitivity)

When empathy became our compass, wars ended.

3. collective wisdom [kəˈlɛktɪv ˈwɪzdəm] - (noun phrase) - The knowledge and experience shared by a group. - Synonyms: (common experience, shared knowledge, group insight)

This reality wasn't given to us. It was born from your dreams, your actions, and your collective wisdom.

4. empowered [ɪmˈpaʊərd] - (adjective) - Having the freedom and confidence to act or take control. - Synonyms: (enabled, authorized, strengthened)

...garments could help women become empowered to be in charge of their own lives.

5. inclusivity [ˌɪnklʊˈsɪvɪti] - (noun) - The practice or policy of including people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized. - Synonyms: (embracement, acceptance, integration)

We were actually building a pretty inclusive platform.

6. amplify [ˈæmplɪfaɪ] - (verb) - To make something more pronounced or make its presence stronger. - Synonyms: (enhance, boost, expand)

Today, I'm using that power to amplify the voices of activists, artists, creators, educators, and change makers from all over the world

7. intergenerational [ˌɪntərˌdʒɛnəˈreɪʃənəl] - (adjective) - Relating to, or involving different generations. - Synonyms: (multi-generational, cross-generational, age-diverse)

We built this platform on four key pillars we must be 1 intersectional, 2 international, 3 intergenerational, and 4 intentional.

8. tapestry [ˈtæpɪstri] - (noun) - Used metaphorically to refer to a complex or intricate combination of elements or details. - Synonyms: (weaving, mosaic, network)

They're threads in a global tapestry of change.

9. seismic [ˈsaɪzmɪk] - (adjective) - Relating to or denoting a movement or change which is particularly dramatic or widespread. - Synonyms: (disruptive, monumental, cataclysmic)

In 2022, we witnessed a seismic shift in American history when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

10. liberation [ˌlɪbəˈreɪʃən] - (noun) - The act of setting someone free from imprisonment, slavery, or oppression. - Synonyms: (emancipation, freedom, release)

The future is calling us to be brave stewards of our own collective liberation.

The Future Needs Your Feminism - A Message from Tomorrow - Ky Polanco - TEDxBerkeley

Thank you. Thank you everyone, for being here. I know it's rainy outside, but it is so beautiful to be in community with you. I'm reaching across time and space. The year is 2159, and I come from a future with a message of hope. In my world, we've healed our relationship with the earth. Every being, from the people to the birds to the trees and the fish has the fundamental right to exist and thrive. It honestly feels as nice as it sounds. This reality wasn't given to us. It was born from your dreams, your actions, and your collective wisdom.

When darkness fell in the 2020s, you didn't comply to the far right policies. You chose to build bridges instead of walls, to see diversity as strength, to radically reimagine everything. The real revolution came when we realized we didn't need a single ruler. We actually needed everybody to rise up together. When empathy became our compass, wars ended. When joy became sacred, work transformed into passion. Community replaced isolation and screens gave way to faces. Healing rippled across all over the world. I'm here to tell you that in this utopia, 134 years into the future exists because of your choices, your hope, and your determination to act. Now they create your tomorrow.

Hi, my name is Kai Polanco. I'm an activist, creative co founder and co executive director of feminist today. In 2025, I'm going to share how to find your place in the feminist movement. So first, you got to find your passion and make it your superpower. I want to share a story about how passion becomes purpose. Growing up in Los Angeles as the fifth generation Angeleno, I witnessed how my parents transformed their passion for fashion into their very own brand. Garments were designed at our living room table for future collections were born. And on the weekends, we played with sewing machines.

My own journey began. These are my fabulous parents. My own journey began at the age of 12 when I picked up my very first camera. Through that camera, I was able to explore the world around me through the lens and connecting people and the planet. I traveled, I observed, I documented, always trying to understand why society exists the way it does. After graduating from Pratt Institute in New York, I found myself in the fashion industry. Just as Instagram was transforming how we all share stories. I was helping brands navigate this new digital landscape. But I definitely felt like my work lacked purpose.

