🥇 Badge of the Month: International Women's Day/ March

Miša Hennin

Good morning, badge collectors!

Welcome to March's Badge of the Month! As part of our Rewards Program, Badge of the Month gives you an easy way to connect with others, earn a new badge and get 10 points 😃.

Want to know the rules? Check out this post.

Already know the rules? Read on to find out what this month is all about!

Badge of the Month: March 2024

In celebration of International Women's Day, we invite you to tell us about a woman who inspires you. It could be a historical figure, an artist, a politician, a friend, or simply someone who has left a lasting impression on you.

Whether it's their courage, determination, creativity, or advocacy for change, let's celebrate the diverse contributions of women around the world. 🌟👩‍🔬🌍.

Best,

Miša

Richard Vitaris

My sister-in-law, Karen Segal, started a successful charity. An amateur photographer, she has taken tons of pictures of her own family. She came to realize that in New York City alone, wfere she lives, there are approximately 12,000 children in foster care who, because of their circumstances, miss out on the benefits of pictures and photography. They have virtually no photos of their family and friends that would provide them comfort through their personal chaos, nor can they offer current images of themselves to those who matter most to them. 

As these kids grow and mature, their changing appearance goes undocumented, and major milestones pass without a permanent record. The physical history of their lives and the people significant to them is lost. 

She started Photosafe, photosafe.org, in order to capture, print and preserve digital images of children in foster care in the United States with the sole purpose of creating a historic record for the personal use of the child.

Karen has recruited photographers throughout the United States and Photosafe has developed a system to take pictures of these children, and preserve the pictures for them for the future.

It might not seem like a lot for some people, but having a picture of a deceased parent or other loved one helps ensure that memories are not lost. To me, that is priceless. Karen is a wonderful person and I admire her and her accomplishments very greatly.

Miša Hennin

@Richard Vitaris I've not had a chance to think about my answer yet, but I can't keep quiet after reading this. I'm blown away!

What a wonderful idea and story. Thank you so much for sharing. It's reassuring to know there are people as incredible as your sister-in-law in the world!

Cathy Fanning

My story of inspiration is short and sweet, and I'm sure everyone has heard of her.

Love her, loath her or somewhere in between. Hilary Clinton is one powerhouse lady of our times. I admire her prowess, dignity and courage. She just keeps "being there" no matter what, through thick and thin.

She has inspired a whole generation of younger followers who even took on mini versions of her famous pants suits in the 2016 presidential campaign.

Through her experience, knowledge and sheer grit she offers not only her female followers but everyone worldwide, an honest, balanced and inspirational account of how it is.

Cornelia Patscheider

Hi everyone 👋

I'm excited to spotlight Simone Biles for our Badge of the Month. Simone's sheer dominance in gymnastics is awe-inspiring. As one of the most decorated American gymnast, with 32 Olympic and World Championship medals, she is a phenomenal athlete.

What stands out, aside from her incredible talent, is Simone's confidence and how she handles pressure and sexist comments. A memorable moment that illustrates that was during an interview when host Tom Bergeron pointed out her lack of smiling at compliments. Simone's response was both powerful and telling: "Smiling doesn't win you gold medals."

This moment highlights her ability to deal with situations where she is facing gender bias. Navigating such bias, especially under the spotlight, is incredibly challenging - many women haven been there. Simone's ability to articulate a perfect response during a TV show and in a world where addressing biased attitudes & BS is difficult is truly inspiring to be. 🌟🤸‍♀️