Women who inspire us
A lot has changed for women over the last hundred years, but the one thing that has stayed the same is how women choose to challenge every day. To commemorate International Women’s Day, we asked our team to share women that inspire them. From trailblazing athletes, powerhouse politicians and badass writers, the result is an impressive roster of women that inspire us every day.
Read more below!
Activist, advocate and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai’s words and actions offer inspiration and hope to people all over the world. In 2012, a Taliban gunman shot Malala as she was traveling home from school for advocating for girls’ right to education in her home country of Pakistan.
“I raise up my voice, not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot succeed when half of us are held back,” - Malala Yousafzai
As the first woman to play and score in a Power 5 football game, Sarah Fuller teaches us that there is no dream too big. Stepping onto the field for the first time, Sarah’s helmet read “Play Like a Girl”, turning the saying (which has been used to insult) into an empowering message for females everywhere.
"You can do anything you set your mind to. You really can. If you have that mentality all the way through, you can do big things” - Sarah Fuller, Vanderbilt Athlete
The first woman and person of colour to sit as the Vice President of the United States, Kamala has made it clear that she’s a force to be reckoned with, while demonstrating to all women and girls that they have a seat at the table.
“My mother had a saying: 'Kamala, you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you're not the last',” - Kamala Harris, 49th Vice President of the United States
From her iconic looks to her contagious positive energy, Michelle Obama has inspired us to use our voice for good, to value our friendships, and to prioritize self-care, always. Make sure you read her book, Becoming, if you haven’t yet!
“There is no limit to what we as women can accomplish.” - Michelle Obama, Author, Former First Lady of the United States
Activist Autumn Peltier has been advocating for the universal right to clean water since she was eight years old. Growing up on Wiikwemkoong Unceded Anishinabek Territory on Manitoulin Island, she has accomplished a lot since first taking on the cause. In 2016, she met with Justin Trudeau; she was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2017, 2018 and 2019; and last year, she was named chief water commissioner for the Anishinabek Nation.
“Kids all over the world have to pay for mistakes we didn’t even make. This is our future. We’re the next elders, we’re the next leaders. This is our future,” - Autumn Peltier, Activist
From convincing world leaders to start to think about climate change, to starting a movement that saw over four million students leave school for the climate strike, Greta Thunberg has taught us that no matter what, standing up for what you believe in should be a priority.
“I have learned you are never too small to make a difference,” - Greta Thunberg
Canadian professional tennis player, Bianca Andreescu, has a career-high ranking of No. 4 in the world, and is the highest-ranked Canadian in the history of Women's Tennis. Her dedication to learning and growing through her sport is the most inspiring.
“Win or lose, I always learn something,” - Bianca Andreescu, Canadian professional tennis player
It would be impossible to write a list of those that inspire us without including the history-making congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (or AOC as she’s commonly referred to as) who continues to show us how important it is to stand up for our beliefs, no matter what.
“Change takes courage” - Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
