Every year, Glamour magazine hosts the Glamour Awards ceremony, which celebrates and recognizes exceptional, motivational, and powerful women. The candidates are selected from an array of careers, including entertainment, music, education, business, and science.This year, Glamour’s Woman of the Year awards were given out to ten extraordinary women. Each woman has a story, a heart full of passion, and a sincere commitment to her aspirations. Their stories remind us all to seek out our dreams and be the best women we can be. Here are a few of the women who won the Woman of the Year award this year.
Also known as “The Breakthrough,” Lupita Nyong’o has taken the world by storm as “she’s made it her mission to redefine success and beauty…”
A 2012 Yale graduate’s career has skyrocketed in the past two years. She began her career as an actress in the African soap opera, Shuga and later managed her own film, In My Genes. From there she starred in the Oscar winning film, 12 Years a Slave, “…was named a new face of Lancôme; scored the cover of People’s “Most Beautiful” issue; and landed key roles in two upcoming films, The Jungle Book and Star Wars: Episode VII”.
Lupita’s success, however, was met with a tough past. Her father previously faced exile, which left her an uncertain future. Despite this time in her life she was able to come to America and study at Hampshire College.When Lupita’s free spirit, diverse background, and honorable persona met her stunning successes, it was no wonder Glamour Magazine chose her as a recipient for the 2014 Women of the Year Awards. Read Glamour’s full interview with Lupita here, and you can see a video of her here.
Robin Roberts: An anchor on Good Morning America, Roberts has been a poster child for accomplishment, dealing with adversity, and sheer tenacity. After her tenure at Southeastern Louisiana University, Roberts was hired at local TV stations in Mississippi until she began working at ESPN, and then eventually Good Morning America. Roberts, along with her co-anchor, George Stephanopoulos, dominated the airwaves and led the show to the top of the competitive morning show ratings, beating NBC’s Today Show.
Roberts’ appreciation for people, family, work, and her audiences are triggered from her battle with breast cancer. After beating cancer in 2007, a short four years later she was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a rare blood and bone disorder resulting from her chemotherapy. Roberts tells Glamour magazine that she “…didn’t just want to be alive…she wanted to live” And, today, she is stronger than ever, living her life to the fullest.
Natalia Vodianova: Russian supermodel and founder of the Naked Heart Foundation, Natalia Vodianova, defines inside-out beauty. While growing up with her mother and sister, she faced many hardships, which have left a profound impact on who she is and what she stands for today. Her absence of a father figure, having to constantly support her autistic sister, and watching her mother struggle to find work and happiness were integral parts of her adolescence and what made her who she is today.
Natalia wanted to help support her family and so her sister encouraged her to start modeling. She went on to become one of the highest-paid and most successful models in the business today. Not only was she able to give her family the necessities they deserve, but also promised a heart filled goal: To ensure happiness in children who are forced to live with disabilities.
The Naked Heart Foundation was created to accomplish this goal and prove to the world that people with disabilities are just as significant and compelling as normal individuals.
These women propel us to move forward and take on life one day at a time. They have taught us that struggle and hardships are only a bump in the road. It is how you react and stand up from these dark times that will determine your strength and desire to find happiness.