As we all know, February is Black History Month and to celebrate the wonderful occasion I am going to list the top 5 most influential black women today. These women have made it their duty to help other women and people of color with everything they do, leaving their mark on the world. I am positive that in the future our great grandchildren will be reading about them in their history books. Little girls of color everywhere will continue to look up to them for generations to come.
Beyonce
“The most alluring thing a woman can have is confidence.”
Where should I start when it comes to the Queen B herself. Let’s just say there’s a reason why she holds the crown. Not only is her music iconic and transcending, but Beyonce’s attitude towards life inspires people to feel and act to their highest potential. She is proud to show off all her curves and is not afraid to put someone who deserves it on blast. Beyonce is the embodiment of female power and she expresses that power through her lyrics and elaborate performances.
Janet Mock
“Sometimes people try to destroy you, precisely because they recognize your power—not because they don’t see it, but because they see it and they don’t want it to exist.”
As a transgender advocate, Janet Mock uses her journalism to share the stories of trans women everywhere including her own. Knowing how hard it is to be a trans woman in America, Monet also started the movement #GirlsLikeUs and #TransBookDrive to create an online community where other LGBTQ+ members could feel safe about expressing themselves and get access to books.
Serena Williams
“Luck has nothing to do with it, because I have spent many, many hours, countless hours, on the court working for my one moment in time, not knowing when it would come.”
Not only is she a mother, but Serena Williams is also a hardcore, black athlete that worked her ass off to earn her 39 Grand Slam titles, 4 gold medals, over $84 million dollars in prize money, and 186 consecutive weeks ranking No. 1. The Amazonian powerhouse refused to let anything get in her way despite the constant remarks reviewers made about her untraditional body type as a tennis player. She used those hateful comments to fuel her desire to get stronger and shut them all up on the court with her talent. Serena proved that you don’t have to have a specific body type, have a special background, or have approval from others to be the best. If you want something, all you have to do is work hard and get through the obstacles that life throws at you.
Amandla Stenberg
“I want to see more Black creators. I want a place for Black girls to exist within art and fashion and all components of pop culture. Black kids need to be told that they’re capable of so much.”
As a young, black actress in Hollywood, the star of The Hate You Give, has never hesitated to speak up about injustices toward black people. This includes the whitewashing epidemic that has plagued America teaching young black girls to hate their skin, facial features, and hair. After enduring this hate for so long, Amandla had had enough and decided to use her platform to change the game. She would no longer conform to white society’s beauty standards and decided to embrace her natural look, frizzy hair and all. Her goal was to inspire other black girls to accept and love themselves. Stenberg also represents hope for black women due to her role in an industry where very few women of color thrive.
Michelle Obama
“There are still many causes worth sacrificing for, so much history yet to be made.”
From the moment Michelle Obama walked into the spotlight, she was a force to be reckoned with. Not only did she campaign against child obesity, but she also encouraged people to focus more on the health and education of children because she believes they are the future. She saw a problem with our country and tackled it head-on; this led to the expansion of healthy school lunches everywhere, children going outside to play, and pushing people to get their degree no matter how old they are. Michelle is an amazing figure and it isn’t a mystery as to why many Americans wish she ran for president, but who knows? Maybe someday in the future, she’ll change her mind and the United States would finally get the 1st female president they deserve.