Every March, Women’s History Month reminds us to look back at the women who shaped the world we live in today. But history is not just in the past — it is happening right now. Across politics, science, sports, entertainment and activism, women today are redefining what leadership, creativity and power look like.
Their achievements show that progress is constantly being shaped by women who challenge expectations and push the boundaries of their fields. Around the world, women are using their voices, talents and determination to influence communities and inspire future generations. Here are five of the many profoundly inspiring women making waves around the world right now.
- Sarah Anthony — As the first Black woman to serve as a state senator for mid-Michigan, Anthony has advocated for Michigan to end child marriage, provide better access to reproductive healthcare and end hair discrimination. She became the youngest Black woman to serve on a U.S. county commission, where she worked to promote public health programs, support economic growth and address community needs through local policy initiatives. In 2024, she won the Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award, and she continues to help improve Michigan day by day.
- Mary E. Brunkow — In 2025, Brunkow won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her discovery of mutations in a gene that causes autoimmune diseases. She made significant contributions to discoveries about peripheral immune tolerance, which can ultimately help foster more cancer and autoimmune disease medical treatments. This advancement in understanding immune system regulation can even lead to more successful transplantations. Brunkow is paving the medical landscape with her impactful work — serving as an inspiration to many girls in STEM.
- Rasha Alkhamis — Alkhamis became Saudi Arabia’s first female boxer, redefining female athletics in the Middle East. While sports can often feel isolating and excluding for women, Alkhamis has begun to break barriers and employ government policies that stop women from signing up to play. Setting a Guinness World Record after studying various combat sports, she was also recently elected President of the Saudi Mixed Martial Arts Federation. Furthermore, she became Saudi Arabia’s official representative for the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation. In an interview once, Alkhamis stated, “I grew up with the belief that sport is for everyone, girls and boys alike.” She has been the pillar of motivation for many girls, and her legacy continues through her hard work.
- Monika Shegrill — As the Vice President of Content at Netflix India, Shegrill helps with planning and executing a wide variety of entertainment. She has delivered successful movies and TV shows like “Delhi Crime,” “The Elephant Whisperers” (which won an Academy Award) and “Mission Majnu.” Through her leadership, Netflix India became one of the fastest-growing markets within the company, recording the highest number of net paid subscriber additions in 2022. Earlier in her career, Shegrill was a journalist, filmmaker and programmer for top Indian networks like “Star” and “Sony.” Her creative works and discipline earned her features in The Hollywood Reporter’s list “The 35 Most Powerful Women in International Television,” Variety’s 500 Most Influential Business Leaders, Business World’s Most Influential Women, India Today’s “High and Mighty,” IMPACT’s “50 Most Influential Women” and Fortune India’s “Most Powerful Women.” She represents the women who are changing the entertainment industry every day, allowing the world to be exposed to more beautiful art.
- Amanda Gorman — Even despite all the negativity present in the world, people like Gorman have found a way to be heard and rebuke passivity. As an African-American woman, Gorman finds a way to protest through poetry. She recently shared a meaningful poem on Instagram after federal immigration officers killed U.S. citizen Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In January of 2026, she wrote a poem honoring Renee Nicole Good, another U.S. citizen killed by federal immigration officers. Her poems use strong language, urging the audience to resist the cooperation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) violence. She uses her pen to speak and her messages have fostered widespread U.S. connections. People have banded together and, as a result of her poetry, protested ICE again. Through her art, Gorman reminds audiences that even during difficult or unjust moments in history, remaining silent is not an option. Instead, she emphasizes that our shared humanity is reason enough to raise awareness and build stronger connections between people.”
These women represent only a small glimpse of the countless women shaping the world today. From government offices to laboratories, boxing rings to film studios and even poetry shared online, women are proving that influence can take many forms. During Women’s History Month, it becomes especially clear that history is not something distant or finished — it is something actively being written by women who are challenging norms, uplifting communities and creating opportunities for those who come after them.
More importantly, these stories remind us that impactful women are not limited to headlines or awards. They exist in classrooms, communities and everyday spaces where people choose to speak up, create and lead. The women highlighted here show that change does not happen in just one way. It happens everywhere. As new voices continue to rise, the future of history will be shaped by even more women who refuse to stay silent and instead choose to make their mark on the world.