BY RILEY WALLER
EVERYDAY THE LIST OF INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN GROWS AND PUSHES WOMEN IN ALL PROFESSIONS TO STRIVE FOR SUCCESS IN THEIR FIELD. IN HONOR OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY ON MARCH 8TH, HUB101 HIGHLIGHTED 6 WOMEN WHO ARE OUTSTANDING ENTREPRENEURS AND INFLUENCERS OF THE MODERN WORLD.
1. EMILY WEISS
Emily is the founder and CEO of the beauty product company Glossier. She is also the author of the blog Into the Gloss. Weiss was born and raised in Wilton, Connecticut and attended New York University with a degree in studio art. She has interned at Ralph Lauren, and assisted stylists at W Magazine and Vogue. The brand Weiss founded Glossier, was inspired by her blog Into the Gloss which she started during her time at Vogue. Into the Gloss focused mainly on beauty tips and tricks for women. When Emily’s blog took off, she quit her job at Vogue and continued to work on her own business. In 2013, Emily Weiss and her fellow employees at Into the Gloss, launched their very own beauty product line, Glossier. Weiss has since created a company focused on skincare and grooming products and influenced the way we look at beauty.
2. OPRAH WINFREY
Oprah Winfrey is widely known for her fame as a talk show host and television personality. She is from Kosciusko, Mississippi and began her career in entertainment in Baltimore as a host forPeople are Talking. Oprah then went on to host her own personal talk show and since then has starred in countless movies and TV show, accepted prestigious awards, and contributed to many charities and the betterment of so many lives. Along with philanthropy and entertainment, Oprah has a long list of activism awards she has received. She is an activist for African Americans, women, and children, and continues to advocate for these groups. Life magazine has awarded her as the most influential women of our time. Oprah continues to give to charities, run her television network, and advocate for human rights.
3. SAFA AL AHMAD
Safa Al Ahmad is a journalist from Saudi Arabia. Safa al Ahmad is known for advocating for the freedom of press, and she has won awards for her outstanding documentaries. She does mostly freelance work and has created several documentaries about the uprising in the Middle East. Safa Al Ahmad is praised for her dedication and risk taking while capturing footage for her documentarySecret Uprising. Not only was she a women traveling alone in Saudi Arabia, but the footage of the protests she obtained could pose as a threat to the government and could result in her arrest. In her most recent work, Safa Al Ahmad has been one of the few journalists reporting to international news stations from Yemen during a crisis between Houthi rebels. Safa Al Ahmad continues to advocate for the freedom of press.
4. MARY BEARD
Mary Beard is an English scholar who has appeared on many panels and used to teach at King’s College, London. She was introduced to journalism in the early 90s, and also became a professor in 2004 at Classics of Cambridge. Her most recent work includes lectures about “Women in Power”. Beard also advocates for the stop of abuse of women on social media and the internet. As someone who has received negative comments and even a bomb threat through online social media platforms, cyber-bullying is one of Beard’s many things she is passionate about. In her “Women in Power” lecture, Beard argues that “women don’t have a model or template for what a powerful woman looks like. We only have templates that make them men."
5. TARANA BURKE
Despite the most recent popularity of the #MeToo hashtag, the idea for the MeToo campaign was generated by Tarana Burke in 1997. Tarana Burke is an activist for women’s rights. In 2007, Just Be Inc. was founded after receiving a grant. Just Be Inc. promotes the wellness and equity of minority women, and is still in operation. In 2017, actress Alyssa Milano began using the hashtag #MeToo when the news about Harvey Weinstein’s sexual abuse allegations invaded the media. Burke has been awarded by Time magazine as a silence breaker for the ground of “Time Person of the Year”. Tarana Burke continues to provide resources and workshops for women and focuses on not blaming oneself for sexual violence.
6. GRETA GERWIG
Earning her most recent popularity in Hollywood, Greta Gerwig’s success in her film career has skyrocketed in the 2017 year. In her early career, Greta began co-writing and acting, starring in movies and TV shows. The reason for her recent fame is the movie she wrote and solo-directed,Lady Bird, a coming-of-age story of a teenage girl and her mother set in Sacramento, CA. Lady Bird was awarded with two Golden Globes, Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, and Best Actress (Saoirse Ronan). Lady Bird was also nominated for the 90th Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress, and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Laurie Metcalf). Greta Gerwig is the fifth female director in history to be nominated for Best Director at the Academy Awards, and continues to inspire women in all professional industries with her success.
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