But all of that changed when an incredible opportunity fell into my lap. I shadowed the iconic and legendary designer and feminist Dionne von Furstenberg. She would talk about how garments could help women become empowered to be in charge of their own lives. And in that moment, I learned that when purpose and passion combine, they can not only coexist, but they can create community to drive meaningful impact. That experience ignited something in me. And in 2020, I built feminist. You may know us as Eminist on Instagram, and we reach over 25 million different feminists around the world every month. Think about that number.

25 million different voices, dreams, hopes, stories, all existing on one platform that didn't exist when I was growing up. Through tireless work, triumphs in legislation, threats to our fundamental rights, an incredible moment happened on my journey through feminist. It was honestly kind of a pinch me if this is real moment. I ended up at a roundtable discussion with then Vice president Kamala Harris. We were discussing the state of reproductive rights in the US and as I sat there, I thought about all those who fought for my rights before me. And I realized that I became a living embodiment of what they had dreamt for the future. The role I've created for myself.

Digital advocate, community builder, platform creator. That didn't exist when I was in college. It didn't even have a name. But that's the beauty of following your passion, because sometimes it helps you create something entirely new. Today, I'm using that power to amplify the voices of activists, artists, creators, educators, and change makers from all over the world. Next, identify who you can bring with you. But here's the thing about superpowers. They're amplified when shared. Feminist is not just an organization. It's a collective heartbeat, a shared vision. And that story begins in my college dorm room.

Picture this. Two randomly assigned roommates giggling in the dark at 2am diving deep into discussion about inequality and dreaming up solutions. That's how I met Aisha Becker Burroughs. She grew up Rastafari in Seattle and offered a completely different perspective to our late night discussions. We didn't just talk, we acted. We built a radio show called the Groove Sesh. We combined soul and funk and reggae. We brought on interviews with different activists. We even had a sex worker who was funding her education on. And all that time we were actually building a pretty inclusive platform.

We just didn't even know it yet. Fast forward to 2020. I was on board the Eminist Rollercoaster when we went from 1 million followers to 6 million followers entirely organically in six months. It was wild. Honestly, it was definitely because people were at home and they were feeling like their voice wasn't heard and people were eager to listen and to learn at this time on this exponential growth. I knew exactly the person to call to jump on this roller coaster with me. Aisha had already carved her own path in media and never lost her passion for social justice. The stars aligned and we joined forces together.

We looked at the future of feminists, and we said, if Ms. Magazine could be launched today, where would it exist? Fun fact. I actually got to ask Gloria Steinem this question in her living room. She did say. I didn't quite say Instagram, but she did say social media seems like the future and the forefront of feminist discourse. I love to hear it. Honestly, what makes feminist unique is its kaleidoscope of voices. In one scroll, you'll learn from a climate warrior in the Amazon to a trans lawyer fighting for their rights in the Supreme Court, and maybe laugh at an illustration about mansplaining.

This isn't random. This is intentionally designed to keep our audience hopeful and engaged. We built this platform on four key pillars we must be 1 intersectional, 2 international, 3 intergenerational, and 4 intentional. Here's what I've learned. The smartest person in the room is not an individual. It's the room itself. Our movement has the power because it's not built on one single grand voice. It's built on a diverse chorus of millions of different experiences and shared truths and collective wisdom. When you're thinking about who to bring with you on your new journey or your ride, look for the people who challenge your perspective, the people who bring different perspectives to the table, and the people who amplify your superpower. Because true change, it happens in between the spaces of our differences.

Step 3 Share your abundance. What sets our movement apart in 2025 is a fundamental shift in thinking. We've learned that gatekeeping serves no one. When you truly understand how deeply interconnected our liberation is, it seems so meaningless to keep resources or knowledge from other people. Our strength lies in sharing and lifting each other up. Let me share a powerful example. In 2022, we witnessed a seismic shift in American history when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. In that moment of crisis, feminists decided, we're going to open our gates wide open.

