The globe celebrated the lasting impact of women of history and today on International Women’s Day, which took place on Wednesday. Coppell High School junior Alisha Kimatu explains her relationship with International Women’s Day.

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?

International Women’s Day means appreciating the potential and power that women have. It also means appreciating the support that we have for each other. It means binding together to celebrate our success and pride.

How does this day relate to your personal life?

I know a lot of strong women in my life, especially my family. I have a lot of women political influences. It is very empowering to see what they accomplish. It’s inspiring. My stepmom is a huge influence my life. I love her. She’s a businesswoman, and she works really hard with really long hours. Even when she was pregnant, she still worked a lot. It was really admirable.

How did your stepmother embody strength?

When my stepmom was pregnant, she would go to work at 5 the morning and she would come home at around 9 at night. Every morning, before she went to work, she would make a lovely breakfast for the whole family to wake up to a few hours later. She is an amazing woman because she works hard at everything she does. She works hard all day at work and she continues working hard when she gets home to make sure her family is well taken care of. To me, she shows great strength and loyalty. I hope that one day when I’m older and I am juggling a career and a family that I will be able to give them both 100 percent of my effort like my stepmom does.

Who are some women who inspire you?

I am inspired by many amazing women like Michelle Obama, Ellen Degeneres and Beyonce. Michelle Obama is one of my greatest inspirations because not only is she beautiful, but she is also incredibly intelligent. She has always been an advocate for the progression of women’s equality because she believes that women can do anything we put our minds to. I love Ellen because she is so positive. She is very funny and very charitable, which is very motivating to me.

How have you seen the societal role of women change? 

Women today are stronger in the sense that we are not afraid to be who we are. We are open with embracing what makes us who we are, rather than adapting to how people expect us to be. Women don’t take what we used to take from men; we stand up for ourselves and gain the respect we deserve. We believe in ourselves.