Leading With Power, Persistence, and Purpose

Angela Ferrell-Zabala has always believed in the power of ordinary people to create extraordinary change. It’s her belief in everyday courage that has fueled Ferrell-Zabala’s path from organizing around reproductive justice, education, and faith-based outreach to her role as the Executive Director of Moms Demand Action, one of the most powerful gun safety advocacy organizations in the country. 

“Change isn’t abstract,” she explains. “It’s in the neighbor who learns about safe gun storage, the volunteer who hands out a lock, or the parent who speaks up at a school meeting. That’s the heartbeat of a movement.”

When Ferrell-Zabala first stepped into the role of Executive Director, she felt the enormity of the responsibility. “This work is literally about life and death,” she reflects. “And I wanted to honor the trust our volunteers and survivors placed in me.” But leadership can be lonely, especially for Black women who, as she notes, have long carried social movements without always receiving the recognition. Imposter syndrome crept in. Then, she received a call from Vice President Kamala Harris, who congratulated her and said to her “you are made for this.” Reflecting, Ferrell-Zabala says, “that reminder was everything. It pushed me to trust that I was prepared, that I was exactly where I needed to be.”

Gun violence impacts every community across the U.S. For Ferrell-Zabala, sustaining hope means actively cultivating it. Through her faith, meditation, and even dancing, she finds ways to stay rooted. “This work can be heavy,” she acknowledges. “But if I don’t pour back into myself, I can’t pour into others. Joy and resilience have to exist alongside hard moments. That’s what keeps me going.”

If Ferrell-Zabala ever needs a reminder of why the fight matters, she looks to the young advocates, especially those who are survivors, in our movement. “What moves me every time is that these young people keep showing up,” she says. “In a country where guns are the number one killer of their generation, they refuse to give up. Their courage and persistence inspire me every single day.”

That persistence doesn’t stop at advocacy. Increasingly, Moms Demand Action volunteers are running for office and winning. “These are ordinary folks who never thought they’d get into politics,” Ferrell-Zabala says. “But they care too much about their communities to sit on the sidelines.” 

In Rhode Island, for example, five former Moms Demand volunteers now serve in the statehouse. This year, they helped pass a state-wide assault weapons ban, a milestone more than a decade in the making. “That’s what happens when our people go from advocating for laws to writing them. They carry not just expertise but accountability to the communities that sent them there.”

Through it all, Ferrell-Zabala returns to one central truth: no one has to do everything, but everyone can do something. 

To hear more from Angela Ferrell-Zabala and other public health leaders, tune in to the Bloomberg American Health Summit live on September 30 at 9:00 a.m. EDT. Click here to learn more.