Who runs the world? Girls!
March is National Women’s History Month. This month of recognition highlights what women are capable of and how their skills have shaped history.
This year’s National Women’s History Project theme is to remember the women who promote peace and nonviolence. Through media or charity work, these celebrities put in the work to fight for a better tomorrow.
Angelina Jolie
What truly makes Jolie’s work memorable is her direct interactions with refugees who have been displaced and have personally experienced the damages. With her work and positions with the United Nations and Goodwill, it’s admirable how she uses her fame to give light to situations.
Jolie, in her 2009 World Refugee Day speech, discussed how everyday citizens are suffering in war torn countries from the aftermath.
By shining a light on these situations, the damages of war were brought to the attention of the larger public.
Beyonce
After years of “Queen Bey” fans waiting for new content, everyone was taken by surprise in 2016 with the sudden drop of her album “Lemonade.” Following that, an open letter about police brutality and the “Formation” music video with strong imagery was released.
What Queen Bey highlights in her open letter is how black communities are calling attention to police brutality. She calls her fans to take action by contacting officials about the injustices being done to people of color.
Even in the face of said injustice, Beyonce still inspires with imagery of black excellence.
Audrey Hepburn
The iconic looks and movies of Hepburn heavily impacted the media of her time and made her a classic. But, the luxe looks of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” weren’t always Hepburn’s life. After returning to the German-occupied Netherlands, young Hepburn helped resistance fighters during World War II by donating or working with fellow rebels.
Hepburn’s personal life is noted in the “Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II,” the trauma of her uncle’s death by the Nazis leads to Hepburn helping those in disaster relief programs. Months prior to her death, her charity work earned her the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Emma Watson
Watson has moved from making bullies throw up slugs to explaining why women’s rights are everyone’s concerns. During the #HeforShe campaign, Watson spoke out about reasons that feminism shouldn’t be a bad word.
After facing backlash from online users about her white feminism, Watson, instead of denying or ignoring such accusations, took a look at herself and her beliefs. In an email to members of her book club, she recognized that her feminist view doesn’t support all women but only herself – which is not what Watson wanted.
What is magical about Watson is her willingness to learn how best to bring equality for everyone.
Eva Longoria
This “Desperate Housewives” actress isn’t just known for her skills on film and in television. She has also acquired a masters degree in Chicano Studies that sparked the Eva Longoria Foundation. The foundation is now an uplifting organization for Latina women.
After learning about Chicano culture, she used her platform to politically and economically inspire Latinos to move forward in their lives. By Longoria fighting for women’s rights and encouraging Latinas to take leadership roles, she hopes that there will be a chain reaction on empowering Latino communities.
With the education she’s helping to provide there can be changes in the workforce and in higher education.
Without these women putting in the work and educating the world on prevalent issues, there would be less progress done in favor of citizen’s rights and fighting injustice. Their impact is recognized this month, as it should be every month.
