International Women’s Month

Nobel Peace Prize winner, missionary, and Roman Catholic Nun, Mother Teresa, once said, “The woman is at the heart of home. Let us pray that we women realize the reason for our existence: to love and be loved and through this love become instruments of peace in the world.” There have been numerous women throughout history that have shown what it takes to be strong, confident, leaders. When thinking about what it means to be a strong and confident leader Eleanor Roosevelt, Malala Yousafzai, and Saint Teresa have all demonstrated what it takes. Each of these females lived very different lives, but they each left a legacy that all women should strive to follow.

Eleanor Roosevelt was the wife of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR). While FDR often receives praise for his outstanding job as President, many are unaware of the groundbreaking role that Eleanor played as First Lady. Eleanor Roosevelt served as the First Lady during World War II, which was a fragile time in America. FDR was elected president in 1932 and served four terms due to the status of the country. Eleanor took her role as First Lady during the Great Depression very seriously and pushed for policies that would help women, children and the poor deal with unlikely situations. When FDR died in 1945, it was tragic for Eleanor, but it did not halt her humanitarian efforts. She continued to fight for women’s rights and remained true to the values she believed to be most important. Eleanor was an icon for a long period of time, but she was also a scapegoat for those that opposed what she so boldly stood for. Sadly, she passed away at age 78 in 1962, but her legacy has long been remembered. She has ultimately set the example for all First Ladies to follow.

Another woman that devoted her life to serving others was Saint Teresa, otherwise known as Mother Teresa. In October of 1950, Mother Teresa started an organization called The Missionaries of Charity. The goal of this organization was to love and care for the people that lived in some of the worst living conditions possible. When she was awarded the Nobel Peace prize she spoke and said, “I think that we in our family don’t need bombs and guns, to destroy, to bring peace—just get together, love one another, bring that peace, that joy, that strength of presence of each other in the home. And we will be able to overcome all the evil that is in the world.” Mother Teresa was not serving in order to receive praise and awards, she was serving because she loved people. She valued every single life she passed by and was never hesitant to serve. In 2016, she was canonized and declared a saint by Pope Francis for her exceptional service and humanitarian work. Mother Teresa did not have to work a prestigious job or perform on the world stage to leave a lasting impact not only women, but the entire world.

Malala Yousafzai is one of the more recent female figures that has impacted the world. She is well known for speaking out on behalf of girls in Pakistan and their right to earning an education. In Pakistan, the Taliban were working hard to take over different cities, Malala’s hometown being one of them. Because she spoke out and gained support against Taliban efforts, she was shot in the head on the bus home from school one day. Malala miraculously lived and continued fighting for the education rights of all girls in Pakistan. She not only spoke out for education opportunities for girls, but she traveled to different countries to meet with girls from all different backgrounds in hopes to help them reach a better lifestyle. Today, the Malala Fund serves as an organization that uses education to encourage and empower girls to become strong confident leaders in their own communities.

These three women are only a mere representation of the number of notable female figures that have stood as empowering leaders for all women to look up to. March is a month that has been devoted to the celebration of International Women’s Month. Figures like Eleanor Roosevelt, Saint Teresa, and Malala Yousafzai provide great examples for the kinds of loving and compassionate leaders that all women are called to be.