Skip to Main Content
Impact

Brittany Packnett Cunningham Is Here to Shift Power, Not Just Hold It

Image by Reginald Cunningham

25 Jul '25
By The Shift
25 Jul '25
By The Shift

The Shift highlights women’s stories through the lens of impact. It hopes to contextualize history and inspire action.

B

Brittany Packnett Cunningham is a transformative leader at the intersection of culture, policy, and justice. She is an activist, founder of Love & Power Works, and host of the UNDISTRACTED podcast. Her policy expertise has shaped presidential campaigns, gender equity, and criminal justice, and her globally influential voice—from TED stages to the Oxford Union to major board rooms—has shifted cultural impact and millions in resources to grassroots movements.

The Shift:

Who are three women you admire?

Brittany:

Jovian Zayne Peters

Coach and Founder, The On Purpose Movement

LaTosha Brown

Co-Founder, Black Voters Matter & Founder, Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium

Minyon Moore

Veteran Democratic Strategist & 2024 DNC Chair

 

The Shift:

Who is a woman who has inspired or mentored you, and what lessons from her influence have stayed with you?

Brittany:

I’m always in awe of people who wield power—and not just influence—for intense and intentional good. Minyon Moore, a mentor and friend, has done this for decades with little fanfare and even fewer words.  She has been an essential force in democratic politics for years and the pathway of possibility for people like Vice President Harris is due to people like Minyon, who helped expand the party from the inside when it was lonely and unpopular.  In an industry that’s so often more about naked ambition and ego, Minyon leads with her heart and values first and always while being an effective strategist and leader. I wish everyone in politics were just like her. Minyon is one of one.

The Shift:

What is the legacy you hope to leave behind as a changemaker and leader in your industry?

Brittany:

No matter what I do, my goal is always to speak and teach truth that moves people to action. I don’t want to impress you—I want to move you, and for you to help move us toward justice. My simple hope is that no matter the platform, an encounter with me helped somebody else create change right where they are.

Image by Reginald Cunningham

____

Brittany Packnett Cunningham is honored as part of The Shift’s “90 Plus One” list, which recognizes influential women shaping contemporary culture. With Gloria Steinem featured on the inaugural print cover, the list pays homage to her 91 years of activism by highlighting a powerhouse community of women shifting culture.