As an intersectional feminist lady, I’ve always loved to learn about women and how we’re changing the world as each new milestone is passed and as each new success is achieved. Of course their achievements aren’t my own just because we’re both female, but it’s just very inspiring to see women crossing boundaries as they’re set before them.

Of course there are way too many incredibly, successful women to recall or even count here. So, I just created a short list of some accomplished ladies that really stood out in my memory and should stand out in yours, too:

Chimamanda Adichie

I discovered this author and inspirational speaker through a Ted Talk I watched as research for a feminist project. Adichie wrote several novels including “Americanah” and “Half of a Yellow Sun,” both I widely recommend. One of her speeches, “We Should All Be Feminists,” was to be given out to all sixteen-year-olds in Sweden last year (which was based on that same Ted Talk I watched for research!).

It’s probably no surprise that I idolize this woman for both her eloquence when describing what it means to be a feminist and for her accomplishments that will continue to inspire women everywhere. It’s almost embarrassing, but I admit, I’ve done the whole look-to-your-shoulder-for-an-angel-thing and often I imagine it’s Miss Adichie just reiterating the same mantra I often already find myself asking, which is: “what would Adichie do?”

Also, I feel I should mention that if I’m doing the whole look-to-your-other-shoulder-for-a-devil thing, I imagine it would be Kim Kardashian. Not because she’s evil or anything mean like that, but just because I like to believe that she would lead me through any mischief I’m trying to manage effectively.

Okay, next up:

Staceyann Chin

Now, this lady, she is a total poetic bad*ss. She is unapologetically honest in her spoken-word about what it means to be a woman. She’s also a LGBTQ+ and political activist. For some reason, I had been looking up spoken-word for days and stumbled upon her as she delivered at a University poetry slam. One that really stuck with me was a poem she wrote describing her first period.

She’s also written a memoir called, “The Other Side of Paradise,” (which I also recommend) where she describes her life growing up with her grandmother in Jamaica. Chin’s obligation to activism also makes her a major inspiration to others alongside her openness regarding her sexuality. In short, Staceyann Chin is super-duper amazing and also, super-duper inspiring.

Malala Yousfzai

This Pakistani woman is very memorable, historical even, for her activism in education. In 2012, Malala nearly became a martyr on her way to school one morning. Thankfully, she instead continues to fight for others to gain an equal opportunity for education. On days that I felt reluctant to go to class, I remembered Malala’s almost fatal fight for her own right to education and immediately felt very lucky to be able to attend school. She’s also the youngest Nobel Prize Laureate achiever.Yousafzai is a definite go-to-gal for incite regarding encouragement and inspiration, especially to women still fighting for their right to attend school.

Audrey Hepburn

Does "Roman Holiday" ring a bell? Fun Fact: it was the first non-Disney film I sobbed over. Just thinking about it brings back the tears all over again. Audrey Hepburn was the first actress to win an Academy Award through this film made in 1953. She also played in "Sabrina" (1954), but maybe the newer version is more familiar to you, where Humphrey Bogart is traded in for Harrison Ford.

As time passed however, Audrey Hepburn dedicated more and more of her time to volunteer work in the poverty-stricken areas of South America and Asia. As an ambassador to UNICEF (United Nation’s International Children’s Emergency Fund) she worked tirelessly as a humanitarian until the end of her life.

Hepburn still acts as an inspiration to humanitarian’s working to help children in need of medication, food, and shelter today.

Julia de Burgos

Burgos was a Puerto Rican born poet who, after attending school, eventually lived in New York as a journalist. Her poems contained strong feminist themes, therefore she is awesome. She was also a strong activist for Puerto Rican Independence. Not only this, but she also acted as a strong civil rights leader in the United States. She celebrated herself for who she was and encouraged others to do so, even while discrimination was rampant against people of color. In fact, she can be quoted, “Ay, ay, ay, I am black, pure black; kinky hair and Kaffir lips; and flat Mozambican nose.” When I read this, I attempted to sing it to the tune of Beyonce’s “Formation.”

Hopefully, these women invoked inspiration in you. Of course you shouldn't be inspired to be successful just because one day someone could write about you and all of your accomplishments. Do the success that makes you most happy, even if it's something so small only the people around you will remember it. And even so, maybe that success will spring inspiration in your closest friends, and so on, and so on, like a big old success tree.