Sometimes I think people are at a loss for who they should look up to. I feel like all the people who we think should be role models — pop stars, movie stars — aren’t really the best ones to be looking up to. So often when we are talking to other people, there are only a few names of artists that people mention. Here, I composed a list of powerful artists in today’s society who are following their dreams and working hard at what they became good at.

My goal is to start some more engaging conversations. I wish I could make this list longer and add a ton of other women and songs and albums and movies, but I narrowed it down to a few people that I thought are relevant to today’s conversation. The perseverance and dedication these women show to their fields are what younger generations should look up to. This may be a list of women, but it’s NOT just for other women. Anyone can be inspired by anyone.

Petra Collins

Petra Collins is a Canadian photographer that focuses on Coming of Age kind of photography. I remember following her on Instagram in eighth grade, completely in shock over how different and unique her work was than every other photographer trying to get famous at the time. Her use of radiant colors portrays a story in every single one of her photographs. Her dedication to her field has led her to shoot campaigns for Gucci, Rihanna's Fenty brand, and she even directed Selena Gomez's AMA performance. She really is an admirable person to look up to.

Lauryn Hill

I have been surprised by the number of people that don’t know who Lauryn Hill is. But it’s totally understandable, I'm not throwing shade!) Her name pops up in so many songs, but most notably a lot of people have heard her name dropped on Kane Wests’ song Champion: Lauryn Hill said her heart was in Zion// I wish her heart still was in rhymin'// 'Cause who the kids gon' listen to, huh? and Jay-Z's song '4:44,’ as well as many others, of course. In 1998, she released her only solo album titled “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” At just 23, she was the first female artist to be nominated for and win the most Grammys in one night. Not only that, but her hip-hop themed album was the first of its kind to win the coveted Album of the Year.

Esperanza Spalding

Regardless of whether you're into jazz music or not (which you should be, it’s great), Esperanza Spalding is a name you should know! She is a singer, songwriter, and bassist on a journey to play the music she loves. And along the way, she hopes to make jazz as relevant as it once was. Her voice is amazing, powerful, angelic, unique — the list keeps going on. She is an inspiring woman to have as a role model. When you think jazz, you don’t usually come up with a lot of female names. Spalding has never been one to let that stop her from achieving success. In an interview, she was quoted saying, “I never wanted to have anything just because I’m a girl or just because I’m black.” She has her own vision and she stays true to it. Sometime earlier this year, she Facebook Live streamed the entire making of her album, which she was set on completing in three days (and she did). Her spirit and creative eloquence are admirable and role-model-worthy.

Tavi Gevinso

Rookie Magazine was created in 2010 when Tavi Gevinson was just 14 years old! It is an insightful, creative, beautiful look into fashion and feminism and is full of many well-written pieces by people our age. It really is a remarkable magazine that everyone should go check out. They even allow submissions so if you have anything you would like to share with the world, definitely look to submit there. It's so inspiring when people turn their hobbies (like the blog Tavi Gevinson had before she created Rookie online) into something they can do for the rest of their lives.

Lianne La Havas

She’s radiant, confident, and an amazing artist and musician. I don’t know if I’m the only person who does this, but when there is an artist I really enjoy listening to, I go to YouTube and watch interviews of theirs. She’s super personable and involved in her music making. Her voice is really captivating, listening to her album is a must!