Rosa Parks calmly demanding her rights on a bus in Alabama; Amelia Earhart bravely flying solo across the Atlantic Ocean; Clara Burton establishing the Red Cross; Kamala Harris representing her country as the first female Vice President of the United States—over the course of human history, women have taken on many a challenge not only for the betterment of women’s rights, but for the betterment of society.
This International Women’s Day we celebrate courageous women throughout history, the women in our own lives and even ourselves for the moments we show courage, strength and resilience in a way that represents this year’s theme: #ChooseToChallenge. We choose to challenge YOU to keep fighting, keep working, keep striving for a better tomorrow in whatever way you can, and we promise to do the same.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, we asked our team to share some of their favorite quotes from extraordinary women throughout history, including inspiring personal mantras, relevant and timely messages about equality and simply words to live by.
Personal Mantras
“Be messy and complicated and afraid and show up anyway.” — Glennon Doyle
As a fellow woman and advocate, I appreciate Glennon’s rawness and realness. This quote is a helpful reminder that things don’t have to be perfect—I don’t have to be perfect—to do whatever needs to be done. Even on the most chaotic and complicated days, I am enough. – Casey Dillon, Managing Supervisor
“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” – Judy Garland
Everyone should embrace what makes them unique. Be who you are and own it! – Michael Lisowski, Senior Manager of Government Affairs
“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I’m not going to be silent.” – Madeleine Albright.
Growing up, I’d wait for others to share their thoughts so I could agree with the one that best fit my perspective instead of proactively sharing my own opinion. It took a long time to find my voice, but after surrounding myself with uplifting men and women, I realized that my take on issues have value. Sharing my ideas has done wonders for my career and personal relationships, and I think more women should speak on their ideas earlier in life—because they’re probably really good ideas! – Erin Buckley, Account Supervisor
“You can be the lead in your own life.” – Kerry Washington
I love this quote because it’s an important reminder that we alone have the opportunity to live the life we have, so we shouldn’t turn down the lead role for our own lives. Sometimes it can be hard for me as a woman to step out of the supporting role and speak up to claim the star position, but especially on International Women’s Day, I encourage myself and others to shine! – Devon Atchison, Account Executive
CURAgeous Words of Wisdom
“To make life a little better for people less fortunate than you. That’s what I think a meaningful life is. One lives not just for oneself, but for one’s community.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg
An ambitious trailblazer and fearless advocate, no one lived their life more CURAgeously than the Notorious RBG. After dedicating her career to protecting women from discrimination in the workplace, she then stepped into public service, ultimately doing everything she could to protect the rights of those who had been left to the margins. If that’s not worth celebrating, I don’t know what is. – Alex Dinkel, Senior Account Executive
“Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true:
That even as we grieved, we grew
That even as we hurt, we hoped
That even as we tired, we tried
That we’ll forever be tied together, victorious
Not because we will never again know defeat
but because we will never again sow division” – Amanda Gorman
I was one of the nearly 34 million viewers who watched Amanda Gorman, the first youth poet laureate to recite a poem during a presidential election, take the stage on January 20, 2021, and become completely mesmerized by the message of unity and hope she conveyed in her poem “The Hill We Climb.”
Out of a shaky start to the new year came Gorman, red headband sitting atop her head like a crown, exuding a confidence and presence at the podium as a young Black woman using her voice to usher in a new age for America, and singlehandedly embodying the essence of International Women’s Day!
Gorman’s words transcended a message for our current political climate to encompass something much bigger and more transformative—a way forward for all of us, and a glimpse of everything we can strive to be as we come together to forge a new chapter for our country. – Anna Easterbrooks, Digital Marketing Manager
“We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.” – Abigail Adams
I personally love Abigail Adams and think that quote is pretty universal, it’s a reminder that applies to pretty much every time period of your life to take the opportunities to make change, even if it’s not the easiest choice. – Patrick Meade, Intern
“People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for.” – Harper Lee
I picked this quote because Lee was ahead of her time in juxtaposing complicated ethics with her illustrations of mundane Southern life. This quote in particular tells how our attitudes and preconceptions affect our views of the world around us, and it reminds me to keep being a seeker whenever I foolishly think I have the world figured out. – Andrew Wishon, Account Executive
