INCITE! emerged from a powerful 2000 gathering at UC Santa Cruz where two thousand women of color came together to reimagine antiviolence work through a radical feminist lens. What began as a conference sparked by grassroots activists hungry for a new approach has grown into a thriving network with chapters and affiliates across Michigan and the country. Founded on the principle that women of color survivors must lead conversations about their own liberation, INCITE! disrupted mainstream antiviolence movements by centering the intersectional experiences of communities of color. The organization recognizes that violence against women, gender non-conforming, and trans people of color cannot be separated from broader systems of oppression—including racism, colonialism, and economic exploitation. Based in Michigan, INCITE! continues its founding mission through political projects, community organizing, and creative resistance that honors the collective wisdom of women of color activists. The network has published influential anthologies, organized follow-up conferences, and launched initiatives addressing contemporary struggles including Palestinian liberation and reproductive justice. INCITE!'s work is grounded in the belief that healing and safety require dismantling interconnected systems of violence simultaneously. By nurturing grassroots leadership and imagination, INCITE! builds toward a world where communities of color experience genuine safety, dignity, and self-determination.
MI