In early 1900s Rome, Maria Montessori defied norms by becoming Italy’s first female doctor. But her passion wasn’t medicine—it was helping children, especially those deemed “uneducable.” She saw that with respect, patience and the right environment, they could thrive.
In 1907, she opened the Casa Dei Bambini—a classroom where children learned freely and with exploration as the focus. Her approach, the Montessori Method, quickly spread worldwide, transforming education by recognizing children as capable and curious.
Montessori’s impact came not just from her methods, but from sharing her vision with the right people. Montessori schools are world-renowned for their standards of excellence. Maria had to lean into networking, sharing her vision with clarity and magnifying her voice in order to have the impact she had. The Pro-Life Movement can do the same—by equipping influential voices to create lasting change. We must and we will.
Influence is the currency society covets the most. Influence can bring about great change, but it can also be dangerous. Influence in the wrong hands can lead entire generations into devastation. Influence in the right hands can bring life and prosperity. Influence can end slavery, evangelize millions, unite divided people groups and bring great movements of cultural change.
Depending on which generation you’re from, you might associate the term “influencer” with a teenager dancing on TikTok and raving about the latest brand-name product. Or you might think of historical figures like Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa or Martin Luther King Jr. Your mind might even think of pastors, politicians, news anchors or Hollywood stars. The truth is that these types of people are ALL influencers in their own ways. They have access to share their opinions with large numbers of the public at once, with the skill needed to articulate their convictions with clarity.
Some of these influencers have utilized their platforms to speak lies into the culture and have caused harm that could last for generations. The truth is that pro-abortion activists have effectively used influencers as their mouthpiece for a long time and have almost completely claimed the territories of Hollywood and mass media. The pro-aborts have effectively influenced the influencers in those areas to be powerful spokespeople in their favor. Decades of attacks on free speech and journalism have convinced Americans that pro-lifers are the minority and have been deemed as “radical extremists.”
But the pro-life community is resilient. Our values provide us with the endurance we need to fight their attempts to silence us.
Vitae Foundation is on the front lines of this resistance, and we have developed a strategy that we are heavily leaning into this year. It’s simply called—Influencing the Influencers.
Our past efforts leaned heavily into mass media advertising to accomplish our goal of influencing culture to value life. I’m sure you have also noticed how in the past 10 years the price of everything has doubled, tripled or worse. Inflation has significantly increased the cost of producing and airing TV advertisements, making it less practical for many organizations or brands to afford effective prime slots. At the same time, audiences have become more fragmented and have shifted to digital platforms, reducing the overall impact and reach of traditional mass media TV ads despite their high cost. This is why you are seeing a rise in “career influencing.” I’m talking about people who make millions sharing their opinions of consumer products on social media. Influence is a hot commodity, and their platforms are their value.
Influence comes in many different shapes and sizes and isn’t limited to social media. The Vitae Foundation team recognizes the power of influencing those who interact with many members of the public daily, who have trusted voices that people will listen to. We are amplifying our voice in strategic, cost-effective ways so that our research can be multiplied bigger than ever before. We have identified six groups of influencers who we believe we can collaborate with. Keep ahold of these two words I just mentioned: amplify and multiply.
We’ve grouped these six influencer types into two main categories: Representational and Relational Cultural Influencers.
Representational Influencers—including media personalities, Christian attorneys and policymakers—have broad public platforms. Their voices can significantly shape public opinion, and with Vitae Foundation’s research, they can become even more effective messengers for life.
Relational Influencers—such as pastors, Christian counselors, and medical professionals—interact closely with individuals, often those who are facing, impacted by, or healing from abortion decisions. As trusted confidants, equipping them with our resources ensures they can guide these conversations with compassion and clarity. Relational influencers have access we as an organization do not have. They are in the doctor’s offices, counseling rooms and behind church pulpits. Equipping them with our messaging strategies is how we can impact the people in those places.
Our “Influencing the Influencers” initiative is, bar-none, the most efficient and effective way we could possibly share our knowledge and research with the world in today’s climate. We ask that you partner with us in prayer as we embark on creating more inroads and connections with these groups. Together, we too, like Maria Montessori, can have a profound impact on this generation.