On December 19, 2016, the 1st Annual Marie Claire Young Women's Honors gala aired on the CW. The ceremony was hosted by executive producer Gina Rodriguez. Rodriquez said she was inspired by a lack of representation in the media and awards shows that are a reflection of today's technical advances. Her aim is to have as many women as possible share their story so others can be inspired to create their own story.
Each honoree was given a feature in Maria Claire magazine highlighting their goals, achievements, and stories. The 10 chosen honorees included athletes, doctors, activism, education and more. The project's goal is to celebrate ten women each year who "demonstrate confidence, intelligence and leadership, that will inspire others to follow".
In her speech, Rodriguez said they wanted to show how women have been making headway in all kinds of fields. She addressed the audience by stating what she wants for every woman, young and old, is what she wanted when she was young. "I wanted to see images of myself on screen, I wanted to know I belonged, I wanted to know I was enough, I wanted to know I was strong. I wanted to know I was capable. I wanted to know I was possible. And every single woman in this room who came to be part of this project, that is helping me bring this project to a reality, is all that and more."
Watching the show was a very inspiring experience. I do not usually watch award shows or any show of this nature so this was a big change for me. But seeing the women on stage both presenting and receiving the honors really opened my heart to know that truly anything is possible. In a time where students are consumed with making the grade on finals and consuming unhealthy quantities of coffee, I am reminded of the bigger picture. While my bigger picture may be different than yours, I encourage you to take a step back and find your goal that you are aspiring to, and make it a part of every waking minute of your life.
