By the time this article is published, Women’s History month will be over. Brands will change their profile pictures, advertisements will return to normal and sports coverage will move away from highlighting female athletes. But here’s the truth; even when Women’s History Month ends, women are still here. We are still breaking boundaries. We are still powerful. So in honor of the amazing women who have made waves throughout history, and continue to push the limits, I have compiled a list of 4 trail blazers who have changed the world.
- Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison is known as an institution in American literature. She was a writer and editor who authored countless masterpieces, including eleven novels and three essay collections about deeply personal topics, including the Black American experience, slavery and its lasting trauma, community, identity, and self-acceptance. She became one of the most respected and renowned writers of her time and received accolades from literary powerhouses like Maya Angelou and Margaret Atwood. Morrison won many awards for her work, but her crowning achievement was becoming the first black woman to win a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993 for her Body of Work, including books such as The Bluest Eye, Sula, Song of Solomon, Tar Baby, and Jazz. Morrison went on to hold a chair position at Princeton University and was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 2020, one year after her death. Morrison used her voice to lift the stories of Black women and continues to inspire young women and writers today.Â
2. Princess Diana
Princess Diana is probably one of the most famous women of the late 20th century. Often referred to as “the people’s princess,” Diana was passionate about humanitarianism and changed the way that people viewed modern royalty. In 1987, she famously shook the hand of an AIDS patient without gloves at a time when it was widely believed that the disease could be spread by touch, helping to break the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. She was also an advocate for mental health, often speaking publicly about her own struggles with depression and bulimia. Even after her tragic death in 1997, her legacy of compassion and humanity lives on. She remains a role model for many women through her iconic fashion choices, her unshakeable confidence, and her commitment to social justice.Â
3. Allysa Liu
Allya Liu, a two-time Olympic gold medal winner, is changing the way that we define success and athleticism. At just 13 years old, she became the youngest Women’s National Figure Skating Champion and one of the first high-profile Chinese-American athletes in the sport. At age 16, she retired from figure skating, citing mental health issues, burnout, and a desire to live a more normal life. She later returned to skating in 2024 and went on to win the 2025 World Championship, followed by winning the gold medal in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Liu is a role model for young female athletes, teaching them that sports are about more than just winning trophies. She proves that success can also look like stepping back, prioritizing yourself, and choosing happiness.Â
4. The 2026 U.S. Women’s Ice Hockey TeamÂ
The 2026 U.S Women’s Ice hockey team has made headlines this year, and it would be a mistake not to include them on this list. In the 2026 Winter Olympics, Team USA dominated the competition, going undefeated throughout the tournament with a 33-2 goal difference, making their run one of the most competitive in the history of women’s ice hockey. Stars like Laila Edwards broke barriers by becoming the first black women to win the gold in women’s ice hockey, showing young girls that anyone can achieve greatness. Their victory brought new attention to women’s sports, and public reactions sparked conversations about ongoing issues in women’s sports and how they are respected and valued compared to men’s. These women have changed the world by inspiring the next generation of female athletes, fighting for equality in sports, and redefining what it means to be a winner.Â
All in all, though Women’s History Month might end, the impacts made by women like Toni Morrison, Princess Diana, Alysa Liu, and Team USA have not. Their stories remind us that progress is continuous, powerful, and impossible to ignore. These women have not only changed history but continue to shape the future by challenging stereotypes, breaking barriers, and inspiring young women everywhere. Because in the end, when the ad campaigns end and the news coverage stops running, women are still here, we are still powerful, and we are still changing the world.