Dr. Julia Hellwege highlights how self-advocacy empowers women and marginalized individuals to pursue leadership without burnout while challenging traditional power structures. She argues the issue isn’t women’s ambition but outdated definitions of leadership—and calls for redefining it through inclusivity, agency, and courage to reshape the spaces where decisions are made. Dr. Julia Marin Hellwege is Distinguished Professor and Director of the Allene R. Chiesman Center for Democracy and Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of South Dakota. She is also affiliated with the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program. Dr. Hellwege earned her Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico in 2016. She is a prolific and award-winning scholar who has published widely in both academic, applied, and public outlets. Her primary research focuses on the role of gender and marginalized identities in institutions and for political representation. She has two books under contract examining the legislative behavior of mothers and women of color. She is also co-editor for three books and several articles on professional development and social science pedagogy. An award-winning teacher, she offers introductory courses in political science and upper-division courses in American political institutions and the politics of inequality. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx