Inspiring Women - 2021

For International Women’s Day I’ve been thinking about some of the amazing women I admire. He is my top eight focused around gender equity, climate justice and social justice. Clockwise from top left.

 Australian of the year - Grace Tame is an outspoken advocate for survivors of sexual assault, particularly those who were abused in institutional settings. Speaking truth to power her National Press Club speech is as impressive as her answers to the press questions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJmwOTfjn9U

Kotchakorn Voraakhom is a Thai landscape architect, climate activist and chief executive officer of Porous City Network, a social enterprise that looks to increase urban resilience in Southeast Asia. If you haven’t seen her Ted talk, check it out here. https://www.ted.com/speakers/kotchakorn_voraakhom

Pamela Conrad is the powerhouse behind the Climate Positive Design Pathfinder application. This incredible app is helping landscape architects to see the global greenhouse gas impact of their projects. https://climatepositivedesign.com/

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez otherwise known as AOC, is the Democratic senator for Queens and the Bronx. She proposed the Green New Deal, and is pushing to double the minimum wage in America from $7.50 hour to $15 an hour. She recently had 439,000 people watching her twitch broadcast. A future president of United States of America. That’s my prediction. Green new deal explained here: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/21/climate/green-new-deal-questions-answers.html

Sally McManus. Australian trade unionist and political activist fighting for workers’ rights and sporting a mean mullet.

Greta Thunberg. My favourite Swedish climate activist. Greta has an incredible way of getting to the point. She tells it like it is. Her “I don’t want your hope, I want you to panic” speech at Davos was quite transformative for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjsLm5PCdVQ

 From Aotearoa, the empathetic Jacinda Ardern – 40th Prime Minister of New Zealand, who demonstrated true leadership in confronting national issues, from gun control, to climate change.

 And lastly, the late and great Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Legendary women’s rights activist and tireless and resolute champion of justice. She made a lasting impact on legal precedent for women in America.

Who inspires you?

#internationalwomensday #IWD21

Photo credits:

Grace Tame: Mick Tsikas, AAP // Kotchakorn Voraakhom: Callie Giovanna, Callie Giovanna , TED // Pamela Conrad: CMG landscape Architecture // Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Franmarie Metzle - U.S. House Office of Photography // Sally McManus: Lukas Coch - AAP // Greta Thunberg: Anders Hellberg // Jacinda Ardern: Marty Melville, AFP, Getty Images // Ruth Bader Ginsberg: Steve Petteway.