In honor of Women’s History Month, 10 women at State High shared a snapshot of a woman who inspires them daily. Their voices showcase the lasting impact of women that continues to shine far beyond one month.

Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks ignited a civil rights movement across the United States after refusing to give up her seat on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama, to white passengers. Her resistance sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, where Black people refused to use public transportation to protest segregation laws across America.

“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right,” Rosa Parks said.

Through one courageous act, Parks changed the future of civil rights. “She fought for rights no matter what other people said. She opened the world to everyone fighting for rights,” sophomore Brielle Freeman said. “It teaches young people to follow what they believe and not follow the majority of the crowd.”

Kim Mulkey

Kim Mulkey achieved a milestone no other coach has in men’s or women’s basketball: winning a National Championship as a player, assistant coach, and head coach. As the head coach of Louisiana State University’s women’s basketball team, she helped redefine the role of women in sports. 

“I am a woman in sports. I coach girls lacrosse. I always am rooting for and love to see girls coaching girls, women coaching women. I think that it is an unmatched and irreplaceable relationship in sports. For a really long time, and sometimes even today, women feel like they do not have a seat at the table, and they do not have a spot in sports,” social studies teacher and girls lacrosse coach Madison Miller said. “Kim Mulkey is changing that. She has really instilled a sense of confidence, intensity, and aggression in her players that is just so admirable. Young girls involved in sports or extracurricular activities can look to Kim and know they can make a name for themselves in an environment where maybe they do not feel as welcome.”

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is best known for her songs “Cruel Summer” and “Shake It Off,” but beyond her thoughtful songwriting and captivating performances, she has built a career defined by record-breaking success. She holds the record for the most Album of the Year Grammy wins, her “Eras Tour” was the highest-grossing tour of all time, she received an honorary doctorate from New York University, and she was recognized as TIME’s 2023 person of the year.

“I think it is really easy to focus on her music, her dating, and her breakups. I think it is important to recognize and separate that she is a smart business woman. She is doing huge tours,” sophomore Lilly Hammond said. “It is important to recognize that you are not what everybody always thinks you are. Not everyone will be able to see your full potential, but you are allowed to put it out there.”

Simone Biles

In the middle of the world’s biggest athletic event, Simone Biles, an American gymnast with 11 Olympic medals, stepped out of competition to focus on her mental health. Her decision inspired athletes that prioritizing mental health is just as important a skill as competing. 

“I am an athlete, so I face a lot of mental struggles when I play. I think seeing her story and how she has to also overcome mental battles at her age and at her skill level shows that everyone faces them, and it is okay to take a break and step back,” sophomore Elin Fry said. 

Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama, the first black First Lady of the United States, used her time in the White House to launch initiatives to eliminate childhood obesity, encourage students to continue education beyond high school, empower girls’ education, and support veterans and military families. Obama reflected on her accomplishments and life experiences in her memoir, “Becoming.”

“When we raise the bar for ourselves and have faith in our own abilities, we can achieve more than we ever thought possible,” Michelle Obama said on the “IMO Podcast” with Dawn Staley.

“My mom looks up to her, and she reads her books. I feel like, because she made such a big difference in my mom’s life, I also began to look up to her,” senior Ava Black said. “Having confidence in yourself and who you are is especially important for women and young girls.”

Cassey Ho

What started with a pilates video posted on YouTube, Cassey Ho turned her passion for fitness into a global movement focused on spreading confidence among young women through workouts. 

“At first, I just knew her as this fitness YouTuber, but then she really inspired me once I found out that she was also an entrepreneur, as well, being that I do not know many Asian American entrepreneurs out there,” sophomore Olivia Li said. 

Ho launched POPFLEX, an athletic appeal brand, in 2016, focused on her thoughtful and unique designs. More recently, Ho launched Blogilates, an affordable apparel line exclusively for Target.

“Being such a person in a minority audience within a larger community is truly an inspiration for me as someone who is also Asian American, as an inspiration point for going and continuing in the business world by pursuing entrepreneurship,” Li said. 

Amelia Earhart

After attending a flying exhibition and taking her first flight, Amelia Earhart discovered a passion that would lead her to become the first woman to fly solo and nonstop across the United States. “As soon as I left the ground, I knew I myself had to fly,” Earhart said. Earhart set her mind to a future in the skies. 

“She chased her dream and proved everyone who doubted her wrong. It inspires women across the world to achieve their dreams and strive for greatness, even when others do not think we can,” sophomore Caitlin Moeller said. “Do not listen to the people who want to discourage you, because you can do anything if you set your mind to it.” 

Friedl Dicker-Brandeis

Inside Terezín, a Nazi concentration camp and ghetto, where little creativity existed, Friedl Dicker-Brandeis taught secret art classes to children at the camp as a way for them to process their emotions. She smuggled art supplies into the camp, offering students an outlet in unimaginable times. 

“She created an escapism for kids and dealt with the hard situation. The more I read about her, and the more I like look through the art that was created there, you really think about the importance of mental health, taking care of your people, and making the best of whatever situation you are in,” librarian Ellen Stolarski said.

After the war, the artwork was brought to the Jewish Community in Prague and is now displayed at the Jewish Museum of Prague.

“Everyone has an issue they care about. Everyone has hard things they are going through. There are a lot of mental health struggles, and figuring out how to take things that you care about and use them to refill your emotional battery [is important],” Stolarski said. 

Gabby Douglas

American gymnast Gabby Douglas’ Olympic success was not solely defined by her talent, but by her work ethic that propelled her to the top. As the first Black person to win an Olympic individual all-around title, Douglas’ achievement reflects her determination to excel at the highest level of athletic competition.  

“From seeing her old Olympic competitions, she seems like a very determined person. I can try to have the same work ethic that she does,” freshman Abby Szymanski said. 

Jodi Picoult

30 novels later, Jodi Picoult is a prolific author who has tackled a variety of topics, including abortion, racism, and the Holocaust. 

“She is not afraid to tackle the hard topics. She writes about a lot of really heavy topics. I think that she is really brave in what she is willing to write about,” English teacher Kara Corman said. “She also inspires me to be brave as a teacher. There are a lot of times when it can be scary to approach certain topics in the classroom, but I think seeing not only her success as a writer but also how she is able to touch so many different people with her writing. It inspires me to hopefully do the same with my students.”

Still Making History 

“For such a long time, women have been put in secondary positions in so many environments. By celebrating International Women’s Month, we are taking the power back, and we are establishing ourselves as we can do this, and we should do this,” Miller said.

A woman does not need to be famous or well-known to make a difference. The stories shared throughout this article showcase how each woman, in her own way, continues to uplift and inspire State High students and staff. Their stories are be a reminder to recognize the impact of women around us and to spread that inspiration forward.