Last week, I wrote an article about bad-ass women of history, but we live in an age with many bad-ass women, too! From astronauts to musicians, to activists; these women living in the 21st century have paved the way for themselves, but also the women of the future.

It's guaranteed you'll want to be like these 11 women:

1. Malala Yousafzai.

In 2012, at just 15, Malala was already an advocate for girls' education having had it taken from her earlier when the Taliban had taken control of where she lived. A few years earlier, an eleven-year-old Malala had written a blog for BBC detailing what life was living under the Taliban and fighting for her right to attend school. Due to this, a gunman came onto her bus on October 9, 2012, and shot her in the head. Malala survived and continued her work to help girls and children attend school all over the world. She is now attending the University of Oxford and started the Malala Fund. To learn more about Malala Yousafzai and the Malala Fund click here.

2. Serena Williams.

It's likely you've heard of tennis player Serena Williams before. Whether it be her 39 Grand Slam titles (including 23 singles titles), 4 Olympic Gold Medals, or her strength in calling out the racial inequality in sports and recently, after the birth of her daughter, the medical field. Talented, strong, and unapologetic; Serena Williams is a woman who has broken world records, challenged the status quo, and is a certifiable bad-ass. To read more about Serena Williams click here.

3. Janet Mock.

Janet Mock is an author, TV host, and transgender advocate. Her two books ("Redefining Realness" and "Surpassing Certainty") detail her story of growing up trans in the US and finding her voice. She is also credited with creating "#GirlsLikeUs" and "#TransBookDrive" which pushes for an inclusive and inter-sectional movement and representation. She has worked for People, HBO, and MSNBC to name a few. In a country where eight transgender women of color have been murdered in 2018 so far, Mock's voice serves as an important one and inspires bravery in everyone. To learn more about Janet Mock click here.

4. Margaret Hamilton.

While Margaret Hamilton's main achievements were nearly sixty years ago, her achievements have had a long impact on NASA and space travel. She led the team that created the software for the Apollo and Skylab missions. Even after her time working with NASA, she co-founded the company Higher Order Software where she also served as a CEO. She eventually left that company and created Hamilton Technologies (where she was also the CEO). She is also credited with coining the term "software engineering."

She follows in the footsteps of Ada Lovelace and paved the way for many other women in computer science and software engineering. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, by former president Barack Obama. To read more about Margaret Hamilton click here.

5. Dr. Mae Jemison.

Dr. Mae Jemison became the first African American woman in space on September 12, 1992. However, before her space mission, Jemison got a medical degree and was a general practitioner. Later, she worked as a doctor in the Peace Corps in Liberia and Sierra Leone. She served on the Space Shuttle Endeavor and used her medical and scientific knowledge aboard. She continues to advocate for STEM education. Learn more about Mae Jemison here.

6. Meghan Markle.

This soon-to-be member of the British Royal family is an actress and humanitarian. Markle was an early advocate for change who at age 11 wrote to Procter & Gamble about a sexist commercial and the company listened, changing their slogan. In addition to writing to the company, Markle also wrote letters to the First Lady Hillary Clinton, attorney Gloria Allred, and Linda Ellerbee (who later interviewed Markle for "Nick News").

Later in life, Markle has completed humanitarian work to help bring safe drinking water to Rwanda, visiting India to discuss women's issues, and taking part in conversations on modern day slavery. She is also outspoken about being from a biracial family and how it affected her life and career. To read more about Meghan Markle click here.

7. Tammie Jo Schultz.

Last week, a Southwest flight piloted by Tammie Jo Schultz lost an engine mid-flight, forcing Schultz to have to make an emergency landing in Philadelphia. Despite a window being broken and a passenger being halfway sucked out and hit with debris (the passenger later dying), Schultz stayed calm and communicated with air traffic control. She safely brought the plane in for a landing and ensured emergency crews were ready to help passengers. Schultz was one of the first women to fly fighter jets for the US Navy. To read more about the emergency landing and Tammie Jo Schultz click here.

8. Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande is best known for her music and acting careers with three certified platinum albums by the RIAA. However, Grande is also a noted activist taking part in countless charity concerts and organizing her own for the victims of the Manchester Bombing at her show in Manchester last year. She is a vocal supporter of LGBT rights and the Black Lives Matter movement.The profits from her line of lip shades with MAC went to support people affected by HIV/AIDS. Grande is a good example of how to use money, fame, and privilege. To read more about Ariana Grande click here. Watch her new music video for "No Tears Left To Cry."

9. Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the second woman ever to serve as a Supreme Court Justice. She entered Harvard Law School as one of only nine women among a program of 500 men. Despite tying for first in her class and a strong recommendation, Ginsburg had an issue finding employment but eventually found a job working as a clerk, kickstarting her law career.

She co-founded the Women's Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union. She was nominated for the Supreme Court by former president Bill Clinton in 1993. Since that time, Ginsburg has voiced her support for abortion and women's rights and helped strike down the Virginia Military Institute's male-only admission policy ("United States v. Virginia"). Ginsburg paved the way for women in law and continues to act as a Supreme Court Justice. To read more about Ruth Bader Ginsburg click here.

10. Barbara Walters.

Barbara Walters has served as a pioneer for women in television starting her career reporting "Women's interest stories." She has reported on various news programs including: "The Today Show," "20/20" and "The View." In the span of her career, she has carried out some of the most important interviews of recent history including interviews with Margaret Thatcher, Fidel Castro, Michael Jackson, and Indira Gandhi. She was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1989 and since has continued to pave the way for women in television and journalism. To read more about Barbara Walters click here.

11. Terri Irwin.

Terri Irwin is a naturalist and owner of the Australia Zoo. While her late husband, Steve Irwin, is more famous for his work, Irwin had already started a rehabilitation facility called "Cougar Country" and worked as a veterinary technician before she met her husband. She and her husband both continued their work in conservation. In recent years, she became an Honorary Member of the Order of Australia, received an honorary doctorate from the University of Queensland, and the 2007 Queensland Telstra Business Women's Award. To learn more about Terri Irwin click here.