As politics takes center stage, it may seem like the term “feminist” has become a bad word. Feminism, like many movements, faces the danger of distortion, becoming a shadow of its true intent. In our complicated modern battlefield of equality, Kim Villanueva stands as a beacon of authentic feminism, leading the National Organization for Women (NOW) with unwavering dedication and vision. Kim’s journey, marked by decades of grassroots activism and national advocacy, exemplifies her commitment to social justice and equality. From modernizing NOW’s systems to drive increased member participation to her emphasis on collaborative leadership encapsulated in the ethos of “we, not me,” Kim transforms challenges into opportunities. As one of the youngest presidents of Illinois NOW, she expanded the chapter’s influence, built bipartisan coalitions, and achieved landmark policy gains, including marriage equality and the Equal Rights Amendment. As a queer woman of color, she has served on six NOW Board committees: Finance, Global Feminism, LGBTQIA, Membership, Reproductive Justice, and Structure and Process, and co-founded NOW’s Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus and organized webinars on Asian American identity.
For Her Agenda, Kim opens up about her mission to realize feminism’s true purpose amidst modern societal and political shifts. Her story reinforces that true feminist leadership is about creating a path for others, all while staying true to the movement’s core values.
Her Agenda: What inspired you to pursue a career in this field?
Kim Villanueva: Well, I think I’ve always been a feminist. I’ve always been an activist, but I think it started when I was actually eight. I’m the oldest of 5 daughters. So in a way, it sort of teaches me how to be an organizer and in charge. But when I was eight, I was going to Sunday school, and I was raised Catholic, and I volunteered to be an altar server. You know, which is one of the volunteer roles in the church, but I was told I couldn’t do it because I was a girl. And only boys did that at the time. So I said, “Well, that doesn’t make sense. Why is that so?” And my Sunday school teacher said, “Because that’s the way it is”. And I just thought, that’s not the way it should be. So I’ve always thought that after that, I need to do something to help change things for the better. So, ever since then, I’ve always thought, ‘if I see something that doesn’t look right, or if it can be improved, or make things better.’ I always try to work towards positive change.
Her Agenda: Who would you say is your biggest influence?
Kim Villanueva: I have to say, my mother. She was older when she had me, in her 30s. She is a registered nurse, so she’s very calming and caring, but she’s very strong. As I said, she raised five daughters; we’re all feminists, very, very passionate about what we do in our careers. But my mom was a good listener, too, and she’d love to talk. She loves to read. So she’s a very well-grounded person, and she’s also a feminist. So she’s one of those women who says she’s not a feminist, but she is, because she believes that we should have the same opportunities as men, and she always encouraged us to do the best we could. And even if we did something and we failed, she said, “Well, you’ll do it better next time.“ So she was always our biggest supporter.
Her Agenda: As the leader of the National Organization for Women, what has been your key priority since taking on this role?
Kim Villanueva: Learning the ropes, learning the job, but I think, for me, reaching out to our members and finding out what’s important for them. One of the things I’ve tried to do is strengthen the connection between our members and our chapters that we have all around the country and the National Office. I’m not a beltway person. I have lived in the Midwest for many years, so I want to make sure that somebody that’s living in Indiana feels just as close to somebody in D.C. So, trying to build a connection with the communication among our members has been my priority.
Her Agenda: Can you share a success story since you joined NOW that you’re proud of?
Kim Villanueva: Yeah, we just had our 60th anniversary conference, which was very exciting, because we were able to bring together young feminists. Some went to this unit in high school to meet with long-time feminists; some had been in NOW since the ’70s. So, just bringing that inter-generational aspect of women, you know, grandmothers, mothers, granddaughters, together, just talking about what we can do to help women achieve and thrive.
Her Agenda: How do you address and incorporate the diverse voices and needs of women from different backgrounds?
Kim Villanueva: I think that I’m an example of a diverse background. My father is Filipino. My mother is white, so I grew up in a multicultural household. I’m also a lesbian, and I live in the rural part of the Midwest. And here in the NOW office, my vice president, Rose, is African American, and we are the first all-women of color officers. So we bring that unique voice. And Rose is also a millennial. She’s younger than me, so she has a different mindspeak and a different lived experience that she brings. So we try to bring that to the organization. You know, we have membership that goes from high school to 80- and 90-year-olds. We try to make sure that everybody feels valued, and then everybody, every voice is heard.
Her Agenda: How do you personally handle the pressure of your position?
Kim Villanueva: I wonder that myself sometimes! I just figured I can figure out a way to get through this. And it may seem bad at the time, but I know that, over the long haul, I’m gonna get through it. And in the end, I’ll be better, and the situation will get better.
Her Agenda: What are the biggest challenges currently facing the women’s rights movement today?
Kim Villanueva: There’s always been challenges facing the women’s rights movement. Back in the ’60s, when NOW started, women were just fighting basic things, like being able to open a checking account in their own name. And it’s sad to say that we’re still fighting those types of economic issues today. Back in the ’60s, when we were fighting against violence against women, having people recognize that domestic violence is a crime, and it’s not something that needs to be hidden away. So today, we’re fighting for funding for violence against women projects, or trying to encourage more work towards women’s health issues. In fact, one of our legislative priorities is a package of bills that we call the Listen to Her Agenda, which is based on the HER Agenda, sponsored by Representative Ansari. I thought that’s sort of funny, that ties it to your allocation.
One of the biggest challenges I think facing today is people feel so overwhelmed, because they feel like there’s so many issues going on, and it’s hard to know what to do next. But I think you just have to take it step by step and realize you just tackle one project, tackle one issue, even though NOW is multi-issuing, and hopefully we’re able to make some change.
Her Agenda: What role do men play in the pursuit of gender equality?
Kim Villanueva: Men are great allies. Men of quality are not threatened by women of equality. Men can be important because they can speak out and say, we don’t have to act like this. We don’t have to oppress women; we can do our share to make sure that women are recognized as equal partners in society. So I think the fact that when men speak up and when men speak out, that helps women.
Her Agenda: What’s a common misconception about feminism?
Kim Villanueva: My mom doesn’t consider herself a feminist, though she is. So I think some of the common misperceptions are that we’re angry, we’re angry at society, and the ways society treats women. Another misconception is that feminists don’t like men, which is not true. There are many feminists who are married to men, and many feminists are men. Another misconception is that we don’t like to have fun, that we’re serious all the time, and that’s not true. We like to have our own sense of humor and get together and talk with other feminists and other people. You have to have a sense of humor, I think, to cope with society these days. Another misconception is that we don’t want to listen to other people, but I think it’s the opposite. As feminists, we’re very willing to listen to other people and what other people would have to say, just as long as we all have the same opportunity to say what we want to say.
Her Agenda: What’s some advice you have for women?
Kim Villanueva: Don’t give up. Be sure to ask for help, and look for other women who are going to help you with advice or suggestions. It is always great to have mentors, or women, womentors in your life. Strong women that you can model your behavior on, whether it’s your career, family, or even activism. When I started at NOW, I had a great chapter president who took me under her wings and said, “You need to pick a project.” Even if it’s really simple, and that way, you have something you can work towards. And so that was very helpful for me.
[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]
