Mollie Hemingway Inspires Young Women with Powerful Insights and Personal Reflections at CPAC
Mollie Hemingway, senior editor at The Federalist, Fox News contributor, and senior journalism fellow at Hillsdale College, addressed an audience of 90 women at the Luce Center’s College Women’s Luncheon at CPAC on February 21. Known for her insightful political analysis and commitment to conservative values, Hemingway offered guidance on career, family, faith, and the evolving role of women in modern society.
Celebrating the unique experience of womanhood, Hemingway critiqued America Ferrera’s famous monologue in the 2023 blockbuster film, Barbie, which framed womanhood as an impossible and burdensome experience. “She’s not really describing how tough it is to be a woman,” Hemingway argued. “She’s describing how tough it is to be a feminist.” She explained that the feminist movement often pressures women to achieve perfection in both career and family life, making fulfillment more difficult rather than empowering them.
Highlighting the importance of family and faith, Hemingway encouraged young women to set their priorities wisely. She emphasized that while a fulfilling career is valuable, true happiness often comes from strong relationships, particularly marriage and motherhood. “If I think about the happiness in my life, 99% of it comes from my marriage and my children,” she shared. “And it’s not even close.” She recounted her own experience balancing a career in journalism with her commitment to her family, underscoring that personal fulfillment is more deeply rooted in faith and family than in professional accolades.
During Q&A, students asked about the challenges women face in academia and the workplace. One student asked for advice on maintaining conservative values at a college that does not share those beliefs. Hemingway stressed the importance of building strong support systems, particularly through church communities. “College is tough, and it’s four years where everything you believe is being challenged,” she said. “If you don’t have a good church home, you’re basically asking for it to be much more difficult than it needs to be.” She urged young women to be courageous and unafraid to express their beliefs, noting that small acts of bravery build the confidence to stand firm in one’s convictions.
Addressing career concerns, Hemingway reassured students that early career choices do not define their entire futures. “I thought I wanted to be an economist,” she admitted.“ Then I got fired, tried journalism, and immediately knew it was what I was meant to do. ” She noted that her decision to pursue journalism aligned well with her family life, allowing her to step back when needed and return without losing momentum.
Hemingway’s remarks concluded with a reminder to prioritize faith, family, and meaningful relationships over materialistic ambitions. She urged young women to embrace a life of purpose rooted in their values. “The world tells you to chase the corner office and the swanky New York apartment,” she said. “But real joy comes from putting God first, family second, and career in its rightful place.”
Nicole Huyer, a Catholic University of America student, offered this reflection after the event, which was her first experience with the Luce Center: “[It] was a great opportunity to network with other conservative women and hear from a great speaker. The Luce network looks like a great organization!”
Elisha Krauss Debunks Feminist Narratives in Campus Lecture at Biola University
Nearly 70 students and faculty members at Biola University gathered for an insightful lecture by Elisha Krauss, a conservative commentator, writer, and podcaster, on February 6. The event, hosted by Isela Becerra, a junior at Biola University, addressed the question, “Is Modern-Day Feminism Anti-Woman?”
A good friend from Goleta, California, who sponsored Isela’s 2024 summer internship with the Luce Center, attended the event, where he met Isela for the first time in person. Reflecting on his support, Isela expressed her deep gratitude, telling him, “I could not have been an intern without you!”
Speaking about her Luce Center experiences, which include attending national student summits and hosting two campus lectures, in addition to participating in a summer internship, she noted, “I’ve learned that students and faculty really appreciate when students speak up against leftist ideology. It can be daunting to champion an unpopular opinion on a college campus, but the Luce Center taught me to be courageous in my beliefs.”
During the lecture, Krauss examined the modern feminist movement, arguing that rather than empowering women, it often works against their best interests. She discussed how contemporary feminism pressures women to embrace leftist values, including abortion and the rejection of marriage and motherhood.
Addressing the flaws in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, she asserted that such efforts ultimately devalue women, emphasizing, “Women should be hired for their intellect, strength, and character—not their sex.” She also underscored the importance of true equality rather than forced equity, reminding students that “we are all unique, all equal, all created in the image of God.” Encouraging respectful and fair treatment of all individuals, she urged attendees to “treat everyone the same.”
