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On International Women’s Day 2023, We’re Honoring Amazing Black Women

Today is a day to honor Oprah Winfrey, Stacey Abrams and Shonda Rhimes and other Black women who are out here doing the damn thing

March 8 is International Womenโ€™s Day, a day to honor womenโ€™s amazing achievements and move closer to a world where discrimination and bias donโ€™t stand in the way of their shine.

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Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?

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 Womenโ€™s Day is all about.

Kerry Washington

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 05: Kerry Washington attends the 5th American Black Film Festival Honors: A Celebration of Excellence in Hollywood at 1 Hotel West Hollywood on March 05, 2023 in West Hollywood, California. Photo: Getty Images Rodin Eckenroth

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

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 24: White House Domestic Policy Adviser Susan Rice speaks on President Bidenโ€™s announcement of student loan debt forgiveness during a White House daily press briefing at the James S. Brady Press Room of the White House August 24, 2022 in Washington, DC. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre held a daily press briefing to answer questions from members of the media. Photo: Getty Images Alex Wong

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 Presidentโ€™s domestic policy agenda working on key issues including health care and racial equity.

Oprah Winfrey

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 26: Oprah Winfrey attends the Los Angeles Red Carpet Premiere Event for Huluโ€™s โ€œThe 1619 Projectโ€ at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on January 26, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Getty Images Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

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.

Serena Williams

Photo: Getty Images Aaron J. Thornton

While the world waits to see if Serena Williams is ready to hang up her racket for good, sheโ€™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.

Stacey Abrams

Stacey Abrams, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Georgia, speaks during an election night rally in Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Photo: Getty Images Dustin Chambers

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.

Rihanna

GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 12: Rihanna performs at halftime during Super Bowl LVII between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, February 12th, 2023 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. Photo: Getty Images Adam Bow

Worth nearly $1.5 billion dollars, Rihanna is Americaโ€™s youngest self-made billionaire woman. Along with a successful music career, sheโ€™s also a boss in the business world, with a beauty and fashion empire that includes Fenty Beauty, Fenty Skin and Savage X Fenty.

Nikole Hannah-Jones

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 01: Nikole Hannah-Jones speaks during The 1619 Project: Exclusive Screening & Pop-Up Exhibit launch party at The GRAMMY Museum on February 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Getty Images Timothy Norris

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.

Kamala Harris

US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the Arvada Center for Performing Arts in Denver, Colorado, US, on Monday, March 6, 2023. Harris discussed the Biden administrationโ€™s investments to combat climate change and efforts to build a new clean energy economy. Photo: Getty Images Michael Ciaglo

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 womenโ€™s reproductive rights.

Ketanji Brown-Jackson

CUTLER BAY, FLORIDA - MARCH 06: Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson speaks during street renaming ceremony for her in Miami-Dade County on March 06, 2023 in Cutler Bay, Florida. Justice Jackson is the first black woman to sit on the Supreme Court and the first Supreme Court Justice from Miami-Dade County. Photo: Getty Images Joe Raedle

After a series of Republican appointments, Ketanji Brown Jackson made history as the first Black woman Supreme Court Justice.

Quinta Brunson

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 05: Quinta Brunson attends the 2023 Writers Guild Awards West Coast Ceremony at Fairmont Century Plaza on March 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Getty Images Amy Sussman

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.

Jessica Watkins

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 14: In this handout provided by NASA, NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins is helped out of the SpaceX Crew Dragon Freedom spacecraft onboard the SpaceX recovery ship Megan after she, NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren, NASA astronaut Robert Hines, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, landed in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, Friday, Oct. 14, 2022. Lindgren, Hines, Watkins, and Cristoforetti are returning after 170 days in space as part of Expeditions 67 and 68 aboard the International Space Station. Photo: Getty Images Bill Ingalls

Astronaut Jessica Watkins made history as the first Black woman to complete an International Space Station long-term mission.

Amanda Gorman

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 05: Amanda Gorman attends the 65th GRAMMY Awards on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Getty Images Amy Sussman

Award-winning writer Amanda Gorman is the youngest inaugural poet in history.

Shonda Rhimes

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 12: Shonda Rhimes attends the 74th Primetime Emmys at Microsoft Theater on September 12, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) Photo: Getty Images Frazer Harrison

Award-winning writer, showrunner and producer, Shonda Rhimes has created some of the hottest shows on television, including Greyโ€™s Anatomy, Scandal and Bridgerton.

Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 30: Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett poses for a photo during 2022 Massachusetts Conference For Women at Boston Convention Center on November 30, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo: Getty Images Marla Aufmuth

A member of President Bidenโ€™s COVID task force, Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett led a team of scientists that helped create Modernaโ€™s vaccine.

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