Supporting Women’s History: Brands, Authors, and educators
March is Women’s History Month, expanding on National Women’s Day (March 8th). This recognition exists to celebrate the accomplishments of women, and bring awareness to women’s issues. From a push for equal access to education and jobs during the 1970s, March has been recognized as Women’s History Month in the United States since 1981, and became official in 1987 (Library of Congress).
Even today in 2022, there are many women’s issues in discussion from politics, to the media. That being said, you don’t have to take a deep dive into politics to celebrate women’s achievements. Below is a list of women owned brands, authors, and educators who are currently making big waves.
Brands
Ruggable - You’ve probably heard of this popular rug brand featured on Today, CNN, People, and HGTV. You may even own one. This genius washable rug brand was founded by Jeneva Bell in 2010 with pet owners in mind, and continues to grow in popularity.
Parachute - Ariel Kaye is Founder and CEO of this premium and sustainable home goods brand. Founded in 2014, Parachute is best known for their luxurious bedding. Ariel was previously working in advertising, but always had a love for home and design. The brand now has 15 locations and growing, in addition to online retailing.
Briogeo - Nancy Twine left a career in finance at Goldman Sachs to fill a market gap with the clean and inclusive haircare brand, Briogeo. Inspired by the vivid culture of NYC, the brand launched in 2013 and has grown to be a name of recognition in the beauty industry, earning a place on shelves in Ulta, Sephora, and Nordstroms.
Sugarwish - Leslie Lyon and Elisabeth Vezzani are changing the game of corporate gifting with Sugarwish, a personalized treat box gifting service. The Denver startup has since received recognition from Forbes, The New York Times, and partnered with Make a Wish since launching in 2012.
Thrive Causmetics - Karissa Bodnar is the Founder and CEO of Thrive Causemetics, a high-performance, vegan, and cruelty-free cosmetics brand that launched in 2015. Thrive Causemetics donates to an organization, fundraiser, or cause that will directly benefit women for every purchase made. Causes they support include fighting cancer, surviving domestic abuse, and emerging from homelessness.
Shayna’s Kitchen - Shayna Taylor is a former model turned food and wellness blogger/entrepreneur that is changing the self-care industry with a holistic approach. Shayna’s Kitchen offers delicious and healthy original recipes from her cookbooks, and Ceremonial Grade-A Ground Matcha. Shayna’s wellness brand also encompasses Bottle and Stone, an organic CBD skincare line, and the “A Sense of Well-Being” Podcast.
Glamnetic - Ann McFerran turned a small business of shipping magnetic lashes from her own apartment into a $50+ Million company. Ann is an artist, makeup artist, and entrepreneur that was able to make applying false lashes easier than ever with her magnetic eyeliner and lash kits. The brand is also growing popularity for their beautifully designed press on nail sets.
Behave — Mayssa Chehata is disrupting the candy industry with gluten-free, low-sugar, no artificial ingredient treats. The brand launched in 2020 and is quickly making a name as the healthier, keto-friendly candy option that brings all the fun.
Mala — In 2019, Melody Lim founded the popular eco-friendly candle brand, Mala. You may have seen the yummy Cereal or Milk and Sugar scented candles made out of repurposed cans in Nordstrom or other retailers. Made from coconut and soy wax, these candles give amazing scent throw and use a cozy wood wick.
Rachel Saunders Ceramics — Rachel Saunders started Rachel Saunders Ceramics in 2015 and offers a wide variety of beautifully handcrafted home goods including ceramic vases, trays, mugs, and more. The brand also donates to various organizations, contributing $10,000 in 2020, and also partners with One Tree Planted, planting over 1,000 trees thus far.
Authors
Dr. Nicole LePera — After growing an Instagram community of millions as the Holistic Psychologist, Dr. Nicole Lepera published her book, How To Do The Work, to further explain her self-help teachings. This popular read is widely beneficial and differentiates from the typical self-help book with a focus on holistic health, the central nervous system, and self-awareness.
Amanda S. C. Gorman — Activist and Author Amanda S. C. Gorman is a #1 New York Times bestseller and #1 USA Today bestseller with the historic inaugural poem, The Hill We Climb, and Call Us What We Carry. Her work focuses on issues of oppression, feminism, marginalization, and race.
Delia Owens — Where the Crawdads Sing is a #1 New York Times bestseller and soon to be a major motion picture. This fiction read tells a coming-of-age story following the female lead, Kaya, through hardships faced in the North Carolina marsh swamps. Grab this worldwide sensation by Delia Owens before the movie comes out to see what all the buzz is about.
Glennon Doyle — Author of New York Times bestseller, Untamed, shares a powerful memoire of female empowerment, cultural expectations, love, and motherhood. Glennon Doyle is an author and activist, and now also holds a place on Reese’s Book Club Pick list.
Taylor Jenkins Reid — The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is just one of several popular and New York Times bestselling novels by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Escape into a glamorous fantasy world with this riveting story of Hollywood drama.
educators
Evan Rachel Wood — Evan is an actress and Domestic Violence activist. She co-wrote The Phoenix Act, a bill that petitioned for the statute of limitations to be extended in the state of California. The bill asked to extend the statute from 2-4 years, to 10 years in a hope to provide victims with more time to safely come forward with their stories. In January 2020, The Phoenix Act passed with an extension on the statute of limitations to five years. Woods still works with The Phoenix Act non-profit organization to advocate for domestic violence victims and is featured in the HBO documentary, Phoenix Rising.
Sophia Amoruso — You may know her as the founder of the Nasty Gal empire (retold in the Netflix series, GirlBoss), but Sophia is a business woman that holds many titles. She is a serial entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author, podcast host, and educator. Sophia is now helping founders start and scale their own businesses with her online business classes. Founders are fleeing to sign up for Business Class by Sophia Amoruso to learn from this business mogul first hand.
Greta Thunberg - This teenage Swedish activist has made a worldwide name for herself by challenging world leaders to take action against climate change. She rose to the activism scene at just 15 years old, and has been named the 2019 Time Person of the Year along with several other noteworthy recognitions and nominations. Great fights for greener energy alternatives and lifestyle choices that will help preserve the environment.
Shani Dhanda - Shani is a British disabilities specialist and advocate fighting for inclusion. At two years old, she was diagnosed with Brittle Bone Disease, and later went on to face challenges around getting hired for work as a teenager. Frustrated, Shani knew changes had to be made. She later co-founded the Asian Disability Network, a support platform around disability with ethnic and cultural identity. She was recognized in the BBC’s 100 Women 2020 list for her activism.
Lauren “Lolo” Spencer - You may have seen her on The Sex Lives of College Girls, but when Lolo isn’t acting, she is creating content as a disabilities advocate. You can check out her Youtube channel, Sitting Pretty, or her Instagram show, The New Narrative. Lolo uses her platforms to bring awareness to cultural stereotypes around people with physical disabilities, challenges, and also allows the voices of others with disabilities to be heard on her platforms.
These women are changing the game in business, politics, entertainment, and more. And while they continue to do so, we will continue to watch them thrive long past March. Women’s Month or not, women owned brands should be celebrated.
Women's History Month, The Library of Congress, https://womenshistorymonth.gov/about/#:~:text=Congress%20passed%20Pub.-,L.,year%20as%20Women's%20History%20Month.