Women’s History Month Shoutouts!
Influential Women in Literature to Look Out For in 2024
From creating art to creating life, the power of a woman knows no limit!
Of course, we believe in honoring this strength and beauty year round here at LI. But we’ll absolutely embrace a chance to highlight powerful, influential women in literature anytime we can. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite wave-making and mountain-shaking ladies to give you even more reasons to celebrate Women’s History Month!
“The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another.” – Serena Williams
Joy Sullivan
Joy Sullivan’s passion for poetry makes her a woman after our own hearts! But her masters degree in poetry is the very tip of the literary iceberg for this poetess. Sullivan seems to dive into every opportunity to create community through written art. Sullivan is an advocate for sharing knowledge and empowering others. From serving as poet-in-residence for the Wexner Center for the Arts and guest-lecturing at universities, she finds every opportunity to help others grow. While the world patiently awaits for her next poetry collection, Instructions For Traveling West to arrive on April 9th, Sullivan leads an online
writing community called Sustenance. Sustenance is a space designed to hone one’s writing skills while embracing authentic support and connection wherever you may be writing from! Though the community is full as of this moment, there’s a spot on the waitlist waiting for you!
Yasmine Jameelah
Frankly, we all know that embracing self-love and honest self-expression shouldn’t be considered a radical act. Yet, in today’s society, we’re often forced into the “I’m okay” box rather than allowing vulnerability to lead us. For some populations, these truths are a much harsher reality than for others. Yasmine Jameelah created the Transparent & Black Collective for just this reason. Transparent & Black is a community designed to encourage members of the African diaspora to prioritize themselves and take up all the space they desire. With a digital community of over 80,000 members, this journalist actively reminds us that loving ourselves so radically frees all those who witness it. If you
find yourself searching for a safe space to fully exist, check out @transparentblackgirl and @transparentblackguy. To see what Yasmine Jameelah does next, look out for her brilliant writing on the Well and Good and Oprah Daily websites!
Reyna Noriega
Looking to live your most colorful life? Reyna Noriega can help you there! This artist, designer and author celebrates the radiance of everyday life. By drawing inspiration from her own life, Reyna vibrantly honors all seasons of life in a way that feels relatable and empowering. But, we’re most in love with the Miami native’s poetry collections! Her most recent collection, In Bloom: A Poetic Documentary of the Journey to Higher Self, serves to comfort those feeling alone or lost through their journey of self-design. Poems from all stages of her life combine to form a collection on
self-discovery, freedom and allowing life to unfold in its own divine way. There’s clearly no stopping this vivacious queen of color! Dive into Reyna’s world through her poetry books, a beautiful journal or collecting a few art pieces!
Other Influential Women:
Sami Clarke
Mental health, relationships, and all things wellness. Sami chats about it all in a way that feels like talking to a best friend. I discovered Sami Clarke on Instagram a few years ago. Tuning into her regularly scheduled IG live workouts during Covid restrictions helped me develop a very needed sense of consistency during the most uncertain times. Sami has since launched a fitness and nutrition platform/app called FORM, the cutest activewear line and merch, including the amazing Daily Check In Journal. Yet, her most recent endeavor is probably the best way to get to know her. Transform is a podcast hosted by Sami Clarke and FORM co-founder, Sami Bernstein Spalter. If you ever find yourself in need of motivation or just a little girl time, check out Transform.
“If we’re going to get to the next level, we need to get uncomfortable” – Sami Clarke
