HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S MONTH! But shouldn’t every month be International People All the Time? Since that is yet to be confirmed, let us focus on some amazing women who you may not have heard of, but who are, or were, making our world a better place for women and, in reality, everyone.
- Nadya Okamoto
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Nadya is the founder and executive director of PERIOD., which is dedicated to making access to menstrual products a fundamental right for all women by making clean and healthy products for schools, prisons, shelters, etc. Nadya founded PERIOD. when she was only 16 years old, and it has grown to be the largest NGO for women’s health run by youths. Nadya has been a massive influence in bringing awareness and change to menstruation for women and recently she was in InStyles “The Badass 50: Meet the Women Who Are Changing the World,” which in my opinion is pretty badass.
Check out Nadya’s Fondation here: https://www.period.org - Sojourner Truth
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We may have heard this name in history class and possibly english too, but we never really got her full story and learned just how incredible of a woman she was. Born into slavery, Truth escaped slavery and became the first African-American woman to sue a white man in order to reunite with her son, and won! Truth worked tirelessly as an abolitionist and women’s rights activist. Truth has worked alongside other notable individuals such as Fredrick Doughlas, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony. Truth wrote a famous speech called “Ain’t I a Woman?” which questioned the standards of race and gender inferiority. Truth’s consistent work has paved the way for the equality of gender and race.
- Katherine Johnson
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Did you ever see Hidden Figures? If you haven’t, then please finish reading this article and immediately go watch it. If you have seen the great film, then you know Katherine, or at least Taraji P Henson’s portrayal of Katherine Johnson. Johnson was one of the few women involved in NASA’s launch into orbit of Friendship 7. Johnson was exceptional with numbers and was able to calculate the trajectories for Apollo 11 to land on the moon, giving America it’s first moon landing. Jonhson broke all “rules” of women in the work space and especially science. Johnson paved the way for many more women to join NASA as scientists, engineers, and even astronauts, reallying showing that there is no limit, not even space for the success of women.
- Tarana Burke
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We are all greatly aware of the powerful #MeToo movement, and we have Tarana Burke to thank. She started the movement back in 2006 and has since been leading the voices of women who have suffered from sexual assault and harrassment. Her involvement began far before the movement gained media traction in 2017. Burke’s work has made it possible for thousands of women to stand up and speak their truth and fight back against the long standing acceptance of sexual harrasment and violence against women.
- Winona DaLuke
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Both an activist for indigenous people and climate change, LaDuke uses her power of voice to combat climate change, while empowering the voices of indigenous people-especially women, as LaDuke firmly believes that their words and actions can be greatly beneficial to changing the climate. She has founded multiple organizations, such as Indigenous Women’s Network and the White Earth Land Recovery Project. LaDuke combines many areas of activism, creating a larger dynamic and showing how when women are empowered anything is possible!
These are only five of thousands and thousands of amazing women of the past to today. But March is not the only time to celebrate all the work and accomplishments of these women and the women you know, so please be inspired to continue to share the stories of countless women around the world! #EmpoweredWomenEmpowerWomen