Back in middle and high school, history was one of my better subjects. My classmates and I learned about many powerful people: Ceasar, Alexander the Great, George Washington, Joan of Arc, and Cleopatra to name a few. And as I look back on these history lessons, I notice something: most of the powerful people and leaders I learned about are all men. And while my teachers did talk about women in history, it was still His-story. I can count on one hand the women I learned about in middle and high school. So, in this article, I'd like to discuss Her-story; powerful women that lead and made an impact on the world around them. Past, present, and future.

Past

In the early 16^th century, there was a woman by the name of Grace O'Malley (also called Gráinne). She was born in County Mayo, Ireland in 1530, and from the time she was a child, Grace knew she wanted to be a sailor. But there was a problem, her father and other members of her clan didn’t want her to be a sailor—it was a man’s world after all. Determined to do what she wanted, Grace cut off her hair, dressed like a boy, and boarded her father’s ship. This earned her the nickname “Grainne Mhaol” or Bald Grace. Amused by her actions and determination, Grace’s father, Owen O’Malley allowed her to go on voyages with him. When Grace got older, she became the leader of the O’Malley clan and grew her estate into a fleet of ships. And in her later years, she developed a reputation as a fearless leader when battling alongside her crew. It is said that while on a voyage with her crew, Grace gave birth to her youngest son, Tibbot. The next day, Turkish pirates raided her ship. Furious and tired, Grace stormed onto the deck waving a gun and rallying her men. The pirates fled. Some years later, as the English were trying to take over the Irish lands, a Sir Richard Bingham proved to be quite the match against Grace. He captured Grace and was prepared to hang her up until her son-in-law volunteered to be a hostage. Bingham released Grace, but continued to take her cattle and possessions, leaving her penniless. Then in 1593, during a time of Irish rebellion, Bingham arrested Grace’s son Tibbot and her brother Donal-na-Piopa. Rather than writing letters to the Queen of England for help, Grace boarded on of her ships and traveled to Greenwitch Castle to see the Queen in person. The only known recording of this meeting is a few versus of a song

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During Grace's visit, the Queen declared that Tibbot and Donal would be freed and her lands returned to her. And while her lands were never returned to her, Grace still made an impact as a leader.

Present

In one of my classes last semester, I learned about a young woman by the name of Malala Yousafzai. She was born on July 12th, 1997 in Swat Valley in Pakistan. And like her father, Malala held a passion for learning and attending school. So when the Taliban started tightening its grip on Swat, Malala started writing a blog for BBC Urdu under a pseudonym about the increasing hold the Taliban held and her fear of her school being attacked. In one such blog she stated "I was afraid going to school because the Taliban had issued an edict banning all girls from attending schools." And even after receiving death threats Malala and her father continued to speak on the right to education. This was in 2009.

Then, on October 9th, 2012, a masked man boarded the bus Malala and some of her friends were taking to school and called Malala by her name. The man shot her and two of her friends. While Malala survived the initial incident, she was in critical condition and treated in a hospital in Birmingham, UK. She was discharged from the hospital in January 2013.

Even after getting shot by the Taliban, Malala continued to speak and advocate for the rights of education for girls. With her father, Malala co-founded the Malala Fund. Then, in 2014, she received the Nobel Peace Prize and used the prize money to finance a secondary school for girls in Pakistan. Before she even turned 19, Malala has already made an impact on the world, and will no doubt continue to do so as she fights for girls' education.

Future

The future of this world rests in the hands of the children, the newest generation. And while we are carrying the world handed to us, working to improve it, we are being watched by the future. Children imitate and copy much of what we show them: from how we treat the barista at the cafe to how we tie our sneakers. With this in mind, and with how school is about to resume, it is important to teach them the importance of studying and imagination and patience. Because once they grow up and we are all zooming down halls in bedazzled wheelchairs, they'll be the ones leading and making a difference in the world. So, show them how to hug before they hit and how to love before they hate. Make it a better world for them to improve upon.