For years, employers have loved to characterize their younger staffers as “entitled”—and wrung their hands about why “no one wants to work anymore.” But the willingness to ask for what you want, especially if you’re a member of a historically marginalized group, isn’t entitlement at all, and it’s exactly what you need to do in order to change your own career and the world around you. This talk is required listening both for women charting their own careers, and any manager looking to build a team in the post-Great-Resignation landscape.

We are living through an unprecedented moment of activism in the US. One in five American women has taken part in a protest over the last three years—for political change, for racial justice, and, since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, for bodily autonomy. Women and nonbinary people of all ages are rethinking everything from our workplaces to how we raise our children. But how do we make SUSTAINED change and true equality for all women happen? With insights from her decades of connecting with young women, Cindi Leive delivers a manifesto about what’s working, what isn’t, and what each of us can do. This speech is essential listening for the women, men, institutions, and companies that are dedicated to building a fairer future.

After nearly every speech, Cindi Leive is invariably approached by young women with the same question: “Can I ask you about your career?” With her tenure as Editor-in-Chief of Self magazine and Glamour, one of the most widely-read and influential women’s magazines, Leive’s road was filled with unconventional decisions and steady determination. In this speech, Leive distills the path she took and shares strategies for a post-Lean in world.

From presenting ideas and negotiating salary to dealing with bias and discrimination on the job, Leive highlights the shifting playing field, the strategic language to use, and the resilience necessary to get ahead. In an era when women understand their value and are more motivated than ever to advance their careers, Leive is encouraging women to take the reins and establish their worth across industries.

When we say “the media,” we all know what’s implied: an elusive organization that makes decisions about what gets printed, aired, or run, and how we should feel about it. But in this era of misinformation and fake news, we now demand more from the media. We expect the media to represent us, to listen to us, and to create material that is neither biased or condescending.

During her time at Glamour, Cindi Leive witnessed a massive disruption in the media business, particularly in how women’s interest magazines became feminist platforms in a way that seemed unlikely—even a decade ago. Despite Glamour’s own history of feminism and activism, Leive played an instrumental role in reshaping the magazine’s brand to promote body positivity as well as powerful women in politics and culture. 

 In this speech, Leive discusses the increasingly important role of journalism, especially as digital dominates print, and media outlets are increasingly shifting their focus from entertainment to politics and current events. Leive outlines what these shifts mean for the future of media, our culture, and our politics. 

Sometimes the outside world sees “fashion” as shallow or tyrannical. Yet some of the most creative, collaborative, and innovative work being done is in the world of fashion. In this speech, Cindi Leive leverages her 16 years at Glamour and as a top commentator on fashion and style to illustrate how fashion is much more than beauty and aesthetics, but a synthesis of culture, art, and social change.