Five Influential Women
This post is in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr"s voice and non-violent actions that were used to make a difference. As you already know, he was a Baptist minister and activist who was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. He is famous for his ,"I Have A Dream", speech which set things in motion that forever changed how equal rights will touch our lives. This post shows that not only men, but women, too, can make a difference in the same way. These five women dared to go against the "normal" of what society believed the place for women should be. I hope you become inspired by these women and strive to make a difference.
Malala Yousafzai - July 12, 1997
On October 9, 2012, a gunman boarded a school bus in Pakistan. He approached Malala and asked her name before he shot her three times in the head leaving her for dead. She was fifteen. Malala was shot because she had the courage to speak out about education for women. Since that day, Malala has evolved into a stateswoman for equal rights. In 2014, she was one of Time Magazine's, "100 Most Influential People in the World." She also co-received the Nobel Peace Prize that very same year becoming the youngest person to ever receive a Nobel Prize. Malala has written a book, her story, "I Am Malala", a must read. She continues to speak out and does so at the young age of nineteen.
"We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced". - Malaya Yousafzai
Rosa Parks - February 4, 1913 - October 24, 2005
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. This single act started a boycott that continued 381 days until social segregation was repealed by the city. She is known as the first lady of The Civil Rights Movement. She received both the congressional Gold Medal of Honor and the Presidential medal of Freedom for her courage.
"I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free so other people would be also free." - Rosa Parks
Aung San Suu Kyi - June 19, 1945
Burmese opposition activist, Suu Kyi, was under house arrest for fifteen years for her pre-democracy campaigning. She was released in 2010 as the result of an international campaign to set her free. She received the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1991 and used the 1.3 million dollar prize money to establish a health and educational trust for the Burmese people. She is the First and Incumbent State Counselor and Leader of the National League for Democracy. Her majority win in Myammar's was the first openly contested election in twenty-five years in 2015. Her win came five years to the day since her release from house arrest.
"In societies where men are truly confident of their own worth, women are not merely tolerated but valued." - Aung San Suu Kyi
Benazir Bhutto - June 21,1953 - December 27, 2007
Benazir was the eleventh Prime Minister of Pakistan and the former leader of the center left Pakistan Peoples Party. She was the first woman to lead a Muslim majority nation. She lead it twice before being killed in a suicide attack in 2007. During her reign, she ended military dictatorship in her country and fought for women's rights.
"Democracy is necessary to peace and to undermining the forces of terrorism." - Benazir Bhutto
Michelle Obama - January 17, 1964
Michelle is a lawyer, writer and the first African American First Lady. She became a role model for women, and advocate for poverty awareness, nutrition, physical activity and healthy eating during her time in the White House.
"There are still many causes worth sacrificing for, so much history yet to be made." - Michelle Obama
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As women or social activist, it is our responsibility to make a difference in the world we live in. Yes, many changes are being made globally, but what about the little things in our backyards. Age and education should not be the forces that stand in our way. We have voices that need to be heard. We have mothers, sisters, aunts, daughters, friends, etc. who need to be lead so that change can begin to be made. Dr. King may have had a dream, but I do, too. I want to lead, inspire, motivate, and be a role model for others. How about you?
