It’s March 8th, so you know what that means! Happy International Women’s Day! For the record, we should celebrate the achievements of our peers every day and not just when it’s one of these “one-off” holidays.

Anyway,  since it is International Women’s Day I think it’s appropriate to highlight 5 of my favorite women who, without a doubt, run shit. This list isn’t in any particular order, but please believe everyone on this list has the utmost respect from yours truly!

Michelle Obama

I know I said this list isn’t in any particular order, BUT….. Of course, I had to start this list off with our forever first lady, Michelle Obama. Talk about a f*cking boss bruh.  Michelle has taught us sooooo much. From promoting a healthy lifestyle to curving the bs we face by going high when others go low. Michelle has been a guiding light for all of us, regardless of gender and age. For more insight into this beautiful woman’s life, I’d highly recommend buying her bestselling memoir, “Becoming,” where she opens up about her life before, during and immediately after making political history with her husband Barack Obama.

Tarana Burke

One word or I should say hashtag… #MeToo.

Despite what Hollywood may try to spin to the mainstream, this Bronx, New York native is the founder of the “Me Too” movement — initially coining the phrase in 2006 (way before the advent of social media hashtags). Considered a “silence breaker,” the sexual abuse survivor has become a staunch advocate for victims’ rights with a keen focus on working with Black women and girls.

Issa Rae

You know I couldn’t leave my girl Issa Rae off the list! If you didn’t know, Issa is a producer and actress, most formally known for her work surrounding Insecure (2016), and The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl (2011). Issa has helped usher in a new wave of unapologetically black entertainment, while simultaneously acting as a role model for little “awkward” black girls around the world.

Malala Yousafzai

If you don’t know who this young woman is, buckle the fuck up bruh. Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani education advocate who, at the age of 17, became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize after surviving an assassination attempt by the Taliban. Yeah you read that right. The Taliban came for her bruh. Why? Well, Yousafzai became an advocate for girls’ education in Pakistani when she herself was still a child. Of course, the Taliban didn’t like that shit, so in efforts to silence her, they began issuing death threats against her and her family. On October 9, 2012, a gunman shot Malala in the head and neck on a school bus when she was traveling home from school. She survived the shooting and since then has continued to speak out on the importance of education. In 2013, she gave a speech to the United Nations and published her first book, I Am Malala. In 2014, she won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Rounding off this list is a fucking BOSS. No cap, in 10 years she’ll be our next president. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is by far the most polarizing politician this country has seen in decades. If you didn’t know, AOC is the U.S. Representative for New York’s 14th congressional district since January 3, 2019. Before her entrance into public life, she was a true activist for the people and fought hard to advance the rights of marginalized communities. Since joining the House of Representatives, Ocasio-Cortez has become a leading member of the Democratic Socialists of America. Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib are the first two members of the group in Congress. She advocates for a progressive platform that includes Medicare For All, a federal jobs guarantee, a proposed Green New Deal, abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, free public college and trade school, and a 70% marginal tax rate for incomes above $10 million.

So there you have it! 5 women, I hold to the highest levels of respect! These women are WAY larger than just one day, but I couldn’t let this day pass without shouting them out for the amazing work they’ve done, and continue to do.

Feel free to let me know your thoughts below. Did some of these women make your list? Since I wanted to keep it short I left a few of my icons off like Angela Davis off 😦 Nonetheless, women gave birth to this place we call home, so I hope you spend the day appreciating the women in your life!