March will be a year since the pandemic started … and it has been an incredibly difficult year: more than 500,000 people have died and hundreds of thousands have lost their jobs. But the pandemic’s economic downturn is disproportionately affecting women as they are more likely to work in hard-hit industries such as hospitality or entertainment, and many of them have been forced to leave their jobs due to the lack of childcare.
But during all these hardships, women have found ways to help each other and solve problems again and again.
“All over the world, women have come a step closer and found ways to help where it is needed most,” said Tory Burch, an entrepreneur who started her own business in 2004.
Burch knows a thing or two about women’s empowerment: After seeing the many obstacles women face in business – even before the pandemic – she founded the Tory Burch Foundation in 2009 to empower female entrepreneurs.
And now, for International Women’s Day, her company is launching a global campaign with Upworthy to celebrate the women around the world who are giving back and creating real change in their communities.
“I hope that the creativity and resilience of these women, and the amazing ways they have found themselves making a real impact, will inspire and stimulate others as much as they inspire me,” said Burch.
This year’s Empowered Women are certainly inspiring:
Shalini SamtaniThanks to Shalini Samtani
Take Shalini Samtani for example. When her daughter was diagnosed with a rare immune disorder, she spent a lot of time in the hospital, which soon led her to realize that there was no company in the toy industry that could fulfill the physical or emotional needs of the 3 million hospitalized people . children across America every year. She was determined to change that – so she founded The Spread the Joy Foundation to provide free play kits to pediatric patients across the country.
Varsha yajmanThanks to Varsha Yajman
Varsha Yajman is once again one of this year’s nominees. She is only 18 years old, yet she has spent the last seven years diligently fighting to build awareness and action for climate justice by leading school strikes, working as a paralegal at Equity Generations Lawyers and speaking to CEOs of Siemen’s and several major Australian banks at AGMs.
Caitlin MurphyCredit to Caitlin Murphy
Caitlin Murphy, meanwhile, took a big step during the pandemic by running her company – Global Gateway Logistics – to secure and transport more than 2 million masks to hospitals and senior care facilities across the country. She also created the Gateway for Good program, which bought and donated 10,000 KN95 masks for local small businesses, charities, cancer patients and their families, immunocompromised people, and churches in the area.
Simone GordonThanks to Simone Gordon
Simone Gordon, a domestic violence survivor and single mother, wanted to pay for it after getting help obtaining basic supplies and tuition – so she created the Instagram account @TheBlackFairyGodMotherOfficial and non-profit to provide direct assistance to families in need. During the pandemic alone, they raised more than $ 50,000 for families and provided emergency relief – in the form of groceries – for countless women and families of color.
Victoria SanusiThanks to Victoria Sanusi
Victoria Sanusi started Black Gals Livin ‘with her boyfriend Jas, and the podcast has been an incredibly powerful way to destigmatize mental health for countless listeners. The podcast quickly surpassed a million listenings, was featured on Michaela Coel’s “I May Destroy You”, won Podcast of the Year at the Brown Sugar Awards, and was named one of Elle Magazine’s Best Podcasts of 2020.
And Upworthy and the Tory Burch are just getting started. They are still looking all over the world for more extraordinary women to make an impact in their communities.
Do you know one? If you do, nominate her now. If selected, she can receive $ 5,000 through the Tory Burch Foundation to donate to a nonprofit of her choice. Entries are accepted on an ongoing basis – and one Empowered woman will be selected each month starting April.
Nominate her now at www.toryburch.com/empoweredwomen.
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