PK'S TOP 10 MOST INSPIRING WOMEN: WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH EDITION

There is no better way to follow up Black History Month than with Women’s History Month! *proceeds to raise right fist for #BlackPower with my 6 inch red stiletto raised high in my left #WomanPower*

During this epic month of March we celebrate the unstoppable spirit of womanhood, and recognize iconic women who obliterate the status quo by demonstrating superpowers that transform the world. These women are powerful, dignified, beautiful, intelligent, and courageous leaders that tap into miraculous energy flows to produce solutions, equity and healing like only a superwoman can.

Here’s 10 sistas I am honored to recognize as an elite group of women who inspire and do the damn thang for me.

PK’S TOP 10 MOST INSPIRING WOMEN: WOMEN HISTORY’S MONTH EDITION

1.  BOZOMA SAINT JOHN

Superwoman Power: AUDACIOUSNESS

IG: @badassboz www.instagram.com/badassboz

Bada$$ Boz! Girl this woman does it for me!!! I was first enamored by her because she’s hella smart, bold, and supremely calculated in making boss moves. But when I began to follow her I fell in love with her because I realized nothing about her power moves or personality is performative.  BOZ IS THE REAL DEAL! She unapologetically re-imagines and re-affirms herself constantly – with an uncanny ability to audaciously “Lean-In” to her most intuitive desires, and emotional pulse of the culture.

 BOZ IS A REVOLUTIONARY!

She moves at the beat of her own inner-goddess/Shelia E drum, and empowers her best self in a manner where the best companies in the world bow down to her – from Apple, to Uber, to now Netflix where she is currently CMO. She works her fearless magic, keeps her stiletto on the neck of limitations, and dents the universe with her every move - while leapfrogging from one brand galaxy to the next with absolutely no let-up in sight!

2.  SONYA RENEE TAYLOR

Superwoman Power: FLOETRY:

IG: @sonyareneetaylor www.instagram.com/sonyareneetaylor

Sonya is floetry in motion! If I could wake up and be one woman for just 90 minutes…it would be Sonya! She can read the most privileged/narcistic white man their rights (i.e. #45) on her IGTV without even getting out of her bed yall! She just be talking on her sofa on chill, and can put the entire world on pause with her candid expert authority on any current events or trending topics. She doesn’t ponder, she doesn’t pause, and she’s gonna give you the business from the bedroom window to the wall! She’s got a cadence that cuts through thought leadership topics like a #BlackGirlMagic guillotine. I be like, “Give it all Sonya Renee… just keep talking” 

Her witty brilliance is second to none. Her boundless level of self-love and lifestyle of unfiltered liberation as a black woman is ingeniously curated daily on her IG page, as well as discussed in her book “The Body Is Not An Apology.” She doesn’t ponder and pause…she just speaks her truth - and it’s just beautiful.

3.    BEYONCE

Superwoman Power: BODIED MASTERY!

IG: @beyonce www.instagram.com/beyonce

Anything Beyonce touches…she BODIED! Yeah, like past tense, did it, done it, can’t nobody ever do it better type BODIED levels of greatness. Beyonce is the epitome of #BlackGirlMagic in all her glory. I tend to have eclectic B-side tastes in my preferences for music and culture, but Beyonce will always be my creme of the crop! She creates a new apex and pedestal, just to obliterate it with a new futuristic way of life in the present-day moment. She turns glass ceilings into see-through launching pads for taking off and traveling to uncharted heights of global dominance.

Now what is Beyonce’s secret sauce to BODYING everything she touches? WORK ETHIC! This woman outworks all the work. This is what I see in Beyonce that makes her one of the most fierce warriors of our lifetime, as well as a queen. Kobe Bryant, a man who was the most obsessed with mastering the details to greatness and execution – said he was inspired by Beyonce in discovering how intentional she is in reviewing her every performance over and over, to precisely unlock ways to put on an even greater show. And when you see her perform under any capacity - especially live…it’s the greatest show you will ever see in your life. PERIODT!

4.  OPRAH

Superwoman Power: ENLIGHTENMENT

IG: @oprah www.instagram.com/oprah

Oprah is my Momma, Big Momma, Auntie, Sister, Cousin, BFF, Mentor, Professor, Yoga Instructor, Pastor, and Therapist all in one. Oprah will always inspire me. What impresses me most about Oprah is I believe her ascension covers more ground than any person who has ever lived – from literally the bottom to the top.

This is a woman that tried crack, had a baby at 14, and experienced so many other hardships. Yet she has shared every single one of those experiences to inspire and empower others. Her level of billionaire success matched with her ego-less vulnerability is something I don’t believe we will ever see again. She shares the darkside, because it’s the only way to appreciate the light. That is her formula for Enlightenment…which is the highest level of consciousness. Oprah has bottled up the infinite pathway to life, and transforms our world constantly when she creatively shares the secrets to manifestation power from within it. Oprah has mastered the science and art of storytelling and empathy - through others. She has optimized power, passion and purpose in a way that exceeds what Mansa Musa and Mother Teresa could’ve done together.  

THANK YOU OPRAH! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU 100X!

5.  MICHELLE OBAMA

Superpower: GRACEFUL GRIT

@michelleobama www.instagram.com/michelleobama

 “Forever My First Lady” *Jodeci Forever My Lady vox*

Michelle took the elegance and significance Phylicia Rashad personified as Claire Huxtable, and took it to heights most never imagined. She captivated the entire world as one of the most passionate, resilient, personable, and accomplished First Ladies in history. Michelle has emerged as an iconic role model representing every facet of woman leadership to inspire millions of women around the world as our “Mom-In-Chief.” Michelle is a risk taker and has clearly stepped outside of traditional first lady stereotypes. She’s a fearless champion thought leader on issues such as racism, women’s rights and public health.

