This March marks a year since the pandemic began … 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 economic crisis of the pandemic has disproportionately affected women, because they are more likely to work in hard-hit sectors, such as hospitality or entertainment, and many of them have been forced to leave their jobs due to the lack of daycare centers.
But in the midst of all these difficulties, women have repeatedly found ways to help each other and solve problems.
“Around the world, women have worked hard and found ways to help where it is most needed,” said Tory Burch, a businesswoman who started her own business in 2004.
Burch knows a thing or two about women’s empowerment: after seeing the many obstacles women face – even before the pandemic – she created the Tory Burch Foundation in 2009 to empower women entrepreneurs.
And now, for International Women’s Day, your company is launching a global campaign with Upworthy to celebrate women around the world who reciprocate and create real change in their communities.
“I hope that the creativity and resilience of these women, and the incredible ways they have discovered to have a real impact, inspire and energize others as much as they inspire me,” says Burch.
This year’s Empowered Women is certainly inspiring:
Shalini SamtaniCourtesy of Shalini Samtani
See, for example, Shalini Samtani. When her daughter was diagnosed with a rare immune disorder, she spent a lot of time in the hospital, which quickly made her realize that there was not a single company in the toy industry catering to the physical or emotional needs of the 3 million hospitalized children across America every year. She was determined to change that – so she created The Spread the Joy Foundation to deliver free toy kits to pediatric patients across the country.
Varsha YajmanCourtesy of Varsha Yajman
Varsha Yajman is another nominee this year. She is only 18 years old, and yet she has been struggling diligently to create awareness and action for climate justice for the past seven years leading school strikes, working as a paralegal at Equity Generations Lawyers and speaking with Siemen’s CEOs and several major Australian Banks in AGMs.
Caitlin MurphyCourtesy of Caitlin Murphy
Caitlin Murphy, for his part, took a big step during the pandemic, driving his business – Global Gateway Logistics – to protect and transport more than 2 million masks to hospitals and care centers for the elderly across the country. She also created the Gateway for Good program, which purchased and donated 10,000 KN95 masks to small local businesses, charities, cancer patients and their families, immunocompromised and churches in the area.
Simone GordonCourtesy of Simone Gordon
Simone Gordon, a survivor of domestic violence and a single mother, wanted to pay after receiving help to get the essentials and assistance with monthly fees – so she created the @TheBlackFairyGodMotherOfficial and nonprofit Instagram account to provide direct assistance to families in need. During the pandemic alone, they raised more than $ 50,000 for families and provided emergency assistance – in the form of groceries – for several women and families of color.
Victoria SanusiCourtesy of Victoria Sanusi
Victoria Sanusi started Black Gals Livin ‘with her friend Jas and the podcast has been an incredibly powerful way to de-stigmatize mental health for many listeners. The podcast quickly surpassed one million listeners, was featured on Michaela Coel’s “I May Destroy You”, won the podcast of the year at the Brown Sugar Awards and was named one of Elle Magazine’s best podcasts in 2020.
And Upworthy and Tory Burch are just getting started. They are still looking around the world for more extraordinary women who are making an impact on their communities.
Do you know one? If you do, indicate it now. If she is selected, she can receive $ 5,000 to donate to a nonprofit of her choice through the Tory Burch Foundation. Applications are being accepted on an ongoing basis – and an empowered woman will be selected each month, starting in April.
Display it now at www.toryburch.com/empoweredwomen.
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