1. Tarana Burke
She founded the original “Me Too” campaign 10 years before the hashtag went viral. Tarana works with victims of sexual assault and is a survivor herself.
2. Carmen Yulin Cruz
The mayor fought for the people of San Juan. After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, she was hands-on with relief efforts and vocal about what she called an inefficient federal response.
3. Ilhan Omar
She’s the first female Somali-American U.S. legislator. The 34-year-old mother of three was elected a state representative of Minnesota with 80% of the vote. The former refugee is only the 2nd Muslim American to be elected to state legislature.
4. Cardi B
She’s the first female solo rapper in 19 years to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart with her hit “Bodak Yellow”. She’s one of just 5 female rappers ever and the first person of Dominican descent to snag the #1 spot.
5. Golriz Ghahraman
New Zealand's first refugee MP Golriz Ghahraman fights for human rights. She fled post-revolution Iran at age 9. Golriz Ghahraman became a human rights lawyer who has spent her career defending vulnerable communities.
6. Sofia Myhre
Sofia Myhre was tired of wearing skirts to school. So she got the rules changed. She said, “I felt more comfortable wearing shorts. I just felt more free.” Sofia’s mom helped her take matters into her own hands. Now all public schools in Western Australia will give girls the choice to wear pants or shorts.
7. Aida Kasymalieva
Kyrgyzstan’s youngest MP Aida Kasymalieva is fighting bride kidnapping. Close to 1/3 of brides in the country are taken against their will. She says. “many people say it is a tradition, but it is not a tradition to steal a girl without her permission.” A champion of Dine traditions.
8. Layla June
Layla June turned down Harvard Business School to relearn her native way of life. That began with renouncing the term “Navajo”, a name the tribe says was given by outsiders. She said We’re trying to address the feelings of emptiness that a lot of Native youth have, and the social issues that they deal with on a daily basis.
9. Betty Reid Soskin
She’s the oldest career national park ranger in the U.S. At 96 years old, she has no plans to retire. She says. “I’m so aware that I’m living in my last decade. But that I get to spend it this was as a ranger is such a privilege."
Keep crushing it ladies!