Michelle’s incredible book “BECOMING” made her whole for me. She delved into her insecurities and experiences that helped develop her character into what I consider her superpower “Graceful Grit.” Her most popular quotable, “When They Go Low, We Go High” captures her resistance and revolution…but gracefully. She is agency personified and makes the message clear for her following that “nothing owns you, but you.”

6.  STACEY ABRAMS

Superwoman Power: EXPONENTIAL MOBILIZATION

 IG: @staceyabrams www.instagram.com/staceyabrams

Stacey to me is the greatest culmination of our past iconic black woman pioneers in civil rights, including those who created the grassroot strategy they weren’t credited for because they were women. Black women have always been master strategists that can mobilize paradigm shifting movements, and Stacey exemplifies the humble servant leadership with God-speed activation power that dethrones the hundreds of years of oppression in one groundswell voting cycle. Do remember she led the movement that flipped Georgia on it’s head to blue!

Journalist Brittany Cole said it best, “Stacey Abrams is a trailblazer who turned defeat into a winning strategy that turned tackled voter suppression and changed the course of Georgia politics.”

Stacey is what the future of leadership and power looks like, because 90% of her true power base will be unknown to those that don’t understand her magical influence – grassrooted in organizing and unifying power. And what I also love about Stacey is she shows up as her full authentic self – a black woman with natural hair & full figured with brilliant unlimited strategy to mobilize a people.

STACEY’S MIND MADE HER A STAR! She needed no other asset on her body other than her mind – accompanied with sweat equity. MIND & GRIND! Her MIND & GRIND CHANGED THE COURSE OF THIS COUNTRY. I don’t think there’s a more powerful message for young girls to receive today than that.

 When Stacey selected Salon PK for as the location for a pivotal “Get Out To Vote” 2021 campaign rally – it was one of the greatest moments of my life.

7.  GLENNON DOYLE

Superwoman Power: SELF AWARENESS

IG @glennondoyle www.instagram.com/glennondoyle

You have not read a book that unlocks the code to self until you’ve read my girl Glennon! She speaks to the gladiator and warrior in every woman, in our homey 4 life love language. If she wrote a book every day I would read each one. This woman is the most self-observant person and creates the clearest pathways to self-awareness. In a funny AF yet flawed nuanced way, she speaks to my heart and gut.

A message she shared that I’ll hold dear to me is when she broke down the temporary attribute of love. Glennon said, “God does not give us love in the way of people or experiences so that we have them forever. God gives us love so that it changes us – and when we change we grow.” She also said, “Things have to die for new love and new life.” Girl, she be getting it!

8.  JANICE BRYANT HOWROYD

Superwoman Power: RESOLVING

 IG: @jbryanthowroyd www.instagram.com/jbryanthowroyd

Janice is the founder and CEO of the billion-dollar enterprise ActOne, a provider of workforce solutions including temporary staffing. Janice who I would call a “FIGURE-OUTABLE” Rockstar! She is a southern woman that moved to LA at a young age and took the leap of faith to strike out on her own and launch a cleaning crew.

Now she has an amazing global business that has built a wheelhouse for creating solutions. She could HR any company in the world. She has mastered the enterprising capability to solve big problems with human capital, systems, and logistics. Whenever I am challenged in running my businesses, short on cashflow or human resources, I ask myself WWJD #Janice. I highly recommend reading her book “Acting Up” where Janice shares her advice on conquering the business world.

9.  MADAME C.J. WALKER

Superwoman Power: MOGUL-MANIA

Just to set the record straight, Madame CJ Walker was not just the 1st black woman millionaire, she was the 1st WOMAN MILLIONAIRE. She was securing the million dollar bag before Chanel was even a thought. She was Mary K before Mary K, and the alpha female to getting it off the muscle and the hustle.

Madame C.J. Walker created the blueprint that ideated distributorship, network marketing, and affiliate marketing. Her genius was in ideating business models and systems. She mobilized teams, and was the boss to successful men back in the day. She owned a mansion and operated one of the most successful haircare businesses in history, during a century where blacks were legally getting lynched, and black women were treated as 3rd class citizens. She is the bridge from slavery to self-made success with a 7-figure legacy to prove it. And she built it all from a jar of oil. Every time you see a black-owned salon or beauty business, it’s because of our phenomenal mogul Madame C.J. Walker.

10.      HARRIET TUBMAN

Superwoman Power: FEARLESSNESS

Last but certainly not least is Harriet Tubman aka “Black Moses.” She is not only a great Black American hero, she is in my opinion the GREATEST AMERICAN HERO EVER! List all the presidents, activists, and superstars this country has ever witnessed, and none were more fearless and impactful than Harriet.  The level of courage she displayed in running from dogs, swimming under water, hiding under trees, and escaping men being paid to kill her – to bring her people to freedom over and over and over again is nothing short of breathtaking.

Her obsession with giving every single person she could reach the taste of freedom that she felt, even when it meant putting her own freedom at risk repetitiously, is sacrificial on a level we will never truly understand. Escaping freedom, risking everything to free her family and people, leading a military raid, and championing the cause of women’s suffrage is just a snapshot of the purpose and power within a black woman who was just 5’2 – buy a giant liberator that goes down in history as America’s most courageous hero ever.

May the stories, accomplishments and legacies of each of these women inspire you to be the most bold and extraordinary version of yourself you can ever imagine yourself to be – because you too are history in the making.

 Happy Women’s History Month!