We go into rural communities, and all we do — like has been done in this room [at TED] — is create the space. When these girls sit … you unlock great leaders.

Gbowee emphasizes that leadership is often latent rather than absent: what marginalized girls and women frequently lack is not ability but a safe, respectful forum in which to speak, be heard, and collaborate. By “creating the space,” facilitators shift from directing outcomes to enabling agency—letting participants articulate needs, practice decision-making, and recognize their own authority. The reference to “this room [at TED]” underscores how environments confer legitimacy: the same act of listening and convening that empowers elite audiences can be transformative in rural communities. The quote aligns with Gbowee’s broader peacebuilding ethos that durable social change grows from grassroots participation and the cultivation of local leaders.