From artists and editors to writers and creative founders.
Women should be celebrated each and every day. However, it’s only right to shower womanhood with a *little* extra love when the calendar marks International Women’s Day, the 8th of March. This day, we want to empower and embrace the soul-shaking sisterhood women share.
Over the latest years, there has been an increased (and much-needed) focus on diversity and gender rights. And this is largely thanks to the many strong women who are working hard and tirelessly to make lasting changes.
This International Women’s Day, we’ve talked with eight inspiring women from all over the world who all have inspiring stories to share concerning gratitude, sources of inspiration to thoughts on today’s society. Keep scrolling for eight strong portraits of eight strong women.
In this article
Q: Who are you? And what is your profession?
My name is Bella! I love the sea and being connected to nature whenever I can. I love to walk instead of drive. I like to eat porridge in the morning and debrief the day with my roommate at night. I like to search for beauty, always…whether that be in people, work, a conversation, or the world around me.
My days are split up between moving in front of the camera, sitting at my laptop, or hashing out ideas with friends or clients on my phone.
Q: What are you grateful for right now?
I am most grateful for travel. I just got to spend a month away from home after not leaving for over two years. I didn’t know how much I needed it, I am feeling so inspired and energized.
Q: What makes you feel the most empowered?
Having friends around me who believe in me and vice versa. Also waking up early, same time every day. I like routine and always feel so empowered when I stick to it.
Q: Who do you admire?
I admire my parents, everything they have sacrificed, and the wisdom they pass on to both to me and my friends.
Q: If you could change/improve anything in today’s society, what would it be?
Comparison.
Q: What’s the way forward?
Love. Be kind and forgiving. Everyone is going through something, don’t be too quick to judge.
Q: What advice would you give young women today?
Love and accept who you are and who you are becoming.
Q: Who are you? And what is your profession?
Emma Kohlmann.
Artist.
Q: What are you grateful for right now?
Being able to live in a beautiful place and my health.
Q: What makes you feel the most empowered?
When I am able to travel and navigate the world by myself.
Q: Who do you admire?
I admire people who are able to stand up for what they believe in.
Q: If you could change/improve anything in today’s society, what would it be?
Everything. I think we need to start over.
Q: What mindset does society have for women?
I think there’s a belief that equality is no longer an issue despite clear power imbalances beyond gender, race, and class. I think the mindset is to take what you’re told, that’s enough.
Q: What’s the way forward?
Working on it every day. Advocating for those who can’t. Trying to undermine the systems at play.
Q: What advice would you give young women today?
I think a big part of art making is just doing it. Creating the ideas and making them happen. I think taking that risk will always benefit the maker regardless if it’s “successful” or not.
Q: Who are you? And what is your profession?
Greta Bellamacina – Poet, actress, filmmaker.
Q: What are you grateful for right now?
Being surrounded by nature, the trees blowing into my windows.
Q: What makes you feel the most empowered?
Finding the silent melancholic truths in things, collaboration, family, the rise and fall of dawn.
Q: Who do you admire?
I admire anyone who takes a risk of their heart. I admire work that is uncompromising and messy. I don't like things to feel entirely complete, I like incompleteness. The strength to be uncool. I admire anyone who creates, no matter how small.
Q: If you could change/improve anything in today’s society, what would it be?
To connect our bodies with our minds more.
Q: What mindset does society have for women?
That “women can do it all” – of course we can, but with it comes sacrifice, pain, and suffering. We need to be more honest about this.
Q: What’s the way forward?
We need to be kinder to ourselves and to each other.
Q: What advice would you give young women today?
To find a community of people who share a similar dream. To hold onto the dream no matter the timing. Hope is always closer than you think.
Q: Who are you? And what is your profession?
My name is Hannah, and I am a fashion photographer living in Los Angeles. Ever since I went freelance as a creative, I haven’t felt like my job is work…it feels too fun to be considered a task.
Q: What are you grateful for right now?
I’m very grateful for safety right now. We are seeing how fast people’s lives can change from war or natural disasters. I feel very blessed to be safe with my loved ones.
Q: What makes you feel the most empowered?
I feel the most empowered when I am creating something new or helping humanity in some way.
Q: Who do you admire?
I admire people who have lived through hell and still stay soft and caring.
Q: If you could change/improve anything in today’s society, what would it be?
I would end racism and war.
Q: What mindset does society have for women?
I think this depends on which society you’re referring to. Women have powerful roles in America today, but I think we still have a long way to go before total equality.
Q: What’s the way forward?
The only way forward is with love.
Q: What advice would you give young women today?
Be unapologetically who you are. Staying true to your identity and caring for the women around you is so important.
Q: Who are you? And what is your profession?
