This is by no means a complete list, but in case you needed someone to look to for motivation, look no further. No matter what field these women excel at and used to gain their influence, they all use that influence to help advocate for themselves and become strong leaders for the next generation.
Michelle Obama
The former First Lady of the United States graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School, and has worked at Sidley Austin law firm, University of Chicago, and University of Chicago Medical Center. As First Lady, Obama led the initiative “Let’s Move!” where she attempted to reverse the spread of childhood obesity. Obama was also twice awarded the Jerald Washington Memorial Founders’ Award for her work advocating on the behalf of military families, and included openly gay military families in her national initiative ever since the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in 2011.
Emma Watson
Launched into stardom at the young age of 11, Watson has not only continued to act, but also earned a Bachelor’s degree in English literature from Brown University and promoted education for young girls in her visits to Bangladesh and Zambia. In 2014, Watson was named a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, and has used that position to launch the UN campaign HeForShe, which asks men to advocate for gender equality. Watson has taken the number one spot on the AskMen “Top Outstanding Women of 2015,” as well as number 26 on the TIME 100 list of the world’s most influential people.
Hillary Clinton
The first female presidential candidate in the United States not only has an impressive resume, including serving as a Senator from New York for eight years and serving as United States Secretary of State for four, but is also an avid advocate for gender equality and healthcare reform. No matter how you may feel about Clinton’s policies, there is no denying that she is a hard worker who isn’t afraid to fight for what she wants, and to dust herself off and try again if she doesn’t get it.
Beyoncé
After beginning her career in the late 1990s, Beyoncé has become a truly iconic singer, songwriter, and actress. Proudly declaring herself as a feminist during her VMA performance in 2014, Beyoncé has used her power and voice to spread the message of feminism and help other women empower themselves. She is also the first artist to have their first six studio albums debut at number one on Billboard 100, is the most nominated woman in Grammy history, and became the highest-paid black musician in history in 2014.
Oprah Winfrey
After being told she was “unfit for television news,” Oprah went on the host a highly successful talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, as well as even creating her own television network. From growing up in poverty to becoming the richest African American and the greatest black philanthropist in American history, Oprah’s story is one of rags to riches due to her own volition. Having appeared on TIME magazine’s list of “most influential people” ten times from 2004 to 2011- the only person to do so- Oprah is also credited with delivering one million votes to Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential election due to her endorsement of him.
