#GirlPowerMonth: Women Who Inspire Me Vol. 4!

Now, there are many influential women throughout history, but the one that has most inspired me is Queen Elizabeth I. In a time of patriarchy, religious revolutions, and political unrest, Queen Elizabeth not only united her kingdom, but also ushered in a Golden Age for Britain. During that time, it was very unlikely for a woman to be a strong leader--especially if she was born from a scandalous marriage, but Queen Elizabeth had the courage and intelligence to secure political power and become one of the most popular monarchs in English history.

Though her rule was during the gruesome years of the Protestant Reformation, she promoted religious tolerance and peace among her subjects. With political tension from France, Ireland, and Spain, Elizabeth kept her country strong and powerful by standing up to foreign threats and encouraging nationalism. She is credited as one of England’s greatest war victories against the famous, fearsome Spanish Armada. She herself rode out into battle against the Spaniards to fight alongside her men.

Queen Elizabeth always put duty and the needs of her people before herself. Despite discrimination, she managed to uphold  her beliefs and governing techniques. She avoided the pressure from her council to marry and ruled completely on her own. She claimed that she was married to her country and people.  For this reason, she is now known as the Virgin Queen.

She was a great leader because she was brave, tolerant, charismatic, confident, and strong, and that is why I admire her so much.  But women of history aren't the only ones who inspire me, I am also inspired by many women today.

A woman of today who inspires me is Malala Yousafzai. I believe she is the bravest person in this modern era, and she is only sixteen years old! At age 11, she began a blog for the BBC describing her life under Taliban rule and promoting women’s rights and education in the Middle East.  The New York Times even filmed a documentary about her life and her views! After the documentary aired, the activist Desmond Tut

In 2012, upon entering a bus, Yousafzai was shot three times by an assassin trying to silence her for promoting education for women. Pakistan and its Islamic community were intent on keeping her alive, despite the Taliban continued to try to kill her and her father. However, the attempt on her life inspired international support for Yousafzai. She started promoting education for all children worldwide. She won the first Pakistani National Youth Peace Prize and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Although she did not receive it, she was the youngest woman ever to be nominated. 

u nominated her for the International Children’s Peace Prize.

Yousafzai continues to promote her message for universal education, despite all of the danger. Young, smart, incredibly brave, and strong, this woman and her cause truly inspire me.

The fact that there are still so many problems in the world today inspires me to be a leader. My goal as a leader is to make long-lasting, positive change, just as Queen Elizabeth and Malala Yousafzai have done. The desire to eliminate disease, war, poverty, hunger, and many other issues we face makes me want to help those in need and promote love and peace.

Katie is a senior in high school. She has been involved with Girl Talk since she was in middle school and is now a Girl Talk Leader! She also the president of Girl Talk's National Teen Advisory Board. Katie became involved with Girl Talk in order to inspire women of all ages.

#GirlPowerMonth: Women Who Inspire Me Vol. 3!

A woman in today's world that inspires me is Oprah Winfrey. She struggled and suffered through adversity, but in the end she became a voice of influence. No one could have predicted that Oprah would have become a household name when The Oprah Winfrey Show debuted in 1986. But after a 25-year run, Oprah’s impact spread globally because of her media philosophy, philanthropy, and honesty.  She used her voice to make a change by dominating the daytime talk show competition, which opened the door for more women to grab hold of the mic and host their own shows.  Her determination and hard work throughout her career to make a positive change in the world is why she is such an inspiration to me.

Oprah’s work and livelihood has given me a desire to work in broadcasting and media. I would love to make a positive impact someday by working in that career field.

Julie is a student in high school and is on Girl Talk's National Teen Advisory Board. She hopes to empower young girls in her community. Julie loves being in Girl Talk because she is inspired by helping others and she is able to learn from successful women in today's working environment.

#GirlPowerMonth: Women Who Inspire Me Vol. 2!

A woman that I admire from history is Eleanor Roosevelt. Her poise and dignity as a First Lady was so inspiring! Her quotes are also so inspirational and I think she is a wonderful role model and strong woman because of her ability to have compassion and connect with others.

I currently admire is current First Lady Michelle Obama. The poise she carries with her is very vibrant. She appears to be a phenomenal mother and wife. I think of her as a strong woman because as I can only imagine it is a tough job being the First Lady of the United States, especially while remaining true to herself in the midst of her husband's work and criticism. She also takes time to encourage healthy life styles which is something to admire as well.

Knowing that there are so many problems in the world that people want to be fixed, inspires me to be a leader today. It makes me want to stand up to the issues and be one of those people who help make the world a better place to live in, like what Eleanor Roosevelt did in the past and what Michelle Obama is doing now.

Amber is a senior in high school and is a Girl Talk Leader in her community. She got involved with Girl Talk because she wants to provide inspiration to all.  She believes that the lessons she has learned in Girl Talk will help her become a great leader of tomorrow.

#GirlPowerMonth: Women Who Inspire Me Vol. 1!

There are many women in history who have inspired me to work hard, but one who stands out to me is Princess Diana of Wales. When people think of a princess they think of someone who sits around and gets waited on all day, but Princess Diana was far from that. The Princess worked with many charities, which changed many people’s lives. She worked with AIDS patients and supported many philanthropic campaigns. She also worked to ban landmines, which saved the lives of many people.

Princess Diana was there for many hospital openings, which helped her relate to the everyday person. She was the Princess of Wales and her husband was in line for the throne, but people felt a innocent, friendly vibe from Diana. All in all, I look up to Princess Diana because even though she had everything that she ever needed, she still found the time to help those who were less fortunate around her. 

Serena is in the tenth grade and is a member of Girl Talk's National Teen Advisory Board. She wanted to get involved with Girl Talk in order to leave a positive impact on girls in her community.