10 women who are changing the world
In March, we celebrated Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the endless contributions and sacrifices made by women throughout history to make the world a better and more inclusive place.
At DoubleShot Creative, we’re grateful to work with courageous, intellectual, and multi-faceted women every day. Our team draws inspiration from several female figures who influence everything from our creativity to how we carry ourselves as women. While that list could go on for miles, here are just some of the incredible trailblazing women we have looked up to during Women’s History Month and beyond.
Simone Biles
Olympic gymnast Simone Biles has paved the way for many aspiring female athletes across the globe. Tied with Shannon Miller as the most decorated gymnast of all time, Simone was also named to Time’s 100 Most Influential People List in 2021. In addition to her incredible athleticism and courage, Simone also made an impact during the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, where she stepped back from competing in the last few gymnastics events to prioritize her mental health.
This created room for more conversations regarding mental health, especially among athletes, and we applaud her for that. “She is using her mature voice and platform to share her personal journey of self-love, respect, and acceptance — Simone is wise beyond her years,” says 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams who contributed to Simone’s acknowledgment in the Times 100 list.
Chloé Zhao
Beijing-born director Chloé Zhao made history as the first woman of color to win an Oscar in 2021 for directing the American drama film Nomadland. Praised for her raw portrayal of genuine and authentic human beings, her film style brought a refreshing new perspective to the industry. Since her Oscar win, Chloé has gone on to make her Marvel directorial debut with Eternals film and has many more exciting projects in the works.
We applaud her talent and authenticity as she continues to inspire more women, especially of color, to grace the film industry with their vision and voices.
Lizzo
This talented singer, songwriter, rapper, dancer, and flutist has paved the way for female performers and shed new light on body positivity in the entertainment industry. Lizzo has quickly become a household name with her infectious energy and sense of humor. Her songs give people the space to celebrate self-love and acceptance.
In her new Amazon Prime Video series, Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, the singer searches for women to join the ranks of the Big Grrrls, her backup dancers on her tour. The series follows a group of plus-sized dancers fighting for a spot to join her on stage. Through this show, she hopes to open doors and create opportunities for those not given a fair chance because of how they look. “I’m really excited for the younger generations that are gonna grow up and see this and know that when they see a bigger woman dancing, that’s normal. That’s beautiful,” says contestant Sydney Bell.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
A force in the political world, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, or AOC, is redefining what it means to be a female leader. Being one of the very few women of color in politics, AOC has been the voice for the people while embracing her Puerto Rican background and femininity.
She is a role model for many showing that women in leadership can be vulnerable, powerful, emotional, resilient, and many other sides that make someone a human being.
Amanda Gorman
Amanda Gorman is a wizard when it comes to wordsmithing and storytelling. Her captivating writing style draws in her readers to see the world through her eyes. The Los Angeles native has written for the New York Times and three books forthcoming with Penguin Random House. Her words have won well-deserved invitations to speak at the Library of Congress, the Lincoln Center, and even the White House. Amanda’s most high-profile performance to date was when she became the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, sharing her poem The Hill We Climb during the inauguration of President Joe Biden in 2021.
Our team finds inspiration from the courage and humanity that can be translated through her work.
Emily Penn
Emily Penn is a South Wales-born skipper (captain of a boat) and ocean advocate dedicated to studying environmental challenges in the most remote parts of the planet. She is an international public speaker and advisor on issues relating to the ocean and future society. Amid her research, she discovered that plastic pollution is a woman-centered issue after testing for toxic chemicals in her bloodstream. “As a woman, having these chemicals inside your body when you’re pregnant is really bad news, and you can actually pass them onto your children when you give birth,” says Emily.
Between organizing the largest ever community-led waste cleanup from a small Tongan island and trawling microplastics on a voyage through the Arctic Northwest Passage, Emily founded the non-profit organization eXXpedition in 2014. Through a series of all-female research expeditions, she hopes to gather research to solve ocean plastic pollution.
We’re in awe of how much passion and dedication Emily has put into her ocean research, and we are rooting for her every step of the way!
Laverne Cox
Best known for her role in the popular drama Orange is the New Black, Laverne Cox quickly became a crowd favorite for her portrayal of Sophia Burset, a transgender woman waiting out her prison sentence for credit card fraud. The show touches on the struggles transgender women face, especially behind bars. Laverne is vocal in addressing the need for respect for people as they are, taking to social media to campaign through her posts. She is an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and is committed to spreading awareness.
Since OITNB, she has shined in other projects like Promising Young Woman and Inventing Anna. We can’t wait to see what other exciting roles she will take on in the future!
Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris made history as the first woman and first woman of color to become the Vice President of the United States. She was born in Oakland, California, to parents who emigrated from India and Jamaica. Growing up, Kamala was surrounded by a diverse community and extended family who instilled in her a strong sense of justice.
On January 20, 2021, the world watched as Vice President Kamala Harris was sworn into office, breaking the glass ceiling in politics. This significant event in U.S. history showed us that women have long earned a seat at the table and will continue to fight to have our voices be heard. Kamala recounts a lesson learned from her mother, “My mother would look at me and she’d say, ‘Kamala, you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you are not the last.’” We couldn’t agree more.
Megan Rapinoe
Soccer extraordinaire Megan Rapinoe is an inspiration to women in sports everywhere. Not only has she won numerous titles and competed with the national team in several Olympic Games, but she was also named FIFA’s Best Player of the Year in 2019. As a strong leader and talented player, Megan has an unapologetic outspokenness toward what she cares about and is an advocate for all. Her grit and determination show that it doesn’t matter who you are or what your background is, you have a right to go after your dreams and fight for what you deserve.
Fun fact: Our team got to see her speak in person (pre-pandemic) at the Watermark Conference for Women in 2020!
Greta Thunberg
Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg is best known for her moving speech at the U.N.’s Climate Action Summit in 2019 when she was only 16 years old. Her words resonated with the world as she urged leaders to take immediate action for climate change mitigation. Through her activism, Greta has been an influence not only on her generation but also on others. Her passion for climate action has been a symbol of hope to those who are fighting to save the planet. In 2019, Greta was named Time’s youngest Person of the Year.
Our team strives to prioritize sustainability as part of our philanthropy, and we will continue to look up to this incredible young activist to lead the way.
These are just a handful of the women we look up to every day. Even though Women’s History Month has come to a close, there is always a time to support and be inspired by our fellow female warriors!
Let us know in the comments who inspires you.
