By Anna N. Schlegel, Women in Localization, President and Co-Founder
As we reach the halfway point of 2025, it remains a challenging year for women around the world. And yet, our mission is constant, urgent, and unwavering. Our Women in Localization community is not only growing: it’s accelerating, evolving, and deepening its global impact. I think that the harder it gets for females around the world, the more our community is needed. And the bigger our community, the stronger we grow, and that is where I see a ton of hope!
Why? Because we continue to be incredibly present for our members, we advocate for them, and amid the many global geopolitical movements we’re currently witnessing or experiencing first-hand, here we are, growing stronger together.
We have more than 15,813 members worldwide, supported by 30 active chapters and over 300 volunteers. We have over 31,682 LinkedIn followers and engagement with our Instagram account has more than doubled this year. We are seeing a 30% YoY growth. This momentum is only growing stronger, and we love it. For nearly two decades, our goal has always been to steadily and methodically reach as many corners of the world where we can empower women to achieve their professional and personal goals.
Thanks to this relentless lengthened focus, Women in Localization has become the strongest globalization platform in the industry. We are recognized globally as the go-to organization for innovation, mentoring, networking, upskilling, and reskilling programs in the space of globalization; in a safe community, one that is needed to be able to feel at ease to be able to innovate, learn, mentor, or be mentored. We want you to grow, and shine and we work hard to offer that space.
There are four programs we are newly developing for you:
Mental Health & Wellness: For a more Sustainable Community
We recently introduced our Mental Health & Wellness initiative to support the emotional wellbeing of our global community. It’s designed to reduce stigma, build awareness, and create a safe space across our chapters for real deep conversations about our lives and careers.
Voices like Lamiaa Laurene Daif, a worldwide growth leader at Apple and award-winning keynote speaker, and Lisa Dion, international teacher and creator of Synergetic Play Therapy, have shared their stories on resilience and mental health.
As of September, we will offer monthly themes around mental health and wellness, as well as opportunities for members to ask for help or check in on others. We recognize that wellness and leadership go hand in hand. And we’re building a culture that reflects that. If you are healthy, you grow faster!
Chapters: Community Expansion & Inclusion in Action
September will mark the launch of our Eastern Africa Chapter, our first on the African continent, aligning with Translator Appreciation Month. It’s a powerful moment for Women in Localization and a major step forward in our mission of community expansion and inclusion. A new Continent to serve!
Additional chapters are in development, including South Africa, Western Africa, Western Canada, Vietnam, and Thailand. We’re also building more student-led chapters through targeted university outreach led by Sarah Farhan. The success of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) chapter launch has inspired other universities, such as Kent State in Ohio, to take notice. Starting in the United States, we plan a global outreach shortly after.
This global growth is matched by global visibility. Our Global Growth & Development (GG&D) Ambassador, Dana Szabados, recently represented W.L. at events in Bangkok and is engaging with new audiences, including an invitation to participate in the Most Traveled People (MTP) Summit 2025 in Ethiopia. MTP brings those with a passion for travel, learning, and understanding other cultures together to share their experiences so others can learn. Again, we want to spread the word about Women in Localization to everyone around the world!
WeShape AI, by Women in Localization: Powering Progress and Women’s Contributions at the Intersection of Tech and Linguistics
At Women in Localization, we have always seen where technology is heading, and with thousands of members and followers from all over the globe we have a front-row seat. We see innovation first hand, we have seen it for years, constantly learning. But we are also in it, we build it, and support it all day long, so we are doubling down here. We will formalize our roles now and be part of the solution to close AI biases. We will share what we are building, and we will measure if the number of women creating technology is changing with this new opportunity.
We are basically building an initiative to position women as leaders in tech creation called WeShape AI, by W.L. This initiative will focus on:
- Showcasing technology made, led, and driven by women
- Connecting W.L. members with innovation opportunities
- Rewarding intelligent and globally-aware solutions
With 16K members worldwide and 31K followers, we’re uniquely positioned to lead at the crossroads of AI, language, and global design. WeShape AI, by W.L. supports our three pillars to a T: it creates community, empowers women, and advances our profession.
Advocacy: Campaigns That Create Change
W.L.’s new Advocacy Program brings our community into the conversations that are shaping the future of technology, localization, and the workplace. By connecting thought leadership with real-world action, W.L. is helping our members influence policy, shift industry standards, and create meaningful change.
W.L.’s Advocacy Program will focus on:
- Building partnerships with tech companies, NGOs, and academic institutions to support women empowerment and leadership opportunities
- Sharing insights and research in high-visibility forums to influence industry norms and policy decisions
- Shaping industry norms by embedding gender equity best practices into localization standards and DEI policies
- Mobilizing community action by empowering members to lead campaigns and engage decision-makers
By bringing our expertise to new influential audiences and aligning with them, we are making space for a more inclusive future.
Looking Ahead: Intentional and Results Are My Two Favorite Keywords
As we move into the second half of the year, our direction is clear.
2025 continues our intentional growth and impact. Nothing we do, nothing is not by design. We are incredibly focused and intentional. With enhanced metrics and reporting, new wellness initiatives, resilience, and expansion across Asia and Africa, we are well positioned to broaden our global reach, and empower more and more women to thrive in their careers while supporting each other.
The launch of WeShape AI, by W.L. positions women to lead at the forefront of tech and innovation, while our Advocacy program is set to elevate our organization into an even more influential voice, driving systemic change within and beyond the localization industry.
Our goal for the last 17 years has not changed. We keep growing across continents, one region at a time, building communities with intention so we can help women, that is all we want to do, we want to help women grow and feel supported. We think big, and we will not stop, because we still have so many women to help, support, and see shine.
Let’s keep moving forward together.
Anna
About Women in Localization
Women in Localization (W.L.) was founded in 2008 by Silvia Avary-Silveira, Eva Klaudinyova, and Anna N. Schlegel. W.L. is the leading professional organization for women in the localization industry with over 15,813 members registered globally and more than 31,682 followers on LinkedIn around the globe.
W.L.’s vision is to become the leading voice in technology and innovation within the localization industry, recognized as the premier organization for mentoring, upskilling, and reskilling programs that empower women to overcome barriers and advance their careers. Its mission is to foster a global community for the advancement of women and the localization industry through education. It aims to provide an open, collaborative forum where women can share expertise and experience and help each other move forward in their careers as agents of their own future. Since starting in the San Francisco Bay Area, W.L. has expanded its membership to include women across the globe, encouraging members to meet in other local geographies.
To learn more, visit www.womeninlocalization.com. You can also follow W.L. on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.