Biola University students listen attentively to Krauss discussing ideas and arguments rarely taught on college campuses. Following the lecture, students participated in a lively Q&A session, raising questions on a range of topics, from “What role should conservatives play in combating radical feminism?” to the ever-relevant question, “Who should pay on the first date?”
Stella Morabito Warns CWN Audience About the Weaponization of Loneliness Against Women
On February 14, Soviet propaganda expert and author Stella Morabito delivered compelling remarks at the Luce Center’s Conservative Women’s Network event, discussing the societal forces that manipulate Americans into conformity and self-censorship. Speaking to a room filled with engaged attendees, Morabito explored themes from her book, The Weaponization of Loneliness: How Tyrants Stoke Our Fear of Isolation to Silence, Divide, and Conquer. Following her remarks, she participated in a book signing, where she continued to engage with guests on these pressing topics.
Morabito opened by emphasizing the powerful role that social pressure plays in shaping beliefs and behaviors, particularly among women. “Fear and isolation and tyranny always go together,” she stated, explaining how authoritarian regimes exploit human nature to stifle dissent. Drawing from her expertise in Soviet propaganda, she highlighted how tactics used in Stalinist Russia—such as identity politics, political correctness, and mob agitation—are still being deployed today to suppress free thought. “Tyrants are always wanting to regulate personal relationships because our bonds with others are our main source of power and inner strength,” she warned.
A key focus of her remarks was how women are targeted by these manipulative forces. She described what she calls the “machinery of loneliness,” which uses psychological tools like social shaming and fear of ostracization to coerce compliance. “Women have been conditioned to seek social acceptance and status by adopting behaviors that ultimately work against their own best interests,” she explained. She cited modern examples, including pressures placed on women to embrace radical feminist narratives, support identity politics, and engage in movements that demand unquestioning loyalty.
She also cited the Luce Center’s nationwide poll revealing that young women hold more conservative values than mainstream narratives suggest, yet hesitate to voice them: nearly half of young women admitted to self-censoring their conservative beliefs, with three-fourths of those citing fear of conflict as the primary reason. These results underscore the increasing societal pressures that push young women toward ideological conformity, reinforcing the need for stronger communities that encourage open expression and independent thought.
She warned against the dangers of self-censorship, noting that silence is often the first step toward losing personal freedoms. “Getting us to self-silence is always a top priority for tyrants because it keeps us from speaking openly to one another,” she said. She stressed that when individuals are too afraid to voice their true beliefs, they become isolated, which only strengthens the forces of manipulation.
In response to audience questions, she discussed DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) trends in corporate America. One attendee noted that women often fill these roles. Morabito agreed, suggesting that women’s natural agreeableness and desire for social harmony make them particularly susceptible to these ideological trends. To counter these pressures, Morabito encouraged women to speak out and build strong, independent communities that resist groupthink. “Developing trusting relationships is critical. Friendship and freedom have always gone together,” she emphasized.
Grand Canyon University Students Learn to Understand & Exercise Their Second Amendment Rights
Riley Swedberg, a 2024 Luce Center summer intern who is a junior at Grand Canyon University (GCU), organized a Day at the Range event for 12 women GCU students on February 22.
A Day at the Range is the Center’s signature Second Amendment program, where young women receive group firearms training with NRA certified instructors at ranges across the country. It is one of our most popular programs for college women, teaching them essential self-defense skills while helping them better understand and exercise their constitutional rights.
The program is designed to not only teach technical skills, but also foster confidence and self-reliance in a culture that targets women with messages of victimization, dependency, and despair.
The GCU group included several young women with no previous firearms experience. Their Day at the Range began in the classroom, where students received expert instruction on firearms safety, handling techniques, and responsible gun ownership. It then transitioned to the range for an afternoon of marksmanship training and target practice in a controlled, professional environment.
Students raved about their one-of-a-kind experience. Expressing her gratitude, GCU junior Julianne Claney said, “I am so thankful for this opportunity. I gained more knowledge about firearms and built my confidence. This was a great time of fellowship surrounded by like-minded women.”
GCU junior Bella Walker offered similar reflections. She said: “I gained confidence and insight on how to defend myself. I gained some new friends as well! Thank you so much for this opportunity!”