The National Women’s History Alliance named this year's Women’s History Month with the theme “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future.” This is because of “overlapping global challenges: climate change, economic insecurity, healthcare disparities and threats to democratic participation.” To celebrate women who initiated change, this is a month to say “thank you” to the historical trailblazers who came before us.
Mia Mottley and Catherine McKenna are two prominent international figures who led climate action and economic policy. Mottley, the eigth Prime Minister of Barbados, is the first woman to hold this position. McKenna, a former Canadian politician who served as minister of environment and climate change, is now advocating for global climate action.
“We’ve seen the power of women when we come together, we go further, faster,” McKenna said in a Women Leading on Climate news release. Mottley worked to advocate and argue against developed nations, which are historically responsible for emissions, to assist financially at-risk small nations that face the biggest impacts of climate change.
The work these women contributed to recently opened doors to boardrooms where women were once not welcome. Climate conversations are “largely dressed up in technical language that is impenetrable,” in spaces where climate scientists are women, they led the conversation with empathetic solutions to problems that aren’t actively helping marginalized communities and wildlife.
Economic insecurity is a highly prevalent issue in the U.S., affecting almost half of households barely making ends meet. Jennifer Jones Austin is an influential woman working to end economic insecurity. She’s the CEO and executive director for the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, an anti-poverty, social policy and advocacy organization working to make the lives of New Yorkers better.
She’s chaired the NYC Racial Justice Commission, the first of its kind in the country, leading the development of proposals to amend New York City’s charter to dismantle structural racism. The FWPA is working to adopt a “true cost living measure,” working to “move away from outdated measures that undercount and misrepresent the realities of poverty …”
Jones Austin is also a cancer survivor and mother of two. Women prove it’s possible to be passionate, hard-working, empathetic and painstakingly motivated to seek change while remaining graceful through it all.
Health care disparities in Ohio can be significant, with Black Ohioans and residents in Appalachian counties, particularly the southeast region, having “dead zones,” according to the Ohio Capital Journal.
Karen Morrison is working to bridge health care gaps in central Ohio as the president of the OhioHealth Foundation, spending “over three decades expanding possibilities of community health …” according to OhioHealth. Morrison’s impact in healthcare was recognized by the Columbus CEO magazine’s 2025 Inspiring Women.
One of her priorities is decreasing infant mortality, and there has been a decrease in mortality rates since last year in the state. The Ohio Department of Children and Youth’s recent report shows current infant mortality rates are down to 6.6 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Morrison worked with OhioHealth’s Wellness on Wheels program to deploy mobile care, delivering primary care, women’s healthcare and prenatal care. It’s available to people seeking care in both central Ohio and southeast Ohio.
Ohio University’s very own Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Professor Elizabeth Beverly was selected as the president-elect of health care and education for the American Diabetes Association.
“I look forward to elevating the needs and experiences of people with diabetes in rural and underserved communities, including Appalachian Ohio, while also celebrating the resilience and cultural richness that define this region,” Beverly said to OHIO Today. In 2023, she also received the OU Presidential Research Scholar Award for her work in diabetes.
On the national stage, women have also led political campaigns and made their voices heard through their work.
Skye Perryman is an example of a leader taking democratic action, specifically expanding into communities affected by the landmark Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
She’s the president and CEO of Democracy Forward, a national legal organization promoting progress through policy education and litigation.
“We are in a generational-defining moment for women’s healthcare and we’ve seen generational setbacks that are going to take a long time to rebuild,” Perryman said to MS Now. She’s also stood up to speak about threats to U.S. elections, voter data and urged Americans to be concerned about President Donald Trump’s attempts to “subvert this [primary] election,” Perryman said on the MS Now “Morning Joe” show.
These women have worked to build rapport with their communities to push for issues deeply affecting us at global, national and state-wide scales. It’s beyond incredible to know women of all ages have strived to mend the broken parts of our world, and we can do just as much as they have.
The Post editorials are independent of the publication's news coverage. Have thoughts? The Post can be reached via editor@thepostathens.com.
