5 Modern Women to Celebrate This Women’s History Month

March is Women’s History Month and while there are many incredible women in history to celebrate, I want to spotlight a few modern women worth admiring in real time. Not everyone is going to agree with my list, but for me, each of the following women stood out.  We shouldn’t overlook their  accomplishments  in 2021 either. 

Kim Kardashian. She may be known for reality TV and high-drama relationships, but  Kardashian has proved herself  a competent, well-reasoned woman who is using her incredibly large platform for justice. In 2018, Kardashian greatly helped push through a clemency for Alice Marie Johnson, who was serving a life sentence in jail for a nonviolent drug offense. Since that win, Kardashian continues to push for major criminal justice reform by visiting with governors & legislators. She advocates for a number of  prisoners and she even contributes to legal bills for some of them. On top of that, she’s studying to become a lawyer, planning to take the bar exam in 2022. Some still roll their eyes when they hear of Kardashian, but that’s unfair. She’s showing women you can love your make-up and clothes, all the while effectively advocating  for the issues you believe in. 

Governor Kristi Noem. During the COVID pandemic, Noem has taken a different path than most leaders. Despite immense pressure to shut down businesses and churches like the rest of the country, she tried to  balance the mental and physical health of her citizens with the state of the economy. She stood firm in her leadership to make decisions she felt would best represent the needs and desires of citizens. In December, she noted that South Dakota provides residents with the science, facts and data, and even pleaded with her citizens to“take personal responsibility for their health, the health of their loved ones, and — in turn — our communities.” 

Noem also argued, “The state hasn’t issued lockdowns or mandates. We haven’t shut down businesses or closed churches. In fact, our state has never even defined what an ‘essential business’ is. That, quite simply, is not the government’s role.” 

Plenty of people disagree with her choices, but in a state where suicide is the second leading cause of death in people ages 18-34, considering the mental health and livelihood of residents wasn’t likely a light decision to make. 

Serena Williams. Not only is she an incredible athlete, and empowering women with her wins and hard work alone, she also advocates for maternal mortality since experiencing the traumatic birth of her daughter in 2018. After undergoing a C-section, having a pulmonary embolism and then a hematoma, and a swelling of clotted blood in her abdomen, Williams was lucky to be alive. For CNN Williams wrote about the CDC’s data showing that black women are more than 3x more likely to die from pregnancy or child-birth related causes. Outside the United States, in poor countries, the maternal and neonatal mortality rate is even worse. 

These days, her Twitter profile reads “Olympia’s mom,” despite her insanely impressive athletic record. Williams’ focus on black maternal mortality is  a needed spotlight. Her prioritization of motherhood is something else we can celebrate. 

Jennifer Garner. We may be toasting some A-listers today, but Garner deserves it. After living  through a very public divorce with Ben Affleck, Garner has never lost her girl-ish charm, or humor. She’s known for her “Pretend Cooking Show” on Instagram, and goofy online videos. She’s never without a smile and hasn’t uttered a negative word about her ex-husband, who has infamously battled alcoholism. Garner famously drove him to rehab in 2018 and has appeared nothing but supportive in the time since. 

In the past several years, she’s started an organic, baby food company that is accessible to lower income families. This is a passion of hers after growing up in West Virginia. She keeps her kids out of the spotlight, but her fun, inclusive spirit, along with the clear respect and support she’s shown for the father of her children is to be admired. 

Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. The newest member of the United States Supreme Court faced tough scrutiny during her  confirmation process last year. She approached her confirmation hearings  with grit and grace, often with  her 7 children watching. Despite criticism of her religious convictions and concerns about her stance on abortion, Barrett was able to secure the nomination and make history as one of the few women on the Supreme Court. Her legal accomplishments and ability to reach the highest levels of the Court with her principles in tact are admirable and worth celebrating!

American women are at a better place in history than they’ve ever been before. There may still be some challenges to overcome, but the younger generation has no shortage of incredible role models in every space to look as they navigate the future. 

Watch: Ericka Andersen interviews Kelsey Bolar of the Independent Women’s Forum on Women’s History Month.