Our platform became a megaphone for the different activists on the ground, the local abortion providers, the lawyers trying to navigate the legal implications of what was happening. We hosted Instagram Lives with protesters all across the US Representatives standing firmly for bodily autonomy, and the response was extraordinary. We mobilized our community to raise $50,000 for abortion access in just 48 hours. We created a comprehensive reproductive rights toolkit that's been used by thousands and has helped people Navigate care and show up and how to take action. And you know, this wasn't just activism.

This was actually an abundance in action. Abundance isn't just about money or resources. It's about recognizing what you uniquely bring to the table and sharing it generously. Look around this room. Some of you might be thinking, what do I have to offer? But abundance shows up in unexpected ways. For example, are you the person with the juiciest gossip? That's abundance. You could use that to share critical information and spread awareness. Perhaps you're the eternal optimist. That's also abundance.

Our movement desperately needs people with hope and joy to sustain us. Perhaps you're the artist who can capture the movement in a single image, or the writer who can write to our collective grief. Your abundance might not look like mine, but that's exactly the point. The power of our movement lies not in a single grand gesture, but in millions of small acts of sharing, teaching, and lifting each other up. When we each identify and share our unique abundance, our movement becomes unstoppable. A movement where every gift, every talent, every voice contributes to our collective liberation. So what's your abundance? And how will you share it?

Step four. You have to take action. So as Jane Goodall once said, think globally, act locally. These words have become a compass for meaningful change. When we look at what's directly in front of us, we can take action and create ripples that affect all movements across the world. It's kind of wild how many DMs I get every single day about different feminists trying to fight for issues that are definitely happening here in our own home. What might be a protest to end femicides in Istanbul echoes a protest in Mexico City for the very same thing. A climate victory by the youth in Montana inspires youth, climate activists and leads of United Kingdom.

Our impact has far reach. Our local actions aren't just local anymore. They're threads in a global tapestry of change. But this connection is not just geographical. It spans time itself. Take the fight for reproductive rights. This is an age old fight that has been going on far before us. And sometimes the solutions exist in those that come before us. Honestly, it's not even sometimes. All the solutions exist in the wisdom of those who came before us. When we bridge this gap between generations, we don't just honor our past. We fuel our future.

Remember that vision of the future I had explained in the very beginning? The one about where empathy became the foundation of our society. That future begins with how we act today, right here in our own communities. It starts when we let that force deep inside of us, the one that connects our hearts to our minds, guide our actions. Every act of care is an act of revolution. Whether you're supporting a local clinic or teaching an elder about digital literacy, you're taking action and you're simply being there. You're part of this global transformation. That revolution isn't just about resistance. It's about seemingly small acts of radical care. About healing, about showing up for each other, about lifting each other up. Remember, every act of care is an act of revolution.

Now. Hi, it's me, your feminist from the future. Before I head back, I want you to understand something very profound. Those mutual aid networks you're building, the ones where you're sharing everything from how to protect your community against ice, those calico critters defeating the patriarchy, or sharing your latest skincare routine, those become your systems of care. And that hot take that you were thinking about posting, the one about how trad wives were created by conservatives to control women? That one. Definitely post it, because in my time, those become historical treasures.

But seriously, you are the ancestors of tomorrow's movement. Future scholars will look back at your social feeds and think, this is where it all began. No pressure, right? The future is calling us to be brave stewards of our own collective liberation. Your superpowers, your unique abundance, your capacity for care, they all matter more than you know. Even when you send your friends memes about resistance at 3am that actually also matters, too. So I ask you one final time. What will you contribute to our shared future? I'll see you in the future we build together. And I promise it's worth every bit of action you're about to take.

INSPIRATION, FUTURE, LEADERSHIP, TECHNOLOGY, ACTIVISM, EMPOWERMENT, TEDX TALKS