When I met Maggie King in June of 2015, I had no idea that I was befriending one of the most courageous, passionate, and outstanding women I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. King, a Lasell College freshman is a Law and Public affairs major, with a double minor in Fashion Merchandising and Human Rights. If you can’t tell what a badass she is, then you should also note that, as a freshman, she is She’s The First vice president, ambassador for the Center for Community Based Learning, philanthropy chair for the Student Alumni Association, writer for Her Campus and POLISHED magazine and blog. Oh, and this summer, before interning for New York Senator Patty Richie and District Attorney Kristyna Mills, she’s going to Tanzania to help build a library with Shoulders to Shoulders.
Maggie is the perfect role model for girls everywhere. She is fierce and goes above and beyond the task that she’s given to make sure that she gives it her all. In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, I asked King who she looks to for inspiration, and she told me that Malala Yousafzai and her mom inspire her to work harder and be a better person every day.
King is the first, and most qualified person that comes to mind when it comes to talking about feminism. When asked what the word meant to her, her reply was flawless, saying, “To me, feminism is about equality. It’s about recognizing that inequalities between genders do exist, and opening your mind to the way that these inequalities affect people all over the world. And then it’s about acknowledging their stories, their differences, and trying to live your life in a way that these issues will be better for the next generation.” She goes on to say that “Feminism is a completely inclusive group. There is no membership requirement other than believing that inequalities exist and that things can be better.”
Even though we have only touched the tip of the iceberg of Maggie’s interests and involvements, her best quality by far is the passion that she feels so strongly for everything she does. Even so, she knows how to infuse a kind of lightheartedness that makes her a person that people are naturally drawn to. We leave you with two of her personal mantras that she lives by everyday: “Any pizza is a personal pizza if you believe in yourself.” But on a more serious note, “There is no passion in settling for a life anything less than the one you are capable of living” -Nelson Mandela. Well Maggie, we believe that you are capable of anything you set your mind to.
-Corinne Hennessey