ACROSS AMERICA — Women's History Month began last week and Friday is International Woman's Day. Over the the last few years, several women in politics, philanthropy, music, sports and Hollywood have been blazing a trail, making many firsts and breaking records.
Below, we take a look through pictures of some of the most recent accomplishments of women who have distinguished themselves in their careers and industries. They include influential American women like Time's Person of the Year, Taylor Swift; the first female mayor of Philadelphia, Cherelle Parker; the first woman woman of color to run for the Republican presidential nomination, Nikki Haley; and first woman to beat the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer, Caitlin Clark. Their achievements are mostly firsts for their respective fields, but unlikely their last milestones.
Taylor Swift-Pop Superstar and Time's Person of the Year
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Its easy to see why Taylor Swift dominated the headlines for the last year. Time magazine's 2023 Person of the Year, she had highest grossing tour of all time, released an accompanying tour movie, re-released several albums from her discography and started a whirlwind romance with Kanss City Chiefs star Travis Kelce. Swift has been an inspiration to girls around the globe for her music lyrics, creativity and tireless work ethic. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Fran Drescher - President of SAG-AFTRA
As president of the SAG-AFTRA union, Fran Drescher took on the daunting task of getting better rights, wages and protections for the union members last year. After more than 100 days on strike , Drescher was able to strike a deal between Hollywood production companies and members. She advocated for protections against the use of ai technologies and better wages for actors. (John Nacion/Shutterstock)
Nikki Haley - 2024 GOP Candidate
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Having just announced her withdrawal from her presidential campaign, Nikki Haley is the first woman of color to run for the Republican nomination for president. As a member of the Republican party, the former South Carolina governor is also the first Indian American to serve in a presidential cabinet under the Trump administration. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Caitlin Clark - Leading Scorer in NCAA Division I Women's Basketball
University of Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates during Senior Day ceremonies following a victory over Ohio State in an NCAA college basketball game on Sunday, March 3, in Iowa City, Iowa. On Sunday, Clark became the current NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer in both men's and women's basketball after having previously broken the women's record. (AP Photo/Cliff Jette)
Melinda French Gates - Philanthropist
Melinda French Gates is an American philanthropist and former multimedia product developer for Microsoft. She has advocated for more women and diversity in the tech industry. Forbes magazine has consistently ranked her as one of the most powerful woman in the world as she aims to donate her money to her various charities. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Marcia Fudge - United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Marcia Fudge serves as the current Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under the Biden administration. She is the second African-American woman to serve in this role and has dedicated her time to push for more affordable housing across the U.S. Fudge also served as a U.S. representative for Ohio's 11th congressional district from 2008 to 2021 until she most recently took the position of secretary. (Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)
Joni Mitchell - Singer-Songwriter
After having suffered a brain aneurysm in 2015, singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell had not appeared on stage until recently. At age 80, Mitchell has returned to performing , proving she's still got it. She has gone on to host several music gigs with other bands and performers. She has claimed these concerts have helped her recover from her debilitating health scare. Most recently Mitchell sang at the 66th Grammy awards with singer Brandi Carlile. (Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock)
Greta Gerwig - Director
Greta Gerwig smashed box offices last year with her mega-hit movie "Barbie". The film starring Margo Robbie as the titular character and famous doll helped Gerwig become the highest grossing female director of all time. She may have been snubbed for a best director nomination at this years Oscars, but Gerwig is well on her way to making more blockbusters. (Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)
Liz Cheney - Former United States Representative
Former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney, who was one of two Republicans on the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump , has launched a new political action committee, The Great Task, aimed at stopping him from re-entering the White House. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
Karen S. Lynch - CEO of CVS
Karen S. Lynch is the CEO of CVS health and became the first female president of Aetna. She has held several significant posts at various health organizations and in 2021, she became the highest-ranking female chief executive on the Fortune 500 list. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Lily Gladstone - Actress
Lily Gladstone's breakout performance as Mollie Burkhart in "Killers of the Flower Moon" has landed her several awards nominations for best actress including the Oscars and Golden Globes. She is the first Native American woman to earn nominations for both award ceremonies. She was raised in Montana in the Blackfeet Reservation. (Apple+)
Cherelle Parker - Mayor of Philadelphia
This past year, Philadelphia finally elected its first female mayor. Mayor Cherelle Parker, the city's 100th mayor, has emphasized the importance of affordable and accessible health care, public safety and reducing crime rates. Economic development priorities include a post-pandemic push for people to return to their offices and overall city cleanup. (AP Photo/Ryan Collerd)
Avril Haines - Director Of National Intelligence
Avril Haines is the first woman to serve as director of national intelligence. She was chosen to serve this role under the Biden administration after more recently serving as the deputy director of the CIA under former President Barack Obama. (Cash/UPI/Shutterstock)
In Memoriam
Tina Turner - Singer
Tina Turner started her music career in the late 1950s with then-husband Ike Turner. After a tumultuous marriage and nearly losing everything, Turner reinvented herself as a solo act. She climbed the billboard charts, sold more than 100 million records worldwide and received 12 Grammy Awards, proving she could make a name for herself all on her own. (Fremantle Media/Shutterstock)
Rosalynn Carter - Former First Lady
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter was a champion for women's rights and mental health care. Carter continued to advocate for mental health after her husband's presidency and was heavily involved in the national and international work of the Carter Center. She was a confidant to her husband and were rarely ever apart. They also contributed to the expansion of the nonprofit housing organization Habitat for Humanity, working alongside volunteers at many Habitat houses. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Dianne Feinstein - United States Senator
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein served her state for more than 30 years. Before becoming senator in 1992, Feinstein served as San Francisco's mayor. The California Demcorat was most well known for her gun control advocacy after the assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and City Supervisor Harvey Milk. In addition to her views on gun control, she also was a staunch supporter of abortion access and environmental protections. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