I’m Jennifer Atilémile. Most people see me as just a model – but I’ve got a double Master’s in International Relations and Journalism. I’m a writer, and I also see myself as a role model for the younger generation, so they know they can just be themselves and don’t have to conform to one kind of beauty.
Q: What are you grateful for right now?
I’m grateful for my health, and the beautiful community I’ve created around me.
Q: What makes you feel the most empowered?
Honestly, finally feeling like I’ve accepted who I am. And that that person can finally be confident navigating through the world.
Q: Who do you admire?
So many people I can’t even begin to name them. Basically, everyone that hasn’t given up when they were told they couldn’t do something.
Q: If you could change/improve anything in today’s society, what would it be?
I’d love for more women to have leadership roles, for more education opportunities to be given to young girls, and for everyone to just lead with more love and empathy.
Q: What mindset does society have for women?
I think we are in the midst of a really trying time – there’s a lot of people that are still trying to strip us of our autonomy, our dignity, and our rights, but we are very powerful when we work together – so I don’t think we will let that happen. I think we can be what we want, and do what we want, and I’m so inspired and excited for the next generation of women.
Q: What’s the way forward?
Putting women front and center – more opportunities like education, leadership etc. Standing up against the old, outdated patriarchal capitalist structures that keep us down and not advancing.
Q: What advice would you give young women today?
Never give up on your dreams. You’re stronger than you know. Trust your intuition – we have knowledge beyond what we can even imagine.
Q: Who are you? What is your profession?
Laura Brown, girl on the go. Journalist, editor, host - professional jazz hander. Last day job: editor in chief of InStyle.
Q: What are you grateful for right now?
That people trust me. I’ve been grateful for that for a while now. It means everything, on every level.
Q: What makes you feel the most empowered?
I’m actually not the greatest fan of the word “empowerment.” I prefer powerful. What makes me feel powerful is knowing my shit, knowing I earned my equity and knowing that I'm kind.
Q: Who do you admire?
President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. I wish he had never had to rise to this unconscionable occasion.
Q: If you could change/improve anything in today’s society, what would it be?
Inhumanity.
Q: What mindset does society have for women?
I think that question is too general: I’d say society can only benefit from women’s mindset.
Q: What’s the way forward?
Humanity!
Q: What advice would you give young women today?
Be curious, own your shit, be proud of what you make, and don’t insulate your own glass ceiling.
Q: Who are you? And what is your profession?
A hardworking mom who loves sports, planning, and planting my garden, and building a brand. The Spiderwomen.
I do everything from making coffee to lab dip color tests on textiles, sketching installations, traveling around representing Magniberg. It’s high and low and I love it. I’m an ex-florist and graphic designer who co-founded a bedwear company back in 2016.
Q: What are you grateful for right now?
That my family is healthy, and that our company is growing, and we're a great team. That we're building a universe with beautiful and long-lasting products. My upbringing and that my grandparents taught me so much as a child I have used for now.
Q: What makes you feel the most empowered?
That I’m free to say and speak my mind in a country that allows people to be who they are.
Q: Who do you admire?
My friends, Behnaz Aram, Sara Bourke, Kristina Gjesing and more… and Princess Diana, Annie Lennox, Michelle Obama, Christy Turlington.. and my mother.
Q: If you could change/improve anything in today’s society, what would it be?
I would like people to think less of themselves and instead think more about others. Be less greedy. Especially men with a lot of power.
Q: What’s the way forward?
Peace. Love. Equality. Democracy.
Q: What advice would you give young women today?
Believe in yourself. Don’t judge. Don’t stress. What you want to achieve, you will achieve. Don’t follow other’s path, walk your own. Be humble, one day it’s you…
Q: Who are you? And what is your profession?
I’m a human who tries to do my absolute best. I’m constantly evolving and learning new things and trying to be the very best version of myself. I’m a storyteller. I’m passionate about telling my character’s stories and also about seeing life through a different pair of eyes.
Q: What are you grateful for right now?
I’m grateful for being pregnant right now, I’m grateful for being healthy, and for being surrounded by good people who I love and who love me.
Q: What makes you feel the most empowered?
Overcoming my fears.
Q: Who do you admire?
Anybody who loves what they do and is talented at it. Doesn’t matter what it is. Also, I admire people who dare to speak up against unfairness and people who lead and don’t follow.
Q: If you could change/improve anything in today’s society, what would it be?
I dream of a world with equality for all humans.
Q: What mindset does society have for women?
There still isn’t equality and that’s a problem. I feel like society still has an outdated view on women in general, but I hope with the new generation and with time that might change. I feel we all need to fight for that though.
Q: What’s the way forward?
Women should support women, and men should hire us and give us equal pay, because we’re worth it!
Q: What advice would you give young women today?
Believe in yourself – you can do anything you put your mind to. And people who say you can’t will be rooting for you when you show you can, so don’t listen to them.
