International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate women’s rights, but also a time to pay respect to those who are paving the way for gender equality through their actions and attitudes. Whether it’s your mother, sister, best friend, Michelle Obama or Emma Watson, we all have female role models to look up to and admire the work they’ve accomplished.
To mark this day, I reached out to my coworkers at Global Citizen and Global Poverty Project and had the staff compile a list of women that they consider female role models. It’s quite the dream team, but I’m sure there are more. If you’d like to add yours to the list, comment in the discussion section!
1. Olivia Wilde, Actress and Activist
Olivia Wilde | Flickr: Gage Skidmore
"Olivia Wilde because she's informed on social justice issues, and is a committed activist and humanitarian. I also love when she writes op-ed pieces. Her wit is hilarious and they are great social commentaries." -Chelsea White
2. Wangari Maathai, Political activist Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Wangari Mathai | Flickr: Africa Renewal
"The first person that came to mind for me was Wangari Maathai. The first woman in Kenya to earn a PhD, she revolutionized the way a generation looks at service. She struggled for social justice at a time when women were meant to stay in the home. Moreover, her movement to save her community from environmental destruction specifically targeted women's participation. No wonder she won the Nobel Peace Prize." - Erin Weber
3. Victoria Beckham, Fashion Designer
Victoria Beckham | Flickr: Automotive Rhythms
"Everyone laughed at her when she said she wanted to do fashion. Now look at her." - Stephanie Talbut
4. Jennifer Nunez, Mother
GC editor Christina Nunez (right) and her mom.
"The woman I admire the most in the world is my mom. My mom is the ultimate giver. All she wants to do is make the people she loves happy and she'll give all of herself to make that happen. She's the kind of person who insists on flying out to see you so you don't have to do a 14 hour drive alone, and then she'll insist that she drive so you can sleep." - Christina Nunez
5. Vandana Shiva, Environmental Activist
Vandana Shiva | Flickr: Cintia Barenho
"I love Vandana Shiva because: 1. She's wicked smaht (She has her PhD and is not afraid to challenge people). 2. She is all about biodiversity and sustainability (for increased nutrition and health of the planet). 3. She empowers women and farmers (both populations that are close to my heart)." -Sarah Moran
6. Delora Faujour, Sister
GC Social Media intern Joline Faujour (right) with her younger sister.
"My role model is my younger sister, Delora. She was born hard of hearing and wears hearing aids and on top of that, has dyslexia. I'm so proud of how far she's come, she's studying special education now and is planning on a career in art therapy. I'm only where I am because of her, she's such a tenacious and courageous person. With her great eye, I also aspire to her fashion sense (haha, after years of her stealing my clothes)." - Joline Faujour
7. Hilary Clinton, Former US Secretary of State
Hilary Clinton | Flickr: Keith Kissel
"Hilary Clinton! She's a badass who doesn't back down in the face of so much adversity." - Alison Shea
8. Samantha Power, US Ambassador to the UN
Samantha Power | Wikicommons
"I'm going with Samantha Power, a tried and true advocate and activist for human rights. She doesn't shirk from responsibility, or cower from crisis. She also wrote the book that reaffirmed my love for this field of international development and global affairs." - Taylor Light
9. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, Comedians/Actresses
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler
"Celebrities/comedians who share their art and really put themselves out there like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. But Also Demi Lovato and Kesha for coming out and speaking publicly about their struggles with severe eating disorders, you really never see that even though it's obviously a bigger problem than what's being talked about." - Alison Shea
10. Martine Rothblatt, Lawyer
Martine Rothblatt | Flickr: Fortune Live Media
"Besides being the highest-paid female executive in the US, and a leader in the life sciences community, she was instrumental in drafting the UN's Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights. She also happens to be transgender." -Tom Blake
11. Christiane Amanpour, Journalist
Christiane Amanpour | Flickr: Cronkite School
"Christiane Amanpour has always been someone I aspire to be like. She is one person in the media that I think truly works for social justice. She holds global leaders accountable for their actions and does not shy from an opportunity to shed light on the injustices of the world. She also became successful in an era where women had to fight for respect in the workforce and she laid the groundwork for more to come." - Alex Vinci (yes, I got to put my pick into this list!)
12. Janice Hendrick, Mother
Content Fellow Kathleen Ebbitt (right) with her mother and sister
"I don't think my mother, Janice Hendrick, will be mad at me for using this descriptor: unusual. She's an artist in every sense of the word. When I was eight, she painted her car with fish and installed a five-foot steel fin on top (for those of you who may be confused, google "art cars"). She has taken me across the world, inspired my love of poetry, and loved me in spite of my stubbornness and ferocity. Gregarious, open, fun, and outrageous, she knows how to have a good time. Her contagious joie de vivre and gusto for life are inspiring. In my moments of angst, I ask myself, "WWMMD" (or what would my mama do?) and the answer is this: smile, get a grip, and fight-on, baby!" -Kathleen Ebbitt
13. Julia Gillard, Former Prime Minister of Australia
Julia Gillard | Flickr: Speaker John Boehner
"She was the first female Prime Minister of Australia. Having been born in Wales to a Welsh miner who had to leave school at the age of 14, Julia and her family emigrated to Australia. Her dad prioritized education for Julia and lived to see his daughter become Australia's first female head of government. She was a champion for education globally , leading some of the biggest reforms in Australia domestically, and was also a champion for international development(now the Chair of the Global Partnership for Education, GPE). On a personal level, I will never forget the grace with which she treated everyone she came into contact with - including a 22 year old student pitching an idea around polio eradication (yes, I mean me). She was a class act and I think an inspirational leader." - Michael Sheldrick
Let’s follow in the footsteps of these amazing women and push for other women and girls to be able to thrive. Sign the petition on the side to tell the G7 to invest in the future of women everywhere and click for more action/2015 content.