In February 2026, a small group of about 15 women gathered at Gloria Steinem’s Upper East Side brownstone for what they called a “climate talking circle.” The activist was already physically frail, but attendees remember her as strikingly sharp, curious, and fully engaged—commanding the room even as she listened more than she spoke.

It was one of Steinem’s final gatherings. On September 2, 2026, the pioneering feminist icon died peacefully at her New York City home at the age of 92, surrounded by loved ones. The gathering, just months earlier, offered a quiet but revealing glimpse into the person Steinem remained: someone who continued to bring people together, ask questions, and push for justice until the very end.

Inside Gloria Steinem’s “Magical” Upper East Side Home

Steinem’s brownstone on Manhattan’s Upper East Side was far more than a residence—it was a living archive of her life and activism. She moved into the 1880s building in 1968, initially renting a one-bedroom apartment on the parlor floor. Over time, she acquired additional units, eventually creating a duplex filled with decades of memories.

Dominique Browning, who attended the February gathering, described the home as “magical” and “another world.” Every surface was covered with mementos, souvenirs, photographs, and artwork collected over a lifetime of travel and activism. “You walked in and she had created an entire world of her … history, every table was covered with mementos and souvenirs and pieces of art,” Browning recalled.

The home itself had witnessed history. In the summer of 1971, Steinem convened a group of women in politics and media on her living room sofas—a gathering that helped give rise to Ms. magazine. Over the years, she hosted figures including Wilma Mankiller, the first woman elected principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, and Bella Abzug, the outspoken lawyer and politician.

The Small Gathering Steinem Hosted Near the End of Her Life

In February 2026, about 15 women—including ABC News meteorologist Ginger Zee and activist Dominique Browning—gathered at Steinem’s brownstone for what they called a “climate talking circle.” The intimate salon was reminiscent of the gatherings Steinem had hosted for decades, bringing women together to discuss urgent issues.

Browning, who had idolized Steinem as a teenager reading Ms. magazine in the early 1970s, said the gathering was “deeply meaningful” because Steinem understood that environmental work and social justice are interconnected.

“She listened very, very closely; it wasn’t about her holding forth, but you could tell she was steering, quietly steering, the conversation into building a sort of sense of communion with everybody,” Browning recalled.

The group sprawled out in chairs and on cushions—Steinem sat in a “big, comfy armchair”—and there were no “side conversations.” Everyone was fully present, held by Steinem’s quiet authority and curiosity.

She Was “Frail”—But Still “Sharp”

Attendees were struck by the contrast between Steinem’s physical frailty and her mental sharpness. “To be in her presence, and she was already frail, but [she] commanded the center of the room,” Browning said.

“She had the power of her life and her experience and her wisdom, but also she still had huge curiosity,” Browning added. Steinem was not holding court or delivering a lecture; she was listening, asking questions, and gently guiding the conversation.

Browning later reflected on the experience, saying she stopped to buy a pair of aviator glasses—Steinem’s signature—on her way home. “I’m wearing them right now and they’re all smeared with tears,” she told PEOPLE in an interview hours after learning of Steinem’s death.

Why the Climate Gathering Mattered

The February talking circle was about climate—a cause Steinem recognized as inseparable from justice. For Browning, who co-founded Moms Clean Air Force, Steinem’s willingness to engage with environmental issues was particularly meaningful.

“That was deeply meaningful to me because she got it, that all of our work on environmental issues is connected to everybody’s work on justice,” Browning said.

Throughout her life, Steinem understood that feminism could not be isolated from other struggles. Her activism spanned reproductive rights, gender equality, racial justice, environmental issues, and global human rights. The gathering reflected that intersectional approach—and showed that even in her final months, Steinem was still bringing people together to think about the future.

Gloria Steinem’s Extraordinary Career

Steinem was born on March 25, 1934, in Toledo, Ohio. She graduated from Smith College in 1956 and spent two years in India on a fellowship, an experience that shaped her understanding of activism and social justice.

She began her journalism career in New York in the 1960s, at a time when female reporters were largely restricted to writing about fashion, food, and homemaking. In 1963, she went undercover as a Playboy Bunny to expose exploitative working conditions—an assignment that brought her national attention and which she later said she regretted.

Her activism was sparked in 1969 when she attended a public hearing on abortion. “That speak-out was the beginning of activism for me,” she later said. She had undergone a secret illegal abortion at age 22, an experience that shaped her lifelong commitment to reproductive rights.

