Kendra Brea Cooper
Being 'influential' has many different meanings in the digital age. In our new political climate, that meaning has yet another layer. Here is a list of women you should get to know, and follow on social media.
This woman needs no introduction. She's one of the most beloved first ladies of all time. She wasn't just a shadow in her husband's presidency, she was front and centre as a two-ivy-league-degree holder and force of nature. Some are calling for her to run for president in 2020!
Rupi Kaur is a poet and author of the bestseller "Milk and Honey". She is not only a voice in feminism, but her poetry hits so hard that people share it with each other constantly on paper and over social media. She has helped build emotional bridges between people through her perfectly placed words. Her poetry is how we connect, and it is what we need when we can't put a feeling into words for ourselves. It brings women together in a world that is trying to separate them.
Jazz Jennings is a transgender teenage girl who helped light the way for millions of trans teens. She started as one of the youngest trans figures to become famous, and continues to be an influential LGBTQ activist.
Tess Holliday is a model, business woman, and social media star. She's given us diversity in the modelling industry and a new view on body positivity. She has used her platform to be honest and raw about her experience as a mother and model.
Madeline Stuart took on the closed off fashion industry and made it to New York fashion week! She debuted her label, smashed stereotypes, and crushed ableism by giving us a more diverse runway.
The fight for water and land is the fight for life. Standing Rock was front page news for months, and under this presidency, we're at risk of losing it all. Indigenous women and their power must not be underestimated. Check out END OF THE LINE: The Women of Standing Rock.
Rowan Blanchard uses social media as her platform, and she isn't afraid to say what we need to hear. With tweets like "I think it's v bad when feminism gets painted as a goal/arriving place! Our feminisms should constantly expand&shift to bcome more inclusive", Blanchard clarifies intersectional feminism for her millions of followers and the world is better for it.
Amanda Gorman is the Inaugural LA Youth Poet Laureate. She has been called the "next great figure of poetry in the US." Poetry has become increasingly popular through social media, because words have power, and Gorman is here to give us chills. Don't underestimate the power of poetry in this political climate.
Brujas is the Latina skate crew out of the Bronx. They skate hard and encourage women of color to pick up a board and take over the park. They don't stop there. They have released a streetwear line that highlights the injustices of the prison system. Skate + Fashion+ Anarchism = A new way to take on the prison industrial complex.
Ava DuVernay has brought incredibly important stories to the screen. She directed the mind blowing documentary "13th" about the mega faults of the American prison, which highlighted the multiple injustices within the justice system. She is a cinematic voice we need to be listening to.
Pop culture and all that ideology sitting in the blind spot. Also crafts.
