23 Inspirational Women We Look Up To In 2023

Writers and Thinkers

Amanda Gorman is a writer, Harvard grad, and also the youngest inaugural poet in American history. Her attention to detail, as well as her ability to balance the beauty of words with the pain of the human experience, is unprecedented. — B+C

Poet Ada Limon constantly inspires us with her work. She’s recharging the field and practice of poetry by somehow elevating it and making it more accessible at the same time. — B+C

Pema Chodron is a Buddhist teacher and writer dedicated to practicing peace, as well as teaching others how to do the same. The Pema Chodron Foundation has made it their mission to help others find the wisdom and compassion to make the world a better place. — B+C

Financial education teacher Tiffany Aliche wrote The One Week Budget and Live Richer Challenge to help women understand their finances better and put more power back in their hands. She offers solutions for your budget, credit, and income to help you take control of your money. — B+C

Both incredibly funny and incredibly insightful, Glennon Doyle is a woman who isn't afraid to show all her true colors. She's a published author, she co-hosts a podcast with her wife (AKA soccer superstar, Abby Wambach), and uses her social platforms to highlight that life can be messy. Whether unabashedly documenting her struggles with addiction or recording her latest losing argument with Abby, Glennon gives us all the confidence to embrace our many multitudes. — B+C

Celeste Ng writes gorgeous, compelling prose, but her work doesn't stop at the publishing house. Celetse uses her paltform to advocate for others, especially when it comes to supporting and standing up for the AAPI community. Her social advocacy certainly makes its way into the stories she writes, but we love how vocal she is about what matters to her IRL, too. — B+C

Leaders and Activists

There are almost too many reasons to list as to why we love former first lady Michelle Obama, but they all seem to revolve around a central point: her steady strength and kindness. The lawyer and writer advocates for health and education. — B+C

Dylan Mulvaney represents womanhood in its many intersections. This social media star started documenting her journey as a trans woman from day one, following all of its ups and downs with vulnerability and her iconic vivacity. Even in the midst of terrifying trans legislation, Dylan uses her platform to advocate for others in her community, lifting folks up while still acknowledging the trials and tribulations of being a trans person in 2023. I hope to implement that same progressive, positive mentality in my own social justice work, and I can’t wait to celebrate Dylan’s 365th day of being a girl! — Haley Sprankle, Content Editor

Sonia Sotomayor was the first Latina Supreme Court justice, appointed by President Obama, and I’ve been in awe of how she has managed to stay true to herself when faced with the challenges of being a minority justice within the court. She advocates for women’s rights, criminal justice reform, and immigrants coming to the U.S. for a better future. Her parents hail from Puerto Rico, which is where my father was born, and I look to her as someone like me who can rise to the top with grace and dignity and *sanity* when the world feels sometimes just a little bit crazy. — Theresa Gonzalez, Branded Content

Sophia Bush, who got her big break thanks to projects like One Tree Hill and John Tucker Must Die, doesn’t just enjoy the spotlight, she uses it for good. She passes the mic to activist causes and leverages her fame to spotlight critical issues that can help the world. — B+C

Simone Biles is the epitome of a true champion. On the mat, she is known as one of the most esteemed US women’s gymnasts of all time. But possibly her greatest contribution to the sport is that she changed the game for athletes who struggle with mental health issues. Her courage, strength, and commitment to her well-being and the well-being of other young girls like her is a global inspiration. She partnered with lifestyle brand Athleta to inspire our youth to be strong, fierce and to never stop chasing their dreams. – Kristen Gray, Brand Partnerships Senior Director

Kerry Washington is more than just an actress — she's an activist who uses her platform to highlight current issues, uplift other women throughout history, and be an advocate for others. One of my favorite social media series she has is when she literally dresses up as influential Black women throughout history. Her looks are always spot on and I always learn something new. — Haley Sprankle, Content Editor

Greta Thunberg never let age work against her activism. She's spoken out about the environment on the biggest stages and on screen all over the globe, raising awareness for the Earth's dire needs. Greta recently published a book, but she's ensured everyone that all proceeds go to the Greta Thunberg Foundation, a climate activism initiative. — B+C

Innovators and Influencers

Oprah is a true icon in every sense of the word. She gave millions of viewers a masterclass in storytelling via her long-running talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and inspired my path into journalism with her no-BS interview style. Her media empire shines a light on the best in beauty, wellness, culture, and more, and she imbues everything she touches with a sense of wonder and joy. Freakin' love this woman! — Alison Ives, Head Of Content

Rachel OCool is my favorite makeup artist, not only because of her bubbly personality (plus her commentary on how to customize every single look for your own face), but because of how confident she makes all of her followers feel. I always feel excited and happier coming away from her tutorials. — Chloe Williams, Assistant Editor

Jade Purple Brown is an incredible artist, creating colorful works of art that you can hang on your walls or hangout in (we're looking at you, throw blankets!). Her illustrations highlight women in bright and beautiful ways, and even though we can't draw like that, we hope to do the same with our words and actions. — B+C

When we wanna feel more positive, we always look to Lizzo to see the brighter side of life. She celebrates herself, her body, and women in general through her music, uplifting everyone along the way. We would be lying if we said we haven't shed a tear during a listen of "Special" once or twice...🥲 — B+C

It's no secret that we love Elle Woods at B+C, but we also adore the woman behind the icon: Reese Witherspoon. In an effort to create more dynamic and interesting women on screen, Reese started her company Hello Sunshine. Since then, she's given us massive hits from Big Little Lies to Daisy Jones and the Six, packed with complex female characters who take action and most certainly do not ask, "What do we do now?" — B+C

Latoya Shauntay, AKA the Running Fat Chef, has almost influenced our team to sign up for a marathon. I mean, what's not to love about her? She races, she cooks, and she cracks us up along the way! Plus, her positive attitude and brutally honest approach to life's ups and downs are relatable and really freaking funny. Definitely a woman we're aspiring to be more like this year and always. — B+C

Tiffany Ju started Chunks in 2019 because she couldn't find a cute hair clip. She’s committed to manufacturing transparency and breaking down negative stereotypes around “made in China.” The company has grown from a single woman business in her basement, to a team of women in the last few years. They recently became Climate Neutral certified and are continuing to work on creating sustainable cute products that I love! — Claire Shadomy, Graphic Designer

It's safe to say we all know how fabulous Sheryl Lee Ralph is on screen in Abbott Elementary, but did you know she's an incredible friend, too? In an interview, Lisa Ann Walter described how Sheryl Lee Ralph shut down any negative talk. Sheryl told Lisa, "You are beautiful and this is what it is." Where do we sign up to be her BFF? — B+C

Alex Guarnaschelli is a badass chef who dishes out incredible eats at her New York City restaurant Butter and lights up the competition on cooking shows like Chopped. She transcends the predominantly-male culinary industry (according to recent data from 2022, only 25% of chefs in the US are women) and her inventive recipes make cooking fun for my husband and me — we make her Thanksgiving turkey recipe every year. — Alison Ives, Head Of Content

Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder and CEO of Bumble, is an excellent look into female entrepreneurship and creating a product that generates buzz ;). — B+C