In many ways, 2018 marks the transition from my childhood to the rest of my life: I’ve graduated from high school and I’m going to be a freshman at Baylor University in the fall. A large part of me is excited and ecstatic about what the future holds, but I’m also scared to become a disappointment. Since I don’t know what the future holds, all I can do right now is take things one day at a time, and sometimes it can be difficult to find the encouragement you need to keep yourself going on a daily basis.
Here are some of the many women who give me motivation when I can’t seem to find it from within myself:
1. Viola Davis
What I love most about Ms. Davis, apart from the fact that she is an incredibly fantastic and successful actress, philanthropist, activist, and producer, is her ability to move people with her words. From her acceptance speeches to movie and television roles (HTGAWM anyone?), whenever she speaks, I get goosebumps. I’ve actually had the opportunity to hear her speech live when I attended the Texas Conference for Women and it was easily one of the most magical moments of my life.
2&3: Chloe x Halle
These sisters (aged 18 and 20-years-old) are currently killing the music game! After being discovered by Beyoncé several years ago, they’ve gone on to release several EPs before finally releasing their debut album a few weeks ago and even starring in the show "Grown-ish."
They were discovered by Beyoncé! That’s enough reason for them to be on this list! But apart from that their hustle and determination to be successful from such young ages is something I hope can be mirrored in my own life.
Also, their album is too good, check it out!
4. Yara Shahidi
If you haven’t heard of Yara Shahidi, you’ve probably been living under a rock. That girl is everywhere! From her hit show "Grown-ish" to her Instagram, which she frequently uses to spread her ideas, she’s been doing great things this year.
I (and probably the rest of 2.4 million Instagram followers) love Yara because she embodies what it means to be a millennial who fights for what she believes in. She’s young and active on social media, a platform which she uses to draw support to causes she believes in and tries to make the changes she feels need to be made.
Oh, and did I mention that she’s Harvard bound?
5. Chizi Duru
Chizi Duru is a beauty, hair and lifestyle influencer and YouTuber who makes various types of videos ranging from hair and makeup tutorials to life hacks and motivational videos. Scrolling down on her Instagram (@chiziduru) provides endless fashion and natural hairstyles inspiration from cute and comfy to glam and chic. As a fellow Nigerian, I love the strides she has made in the online beauty community since she first started and the amount of effort and creativity she puts into making her videos the best that they can be.
6. Jackie Aina
Jackie Aina was arguably one of the first pioneers of successful black women on YouTube. And even now with over 2 million YouTube subscribers, she continues to advocate for inclusivity in makeup brands especially for women of color.
The main reason I love Jackie is her unwillingness to back down. She’s been discredited, discouraged and shot down by so many people, including her fellow influencers, for what she’s trying to accomplish. But rather than stay down and feel sorry for herself, she’s shot back 10 times harder to become the successful, independent women she is today.
7. My mother
The strongest, most hardworking and independent woman I know is definitely my mother. Raising a family of four kids in addition to running your own business is no easy feat, and I make sure to let her know how grateful I am for her as much as possible. Being around her just makes me want to work harder and smarter just to be like her. Everything I am today is because of her and one of the biggest things I want out of life is to become someone that she can be proud of.
