March 8 is International Women’s Day, a day to honor women’s amazing achievements and move closer to a world where discrimination and bias don’t stand in the way of their shine.
Here at The Root, we thought it was the perfect time to celebrate the Black women out here leading the charge and making change in politics, sports, entertainment and more. These Black women have embodied everything International Women’s Day is all about.
Best known for her role as Olivia Pope in the hit drama, Scandal, Kerry Washington was the first African-American woman since 1974 to headline a network TV drama series. The award-winning actress and producer is also known for her political advocacy. A strong supporter of Barack Obama, she encouraged Democrats to get out and vote in a speech at the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
Susan Rice is a Domestic Policy Advisor in the Biden Administration. A Rhodes Scholar with decades of policy experience, Rice plays an important role in the development of the President’s domestic policy agenda working on key issues including health care and racial equity.
Television personality, actress and entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey is the definition of a boss. She propelled herself from hosting a local television talk show to becoming one of the most powerful women in entertainment and the person everyone wants to talk to.
While the world waits to see if Serena Williams is ready to hang up her racket for good, she’s already left a tremendous impact on the sport. With 23 Grand Slam singles titles, Williams has more under her belt than any other player in the game.
Politician, activist and author, Stacey Abrams has been a tireless activist for voting rights, not just in her home state of Georgia, but across the country.
Worth nearly $1.5 billion dollars, Rihanna is America’s youngest self-made billionaire woman. Along with a successful music career, she’s also a boss in the business world, with a beauty and fashion empire that includes Fenty Beauty, Fenty Skin and Savage X Fenty.
Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones is the creator of The 1619 Project, an initiative from The New York Times Magazine, designed to explore the legacy of slavery in the United States. She is also the founding director of the Center for Journalism & Democracy at Howard University.
The first Black female Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris is focused on some of the most important issues our country is facing, including voting rights and women’s reproductive rights.
After a series of Republican appointments, Ketanji Brown Jackson made history as the first Black woman Supreme Court Justice.
At just 33-years-old, actress, producer, writer and comedian Quinta Brunson has made her mark on Hollywood. In just two seasons, her hit show, Abbott Elementary has already racked up plenty of awards, including three Emmy Awards and three Golden Globes.
Astronaut Jessica Watkins made history as the first Black woman to complete an International Space Station long-term mission.
Award-winning writer Amanda Gorman is the youngest inaugural poet in history.
Award-winning writer, showrunner and producer, Shonda Rhimes has created some of the hottest shows on television, including Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and Bridgerton.
A member of President Biden’s COVID task force, Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett led a team of scientists that helped create Moderna’s vaccine.