Join us in our #PledgeforParity

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

Today, Tuesday, March 8, is International Women’s Day (IWD). Since the 1900s, it has been a day to celebrate the economic, political, and social achievements of women and to address the global issues that directly affect them. This year’s IWD theme, “Pledge for Parity” (#pledgeforparity), urges men and women to take action in order to achieve worldwide gender parity.

If you haven’t seen today’s Google Doodle that celebrates IWD, take a moment to view the moving video that features women from across the globe completing the sentence, “One day I will…” Among the beautifully diverse group of women in the video are young female activists Malala Yousafzai and Muzoon Almellehan who provide the final statement, “One day we will see every girl in school.”

In celebration of IWD, Princeton Magazine recognizes some of the female leaders that have graduated from Princeton University. Symbols of female empowerment, these individuals continue to advocate for women in education and beyond. It is important for young girls and women to have role models that have shown their strength and determination to prove that women can and will fight for their seat at the table, and how something as simple as looking into Hobbies for women or showing an interest in a certain subject has put them on a pathway to important and impactful careers.

Michelle Obama: U.S. First Lady, Lawyer

“No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half of its citizens.” (www.bustle.com)

Queen Noor: Queen of Jordan, Philanthropist/World Activist

“… I’ve seen it around the world, in the poorest countries and in countries riven with conflict, … It is women who are the key to breaking out of poverty, breaking out of stagnation. … It’s women who can contribute to achieving real security — not bombs and bullets and repressive governments.” (www.thinkexist.com)

Andrea Jung: Canadian-American, Business Executive, Non-Profit Leader

“Women are clearly the major consumers in far more than just female categories. It doesn’t matter whether it is purchases of cars, cosmetics, or even products for men, female consumption power is the leading consumption power in the world. Any company that overlooks the woman as the decision maker is making a huge mistake.” (www.brainyquote.com)

Lauren Bush Lauren: CEO and Founder of FEED

“Follow My Lead – FEED.” – (FEED 2015 Holiday Campaign urging others to follow her mission to give back)

Ellie Kemper: Actress, Comedian, Writer

“I’ve never had prejudice against me because of being a woman in comedy, I’ve never felt any sort of unfairness because of that – but I do think it is naive to think that it doesn’t exist.” (www.brainyquotes.com)

Meg Whitman: CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Chairwoman of HP Inc.

“I have been asked so many times about being a woman in a man’s world, and about how I dealt with sexism in the workplace. My short answer is that mostly I focused on delivering results…Eleanor Roosevelt once said that no one can make you feel inferior without your consent…” (Excerpt from Whitman’s book, The Power of Many: Values for Success in Business and in Life)

Sonia Sotomayer: Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S.

“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.” (www.brainyquote.com)