Today on March 8th we celebrate International Woman’s Day. A global day that celebrates the many achievements of women all over the world as well as rallies for women’s equality. This day has been recognized for over a century. This year’s theme is #ChooseToChallenge. This year I choose to acknowledge 10 badass women in the industry today. I could go on and on but I picked the 10 who have made some kind of impact on my life in some way. No matter how big or small. I believe that all these women are beyond strong and hold a solid place on earth. As do all of us women. Not just today, but every day we should be uplifting and supporting each other. Happy International Women’s Day!

1. Aaliyah

Iconic American singer, motion picture actress, model, and accomplished businesswoman Aaliyah Dana Haughton, lost her life too soon at the age of 22. She was a brilliant singer and an even more beautiful person. I was only born in 1997 but I was lucky to be surrounded by 4 other siblings who introduced me to her music. My all-time favorite song by her is If Your Girl Only Knew, which went double platinum! Her beauty, talent, charm, and hard work will never be forgotten.

2. Issa Rae

This woman is the definition of badass because not only did she write her own web series, but she also produced and starred in it! She created the viral web series, The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl on Youtube. This was my first introduction to Issa. Producers and networks told her that there would be no television audience for black kids in college resulting in her pitch always being denied. This series went on to win a Shorty Award for Best Web Series and put Issa on the Forbes “30 under 30” list.

3. Kaya Scodelario

Born in the UK but still true to her Brazillian Roots, Kaya was approved for her first main role on Skins just at the age of 14. Her character Effy Stonem made quite the impact getting her nominated twice as Best Actress at the Tv Quick Awards. One of the reasons I love the character so much is because we struggled similarly with our mental health. She later went to take on many popular movie roles like The Maze Runner. Apart from her successful acting career she also did modeling, landing her spots in huge magazines like Vogue!

4. Lupita Nyong’o

This Mexi-Kenyan actress is not all beauty but brains too. Before getting her movie role in 12 Years a Slave, Lupita had enrolled in the Yale School of Drama to get her master’s degree. You all probably know her for her leading roles in hit movies like Black Panther but she also wrote a lovely children’s book called Sulwe about a girl who loved her midnight skin. Lupita stays true to her roots and is apart of the Luo tribe back in Kenya. She is also fluent in 4 different languages. Swahili, Luo, English, and just enough Spanish. How fascinating is that?

Did you know Lupita appeared in an MTV series about sex, dating, and love in Africa? 

5. Nancy Ajram

Nancy is a very popular Lebanese singer who stole my heart just when I was a young girl. I took a class in belly dancing where I was able to discover her wonderful voice. Before making it big she was originally on a Lebanese reality TV show. She has sold over 30 million albums and received numerous awards!

6. Rihanna

An Island gal like me also known as Robyn Rihanna Fenty, this businesswoman, actress, and singer has done many big things. I give her a lot of praise because she’s been through so much. Her tragic assault has been resurfacing the internet and I was able to read her report for the first time in my life. As a child, I didn’t fully understand how awful of a person Chris Brown was. I now look at Rihanna with the utmost respect especially with how far she’s come. Rihanna released her first successful album at the age of 17. She now also has her own successful beauty line, Fenty, and lingerie line, Savage x Fenty. She is also the founder of The Believe Foundation and the Clara Lionel Foundation.

7. Alicia Keys

The insanely talented Alicia Keys has left her beautiful voice in our heads for decades. She began playing the piano at the age of 7 and writing her songs by age 14. So far she has 15 Grammy wins under her belt and has sold over 40 million albums. She too has a children’s book called Blue Moon which is co-written by Jessica Walton. Another impressive move for Alicia is getting an “An Oprah Book” imprint in her first released book, Moor Myself.

8. Kesha

Kesha Rose or as we know her with the infamous dollar sign, Ke$ha is an American singing sensation. She has left her mark starting with a feature on Flo Rida’s “Right Round” which she did not get the proper credit for. However, she did move on to have two number one hit singles of her own! I was lucky enough to see her in person and it was such an entertaining concert! Kesha’s mother, also a strong woman co-wrote the 1978 single “Old Flames Can’t Hold a Candle to You” made popular by Dolly Parton.

9. Shonda Rhimes

I think we all know at least one of the masterpieces this producer, screenwriter and author has released. She is the brains behind hit shows like Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy, Bridgerton, and How to Get Away With Murder. She even wrote The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. She’s received awards like the NAACP Image Award and a Golden Globe. Quite the accomplishments right?

10. Jameela Jamil

This British actress, radio personality, model, writer, and activist is not afraid to stand up for what’s right. She created a platform called I Weigh to ultimately raise awareness about social issues and mobilize activism. She fights for others but she was also brave enough to share her struggles with low self-esteem, accidents, and eating disorders and how she had to fight these hard battles. Aside from that her charm and witty personality was first seen on The Good Place, where she played the role of Tahini. This was also her first acting job, ever! Go Jameela!

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As always, thanks so much for reading! Questions, comments, and feedback are always welcome. If you enjoyed this post, please comment, like and share! Make sure to check out my Instagram; @tianiangela_ and my latest video on YouTube💋