International Women’s Day; a global moment of celebration, recognition, and reflection. I’m part of an active book club, and the current read was in light of this Day. I must admit; this story moved me. As I flip through the pages of The Women by Kristin Hannah, a novel that explores the forgotten stories of women during the Vietnam War, I can’t help but draw parallels between the characters in the book and the countless real-life women whose accomplishments have gone unnoticed throughout history.
The novel paints a vivid picture of a time when women were not seen as heroes, inventors, or leaders. Their courage was real, their efforts critical, and yet their recognition nearly nonexistent. Reading it reminds me how different my own journey has been.
As a woman who has led organizations, built impactful strategies, and driven change at the executive level, I’ve always operated from a place of independence and innovation. Leadership hasn’t felt like a privilege; it has felt natural. But that’s only possible because of the path carved by generations before me.
What struck me most is this: women didn’t suddenly become capable.
We’ve always had the drive, the intellect, and the vision. The issue wasn’t ability, it was visibility. History overlooked women’s contributions. Society minimized their achievements. And in some cases, deliberately erased them.
Today, we see more women in boardrooms, in politics, in science, in technology, and in leadership. But make no mistake, this isn’t a sudden evolution. It’s the world slowly catching up to what has always been true.
Honoring the Women Who Came Before Us
On this International Women’s Day, while we celebrate progress and look toward the future, let’s also take a moment to honor the women who came before us:
- The trailblazers whose names history forgot
- The quiet revolutionaries who challenged norms in small but significant ways
- The persistent voices that refused to be silenced
Because without them, many of us wouldn’t have the opportunities we do today.
True Equity Goes Beyond a Single Day
In my honest opinion, we don’t need a designated “Day” to validate women’s value. Equity will only be real when we no longer need to label it. When we recognize leadership without prefix. When we reward talent for what it delivers, and success for what it achieves -regardless of gender.
So yes, today we celebrate. But tomorrow, and every day after, we keep pushing forward.
Because women were always strong. Always brilliant. Always capable.
The world is just finally seeing it.
InternationalWomensDay #TheWomen #Leadership Equity Progress