Ms. Magazine and the Power of Feminist Journalism

In 1972, Steinem co-founded Ms. magazine, the first national magazine run by and written for women. The name “Ms.” was chosen as a title for a woman regardless of marital status—a simple but revolutionary concept.

The magazine addressed topics considered off-limits at the time, including abortion, domestic violence, and sexual harassment. Its 1977 cover story on sexual harassment forced the issue into the national spotlight and later inspired the film 9 to 5.

“It would have been much easier to not start one, but it was just clear that there was no other way we could be honest about women’s experience,” Steinem told the BBC in 1973.

A Legacy of Listening

Steinem’s greatest gift, many have said, was her ability to listen. Her official obituary announcement noted: “Gloria’s greatest gift was her ability to listen to others, to make others feel seen and heard. Her words, actions, and example gave people permission to be their truest selves.”

Hillary Clinton, who called Steinem “one of the architects of the entire structure of women’s equality,” remembered Steinem for her travels across the country listening to people’s stories. “She really traveled our country — indeed the world, but particularly America — listening to people, listening to their stories, providing clever, witty responses to people who got discouraged and telling all of us to keep going,” Clinton said on CBS Mornings.

The February gathering was a reflection of that legacy. Steinem didn’t need to dominate the conversation—she created space for others to speak, and in doing so, she continued to do what she had always done: build community and inspire action.

One of Her Last Gatherings Was Also a Reflection of Her Life’s Work

The climate talking circle was not Steinem’s final public appearance—she had been holding such gatherings for decades, and her brownstone had served as a gathering place for women since the 1970s.

What made the February gathering significant was that it demonstrated Steinem’s commitment to her work until the very end. Even as she was physically frail, she remained intellectually engaged, curious, and present—still building community, still asking questions, still pushing forward.

Gloria Steinem’s Legacy Beyond Her Final Days

Steinem’s legacy extends far beyond any single achievement. She co-founded Ms. magazine, the National Women’s Political Caucus, the Women’s Action Alliance, and the Women’s Media Center. She wrote multiple books, including My Life on the Road and Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.

But perhaps her greatest legacy was the way she made feminism accessible and personal. As Clinton put it, Steinem made the lived experience of sexism “become much more real and applicable to our entire society.”

Steinem’s commitment to her work remained undimmed. According to her foundation’s statement, “Gloria’s near-century on earth were years well-lived, and she continued working for equality until the very end.”

Remembering Gloria Steinem With Context, Not Sensationalism

The most meaningful way to remember Steinem is not to focus on her age or physical decline, but on her continued engagement, her intellectual presence, and her ability to bring people together. The February gathering at her home provides a small but revealing snapshot of the person she remained—someone who continued to gather people, ask questions, listen, organize, and engage with causes she believed mattered.

Steinem herself had thought about the future of her home. She planned for the brownstone to eventually become a space where women could gather for conversations and, when needed, find refuge. In her forthcoming book, An Unexpected Life, she wrote: “I have now lived for more than fifty years in this brownstone, in rooms that have witnessed lives before mine, and will know others after I am gone.”

FAQ

1. When did Gloria Steinem die?
Gloria Steinem died on September 2, 2026, at her home in New York City, surrounded by loved ones. She was 92 years old.

2. How old was Gloria Steinem when she died?
Steinem was 92 years old at the time of her death. She was born on March 25, 1934.

3. What was one of Gloria Steinem’s final gatherings?
In February 2026, Steinem hosted a “climate talking circle” at her Upper East Side home with about 15 women. Attendees described her as physically frail but mentally sharp and fully engaged in the conversation.

4. Where did Gloria Steinem host one of her last gatherings?
The gathering took place at Steinem’s brownstone on the Upper East Side of Manhattan—her home for more than 58 years.

5. What was Gloria Steinem known for?
Steinem was a journalist, activist, and co-founder of Ms. magazine. She became the most recognizable face of the U.S. women’s movement and a powerful voice for gender equality, reproductive rights, and social justice.

6. What was Ms. magazine and what was Steinem’s role?
Ms. magazine was the first national magazine run by and written for women, co-founded by Steinem in 1972. It tackled topics such as abortion, sexual harassment, and domestic violence that were considered off-limits at the time.

7. What was Gloria Steinem’s legacy?
Steinem’s legacy includes co-founding Ms. magazine, the National Women’s Political Caucus, and the Women’s Action Alliance. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and inspired generations of women and activists through her writing and organizing.

8. What causes did Gloria Steinem advocate for?
Steinem advocated for gender equality, reproductive rights, racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and environmental justice. She also campaigned against female genital mutilation and the death penalty.