As March draws to a close, I’ve been thinking about the women whose courage influence the way I move through the world. Women who refused to shrink, who chose truth over comfort. Women who remind us that leadership is not a title but a daily practice.

There are so many more women who inspire me but for now, a few, or we would be here all day.

This blog is not just a celebration of their achievements. It is an invitation to pause, reflect and recognise the powerful ways women influence our lives. Their stories offer lessons in resilience, honesty and self-belief that any of us can carry into our own journeys. Whether you are navigating your career, finding your voice or simply trying to live with more intention, these women have something to teach us.

1. Radical Authenticity – Millie Odhiambo

“Good girls never get the corner office. Be as bad as Millie Odhiambo.”

Millie Odhiambo

Millie Odhiambo’s fire is unmatched, she speaks with a clarity that cuts through noise and a boldness that refuses to be dimmed.

A Kenyan politician, she pushes back “polite” or “appropriate,” with bold, direct and unapologetic. Her now‑famous line wasn’t a quip, it was a declaration. A reminder that authenticity is not rudeness but clarity and purpose.

Millie shows us that being labelled “difficult” in systems designed to silence you can be a form of power. Visibility and speaking up matters. Also sometimes disruption is the spark that forces change.

If you’ve never come across Millie before, do a quick search online!

2. Emotional Intelligence – Michelle Obama

“When they go low, we go high.”

Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama reminded many of us that dignity is not weakness, it is discipline. She showed that leadership can be firm and compassionate at the same time. Her grace under pressure reminds me that strength does not always need to roar. Sometimes it simply stands tall and refuses to be moved.

Emotional intelligence is not passive; it’s intentional and incredibly powerful.

3. Reclaiming Your Voice – Maya Angelou

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou’s story began in silence. After surviving childhood trauma, she stopped speaking for nearly five years. Yet in that silence, she found language through books, poetry and the encouragement of a teacher who helped her rediscover her voice.

From dancer to activist to global literary icon, Maya transformed pain into art. Her memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings changed what storytelling could be. Her life is proof that healing begins when we refuse to hide our truth.

Her voice reminds me that storytelling is how we make sense of the world and how we help others make sense of theirs.

4. Choose Action – Emmeline Pankhurst

“I would rather be a rebel than a slave.”

Emmeline Pankhurst

Emmeline Pankhurst never asked politely for equality, she demanded it. The suffrage movement was bold, imperfect and often criticised, but it shook the foundations of British society.

Her famous line was not meant to soothe. It was a wake‑up call. A reminder that justice rarely arrives through silence or patience. Every small act of courage today continues the work she was part of.

5. Kind Strength – Jacinda Arden

“I no longer have enough in the tank.”

Jacinda Arden

Jacinda Ardern’s resignation in 2023 surprised the world because it was honest. Not a scandal, not a defeat but simply a woman acknowledging her limits.

Her leadership blended compassion with decisive action, guiding New Zealand through crises with humanity at the center. Her departure was a lesson: stepping back isn’t failure. It’s wisdom. It’s boundaries.

It’s choosing sustainability over self‑destruction.

6. Silence Enables Oppression – Malala Yousafzai

“When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.” – I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban.

Malala’s activism began quietly, writing anonymously about life under Taliban rule. The attempt on her life was meant to silence her instead it amplified her voice across the world.

Malala shows us that bravery doesn’t need age, status or safety.

One voice can shake an entire system.

7. Essential Discomfort – bell hooks

“The moment we choose to love we begin to move against domination. The moment we choose to love we begin to move toward freedom.”
— bell hooks

Before most people spoke about intersectionality, there was Gloria Jean Watkins. A sharp minded Black woman from Kentucky who chose the pen name bell hooks after her maternal great grandmother, deliberately lowercase to remind us that the work should always take centre stage and not ego.

She taught that real change is rarely comfortable. It asks us to question what we think we know and to face the truths we would rather avoid. For her, honesty was an act of love and love itself was a path to freedom.

From a segregated town in Kentucky to Stanford University on scholarship, bell hooks challenged every room she entered.

She wrote boldly about race, gender and class. She taught in major universities while insisting that learning should be accessible to everyone. She built a body of work that pushed people to think more deeply about justice and about love.

A few moments that shaped her legacy

• She wrote Ain’t I a Woman at nineteen, reshaping feminist thought.
• She taught across leading universities while keeping her writing open to all.
• She returned to Kentucky to create a centre for community learning.

If this is your first time hearing her name, I urge you to explore her work. It has a way of meeting you where you are then nudging you somewhere braver.

We can all play our part

A friend once asked me what my “quote” would be if I were included in a piece like this. I didn’t have an answer then… and maybe that’s the point. These iconic lines weren’t crafted for fame. They were everyday responses to real moments. We don’t need perfect words, we just need to make a difference even if it’s a small drop in a very large pond.

• Stay curious.
• Ask questions.
• Challenge old stories.
• Make room for new ones.

And most of all, keep speaking, acting and choosing courage in the ways only you can.

Which woman has shaped your courage or leadership?

Thank you for reading!