Celebrating Women Innovators

In celebration of Women’s History Month, we thought we would share some of the stories of women who were trailblazers, but may not be household names. We also share some of their words to inspire you as you go about your day.

Jane Addams (1860-1935)

“Action is indeed the sole medium of expression for ethics.”

Those are some pretty heavy and contemplative words! As social workers, Jane Addams is near and dear to our hearts. She is considered the mother of social work by many. She co-founded the first and most influential settlement house in Chicago in 1889. Settlement houses were like community centers providing education, childcare, job training, and social services to immigrants and working-class families. Addams was a strong advocate for social justice, women’s suffrage, labor rights and peace. In 1931, she became the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for her lifelong commitment to humanitarian and peace efforts.

Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000)

“Compromise and Tolerance are magic words.”

Born in 1914, Heddy Lamar left Vienna to become an actress achieving the title of “the most beautiful woman in the world”. This is not the reason that we included her in the list! Her father had always inspired her scientific mind and she continued to cultivate this interest throughout her life. Along with George Antheil, Lamarr patented a frequency-hopping spread spectrum system in 1942. Their goal was to help the World War II effort. It was designed to rapidly change radio frequencies between a transmitter and receiver in a synchronized pattern, making it extremely difficult for enemies to jam or intercept signals, especially those used to guide torpedoes. Unfortunately, the US Navy did not take the invention seriously, but everyone reading this article does. This technology became the framework for cell phones, Wi-Fi and GPS.

Shirley Chisholm (1925-2005)

“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

Shirley Chisholm encouraged people to create their own opportunities for influence. She emphasized taking action and demanding inclusion. She was born into poverty in New York City to immigrant parents. She excelled in school, eventually achieving a Master’s Degree at Columbia leading to a storied career in politics. She became the first African American woman elected to Congress in 1968. But she didn’t stop there. In 1972, she was the first African American woman to seek the nomination for president of the United States from either one of the two major political parties.

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (1952-  )

“Gender equality and leadership excellence are not mutually exclusive; they are mutually reinforcing.”

And speaking of presidential aspirations…After a long career in politics and activism, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah became the first female president of Namibia. She became politically active as a teenager rising in the ranks of the youth movement to end South Africa’s control of the country. After becoming a target for the opposition, she went into exile. Once Namibia gained independence she began her work for the country in earnest, serving in various roles including foreign minister, deputy prime minister and vice president. Now that she is leading the country, she focuses her efforts on economic diversification, job creation and advancing gender equality across government institutions.

May these lessons in strength, creativity, integrity, and devotion serve as a reminder of the power and potential that live within you.

Happy Women's History Month!