Iron Lady Liberia

She has carved a pathway where other young, old, married, or single black women have a direction where they can follow her lead to unimaginable distances.

This world is in need of heroes, big or small, to change the world and make it a better place for the future. Nelson Mandela in South Africa, Harriet Tubman in America, and Malala Yousafzai in Pakistan, rose up in their society from the support of their advocates to the hero by changing something in the world and inspiring others to fight for a cause. Even though these individuals fought to enact change in this world for different causes, they all worked to make it a better future for others.

How can one person, whom most people have never met, influence the lives of people in the world today in such positive ways? Oprah Winfrey has been able to persuade and inspire many people around the world today because she has simply believed in herself and the good of the people. Oprah once said, “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life because you become what you believe” (Lowe 170). The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Angel Network, and Oprah’s Book Club have been some of the most indoctrinating pieces of work by Oprah. Moreover, these creations have been the ultimate techniques Oprah has used to reach out to the people of the world. Oprah Winfrey, one of the most influential, dynamic, and powerful women of today’s

She has risen from a poor background and was ranked the richest African American of the 20th Century, the greatest black philanthropist in American history and was once the world’s only black billionaire. She is also known as the most influential woman in the world, both older generations and young.

Although African women continue to make solid progress in becoming part of the political scene, there are limitations associated with this progress. More African women are beginning to enter the political landscape and are making great strides in influencing policies that favors the advancement of women.

One of the most influential and inspirational women of all time was Rosa Parks. By one action she helped change the lives of a majority of African Americans and more importantly society as a whole. Rosa Parks sparked the attention of America when she refused to settle for the black (lower class)standards. Not only did she help change the lives for many African Americans but she helped equality for all men and women in the United States. By one brave women our world will be forever thankful.

Have you ever wanted to make a change in the world we live in? Malala Yousafzai, Mother Jones, and Nelson Mandela all saw problems with the world they lived in, and they all enacted change to do something about it. Malala wanted to fight for women’s education rights, Mother Jones fought for better child labor laws, and Nelson Mandela fought for life without racial prejudice and oppression in South Africa. Although these three individuals faced opposition, they persisted to bring attention and enact change to the issue of human rights.

Another amazing African American women leader and voice for her feminist activist audience was Sojourner Truth who spoke from within

Across cultures and throughout history, women have experienced ongoing systemic oppression; and they have responded with progressive movements of protest and creative alternatives. Harriet Tubman in the fight against slavery: Fannie Lou Hamer for voting rights: Ella Baker and Mary White Ovington in the civil rights movement: Rosa Luxemburg in the German socialist movement: Winnie Mandela in the anti-apartheid movement: Puerto Rican independence leader and poet Lolita Lebron: and American Indian movement activists Anna Mae Aquash, Ingrid Washinawatok, and Winona LaDuke (Mink and Navarro). Women have pioneered in movements for labor rights, prison reform, reproductive rights and health, education, affordable housing, affirmative action and equal rights, human rights, and environmental safety. These women’s leadership styles span a range from soft to harsh, from wielding individual, hierarchical power to possessing a commitment to collectivism, and from identifying as “woman as caretaker of life” to woman as requiring and utilizing equal power to man. There is no one characteristic that applies to all women as social change leaders (Hurtado).

discussed. One can sense her urgency for the unity of black people and how her past experiences

Hillary R. Clinton once said that “There cannot be true democracy unless Women’s voices are heard” (conference in Vienna, Austria 1997). That very brilliant quote relates to a very strong woman by the name of Maya Angelou. Angelou is “America’s most visible black female autobiographer and speakers” (scholar Joanne M. Braxton). She is known for her speeches, poems, and books, but what stood out to me the most was her 1993 inauguration speech when Bill Clinton was sworn into the White House. Ironically, in her poem “On the Pulse of Morning” Maya Angelou uses clear rhetoric, prehistoric metaphoric images, and inspirational concepts to alert her audience to treat the world differently.

Society continues to nurture these depriving situations and demonstrate lack of concern towards black women by not celebrating them for the roles they played in the movements. Taylor (1998) asserted that, “despite the fact that the most celebrated leaders of the modern civil rights movements were men, African American women participated at every stage in the struggle for justice and equality” (239). Although black women were not in public eyes during these movements, it was their vision and organizing roles they played that helped in the progression of many liberation movements.

Furthermore, women went from being submissive to being influential. Women have changed the world. We have some of the most powerful and influential women, who have contribute to shaping our society, for example, Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey. For instance, Oprah uses TV to help the lives of many Americans; her book club attracts millions of readers and because she is a benevolent billionaire, she gives a lot of money to charity. Oprah also built an all girls school in South Africa to give the underprivileged girls in South Africa a chance to purse a higher education. Oprah Winfrey’s Leadership Academy for Girls indicates that, “when you're

The world is never going to stay the same; it’s always changing and encountering new problems and discoveries. Along with the changes in the world, people change as well, but the reason why is often not found. Many people change because of the environment they are in and what’s currently going on in society. Women over the last few decades like Malala, Anne Frank, and Audrey Hepburn have been able to make a difference in society due to many factors like Women’s Rights, Democratic Restoration along with Poverty and Starvation from Nazi invasions.

In today’s day and age one of the most influential women and people is Oprah Winfrey. Oprah has had a big impact on today’s society and played a huge role in advancing it. Oprah Winfrey is a talk show host, producer, actress and philanthropist who are widely respected around the world. By becoming one of the biggest names in talk show history Oprah has paved the way for others and became one of the more popular women in talk show history. Her willingness to help others and to be sure others are guided in positive light shows how much passion she has to see the greater good in others. Oprah’s biggest role comes from helping to pursue the advancement of young women and girls. Oprah has taken the time to see to it that young women are out of poverty and opening up a brand new school for underprivileged females to see to it that they have the same opportunity that children in America and other parts of the world have. Being that African- Americans, let alone women were not seen as marketable, Oprah helped to change this dynamic early in her career by using her platform in communication to open doors for other people. Winfrey’s work over a number of years is the single most evident reason why she has been able to be successful in the field of mass communication. Oprah is one of the most influential women of our time because of how well she is able to contribute to the human rights of women and advancing them in today’s society.