Read the stories of other women that have made an incredible impact on the world. Some you may know and some may surprise you!

Irena Sendler

Irena Sendler is known for her humanitarian work, most notably from the World War II era. She worked as a health care worker in Poland and was given permission to travel back and forth between the Warsaw Ghetto (at a time when Jews were forbidden to leave it). From 1942 to 1943 she smuggled an amazing 2,500 Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto, gave them false identities, and found temporary homes for them within orphanages, convents, and other Polish families. She even kept their real identities in jars that she buried in the ground.

In 1943 the Gestapo captured, imprisoned, and tortured her for her humanitarian efforts. But her spirit of courage could not be broken. She survived World War II and was later nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. Irena Sendler sadly passed away in 2008, but she will continue to inspire generations both now and in the future.

Sandra Day O’Connor

This powerful and influential woman is in a class all her own. In 1981 President Ronald Reagan appointed her to be the first woman jurist to sit on the American Supreme Court.

She enjoyed an impressive career as an active Supreme Court justice that lasted until she retired in 2006. Sandra Day O’Connor has paved the way for other women to sit on the Supreme Court, but she has also been a role model for countless young women around the world.

Billie Jean King

Nothing can knock out this leading lady of sports. The year was 1973, and Billie Jean King was up against champion tennis player Bobby Riggs in the game known as “The Battle of the Sexes”.

While many thought the woman tennis player couldn’t beat her male opponent, Billie Jean King proved them wrong. She won the match and went on to show women everywhere that female atheletes can be as tough as nails.

Alicia Keys

Mariah Carey, who? Alicia Keys is known for her musical talent, but this extraordinary woman uses more than just her voice to inspire others. She co-founded Keep a Child Alive – an organization that helps those suffering from AIDS and the orphans that are left behind. Not only has this group reached out to those in Kenya, Uganda and other African countries, but it has also stretched to India. With hope, it will continue to educate many others on the devastation that AIDS can bring.

 

Get Involved!

 Give to Alicia Keys’ Keep a Child Alive Charity

Buy Maya Angelou’s Autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Donate to Dr. Vandana Shiva’s Environmental Movement

Read More on Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign

Explore Angelina Jolie’s Field Missions with the UNHCR

Buy the Hallmark Hall of Fame Movie The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler

 

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