Though history has not always appreciated black women, they have played so many important roles throughout every time period. As a way to kick off Black History Month, here are some black women who are proving themselves as inspirations for our current generation. Keep an eye on them for even more greatness to come!
- Coco Gauff – Tennis player
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Coco Gauff has been taking the sports world by storm. She is the youngest person on the Women’s Tennis Association’s list of top 100 players at only fifteen years old! In 2019 she beat Venus Williams in a match at Wimbledon, an amazing beat for any athlete. Gauff is an amazing example of dedication and hard work!
- Marsai Martin – Executive Producer, Actor
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Marsai Martin is both an accomplished actor and the youngest executive producer in Hollywood! She started her career on the show “Black-ish,” and soon moved up in the industry, not only starring in, but producing the movie “Little.” She came up with the idea and pitched it to Universal Studios herself and now manages a company alongside her parents. Her ability to create and share her work at such a young age makes her an inspiring person that everyone can look up to!
- Angie Thomas – Author
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Angie Thomas is a Young Adult author best known for her book The Hate U Give released in 2017. Though her first published novel was widely successful. It tells the story of a young black girl named Starr who witnesses her friend get shot by a police officer and how the situation relates to the Black Lives Matter movement prevalent in our society. Thomas released another book last year titled On the Come Up that focuses on similar issues. Her work creating bestsellers that focus on current issues are a great tool to young adult readers!
- Kimberly Bryant – CEO of Black Girls Code
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Kimberly Bryant is a biotechnologist based in San Francisco. In 2011, she founded Black Girls Code, a non-profit that aims to teach one million black girls learn how to code by the year 2040. Black women are severely underrepresented in the tech industry, so Bryant is working to encourage black girls into entering the STEM workforce. Black Girls Code currently operates in seven cities in the U.S. and is starting to grow internationally.
- Joanna Franco – CEO of Shut Up and Go, Writer, Youtuber
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Joanna Franco is a writer, YouTuber, and CEO of the media platform Shut Up and Go, which focuses on cultivating and sharing international lifestyles. Her travels have taken her through some intense encounters throughout the last couple of years and she has always turned her experiences into lessons that her audience can learn from. Right now she’s continuing her endeavours and participating in new projects to share. Her Instagram (@jo_franco) is a great source of life realness and reflection on ethical travel.