This month is Black History Month. It’s a time to remember the black men and women who have shaped the world we live in today. Since every day is history in the making, here are ten women to be inspired by this February.
1. Simone Biles
Simone Biles has four gold medals from the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. Biles recently made headlines again because she came out as one of the many survivors who was sexually abused by Larry Nassar, U.S. Olympic doctor.
On her Twitter account she said, “After hearing the brave stories of my friends and other survivors, I know that this horrific experience does not define me. I am much more than this. I am unique, smart, talented, motivated and passionate. I have promised myself that my story will be much greater than this and I promise all of you that I will not give up. I won’t let one man, and the others that enabled him, to steal my love and joy.” Biles is a role model to many women because of her athletic achievements. Her empowering words are inspirational to other survivors of abuse.
2. Tarana Burke
Tarana Burke is an active member in the organization named Girls for Gender Equity. Girls for Gender Equity’s focus is improving the social and economic conditions for young women of color. Burke is also well known for being the founder of the #MeToo movement. The #MeToo movement draws attention to the magnitude of women who have been sexually assaulted. The movement began a decade ago and has recently been posted over a million times on social media since the allegations against against people like Harvey Weinstein and Larry Nassar. Tarana Burke has opened doors to discussing sexual assault and harassment. This education and awareness is a step toward preventing further sexual abuse.
3. Laverne Cox
Laverne Cox is a transgender actress in the Netflix series “Orange is the New Black.” The series brings light to the hardships the transgender community faces. Cox has become a hero to the transgender community by being the first transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy award. Cox’s presence in the entertainment industry is encouraging the world to educate themselves on the transgender movement.
4. Professor Mamie Hixon
Professor Hixon is a teacher with the University of West Florida’s English department. She is the founder and director of the UWF Writing Lab as well as the satellite locations in local high schools. Hixon teaches black women writers and is very passionate about black literature. She is the artistic director of the Pensacola performance of Our Voices are Many: Daughters of Africa. This performance is a theatrical performance of black history and literature. Professor Hixon’s presence at UWF as a well-educated and published black woman is inspiring for students of color.
5. Shonda Rhimes
Shonda Rhimes is an American screenwriter, producer and author. Her most well-known TV shows are Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder. She also founded the television production company Shondaland. Rhimes is living proof that if you don’t give up you can achieve your dreams.
6. Rihanna
Rihanna is a singer, songwriter and actress from Barbados. Rihanna made headlines recently because of her new makeup line Fenty Beauty. Fenty Beauty is an inclusive beauty line for all skin tones. Fenty Beauty has completely changed the makeup industry by including darker skin tones who have been ignored by the Eurocentric makeup industry. Rihanna is redefining beauty standards and giving confidence to women of color.
7. Amy Sherald
Amy Sherald is a famous artist who specializes in portraits. Sherald’s work focuses on race and identity. Her subjects are drawn from outside of the art historical narrative. Sherald has recently been in the spotlight because she painted the official portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama. Sherald’s portrait of Obama confronts the issue of the immense scrutiny the first black family in the White House endured but specifically what Michelle Obama endured. Sherald dulled Obama’s prominent features such as her eyes, mouth and strong arms in the portrait to make the viewer remember those aspects of Obama and ultimately remember her struggle as the first African American First Lady.
8. Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington is an actress and producer. Her most well-known role is as Olivia Pope in Scandal. Washington’s lead role in Scandal is influential for women of color because she is proving that black women can be beautiful and be the movers and shakers of the world. Washington is also an advocate for the Allstate Foundation Purple Purse. This foundation focuses on aiding the financial need of women in abusive relationships. The main reason women stay in abusive relationships is because they are not financially stable without their partner. Kerry Washington is empowering women of color, changing the way people see black women and helping end domestic violence.
9. Maxine Waters
Maxine Waters has served in the U.S. Congress since 1991. She is currently the representative for California’s 43rd Congressional District and is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus. Waters was recently shared all over the internet because of her response to mansplaining during the hearing of the House Financial Services Committee. Mansplaining is when a man explains something in a condescending way. She asked Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin why he has not replied to the letter she sent him in May requesting for information about Trump’s financial ties to Russia. Mnuchin responds with a list of patronizing compliments about her service to California and avoids addressing the question. Waters then repeats “reclaiming my time” until the committee chair silences Mnuchin. Since then, “reclaiming my time” has become the anthem to shutting down mansplaining.
10. Lupita Nyong’o
Lupita Nyong’o is a Kenyan-Mexican actress who is well-known for her role in 12 Years a Slave. She is the first Kenyan and Mexican to win an Academy Award. Nyong’o recently stated that she was harassed by Harvey Weinstein. “By speaking up, speaking out and speaking together, we regain that power. And we hopefully ensure that this kind of rampant predatory behavior as an accepted feature of our industry dies here and now,” Nyong’o said in an interview with New York Times. Nyong’o’s powerful stance on changing the entertainment industry’s history of sexual abuse is uplifting.