In advance of International Women’s Day on Sunday, Mar. 8, Mom.com, the premier online parenting resource owned by Wild Sky Media, has named “7 Girls Who Inspire Greatness,” a list compiled by the site’s experts and experienced parents. The chosen girls – aged 10-17 – come from diverse backgrounds and nationalities, but share a range of qualities that today’s moms (and dads) look to instill in their daughters as they grow into women.
“Moms today are hyper aware that girls typically experience a major crisis of confidence upon reaching adolescence,” said Laura Clark, editorial director of Mom.com. “They desperately need to see the example set by girls like the ones we’re spotlighting to show what comes from courage, determination, idealism and, of course, confidence.”
The 7 girls honored by Mom.com include:
- Bana al-Abed (age 10 – formerly Aleppo, Syria). Caught in a city under siege, Bana used Twitter to document and share the devastation of the 2017 war in which airstrikes demolished her hometown of Aleppo. Her moving descriptions of the suffering she witnessed first-hand spurred feature stories in such news outlets as BBC and The New York Times. Ultimately evacuated to Turkey and granted Turkish citizenship, Bana captured her accounts of the war in a memoir, Dear World, published by Simon and Schuster. She continues to use Twitter to remind the global community of the suffering in Syria and elsewhere. @AlabedBana
- Sophie Cruz (age 10 – Los Angeles, California). Sophie is known for her activism in support of the continuance of DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents of Americans), a program that would shield her parents – and others – from deportation. She famously ran out to Pope Francis during a parade marking his 2015 visit to Washington, D.C. She also visited President Obama at the White House for a Cinco de Mayo celebration and was a featured speaker at the 2017 Women’s March in Washington, D.C.
- Amariyanna "Mari" Copeny (age 12 – Flint, Michigan). Often referred to as “Little Miss Flint,” Mari was only 8 when she wrote a letter to President Obama about the elevated lead levels in Flint’s drinking water, persuading him to visit her hometown and address the ongoing crisis. She’s continued to help Flint thrive by partnering with organizations to make sure local students have adequate school supplies. Mari is the youngest Women’s March Youth Ambassador, National Youth Ambassador for the Climate March and Youth Ambassador for Equality for Her. She has spoken in front of the White House, at the Science March in Washington, D.C. and at the United Nations Girl Up Leadership Conference. @LittleMissFlint
- Autumn Peltier (age 15 – Ontario, Canada). A member of the Wikwemikong First Nation on Canada’s Unceded Anishinaabe Territory, Autumn has become an internationally recognized advocate for clean water. She’s addressed the UN General Assembly on the issue of water protection, and was invited to speak at the United Nation Secretary General’s Climate Action Summit in 2018 and 2019. She was also nominated for an International Children’s Peace Prize. Today she holds the position of chief water commissioner by the Anishinabek Nation. @autum.peltier
- Mikaila Ulmer (age 15 – Austin, Texas). Mikaila is the founder of Me & The Bees Lemonade, a company that produces and sells lemonade sweetened with honey and simultaneously supports the declining bee population. Since appearing on Shark Tank at the age of 9 and securing a $60,000 investment, Mikaila has seen her business thrive. As of 2018, her expanding selection of products were being sold in 500 restaurants and stores, including Wegmans and Whole Food’s Market. Mikaila has met President Obama at the White House and introduced him at the United State of Women Summit. @MikailasBees
- Asia Newson (age 16 – Detroit, Michigan). Asia began selling candles door-to-door with her father at age five, but has since expanded that business, forming the company Super Business Girl, of which she is founder and CEO. Based out of a Detroit business incubator for start-ups, the company offers hands-on workshops for middle- and high school students with the goal of encouraging entrepreneurship and helping youth earn money, manage finances and save funds for college. Her work has led to appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, America’s Got Talent, MSNBC, 20/20, ABC News and NPR.
- Greta Thunberg (age 17 – Stockholm, Sweden) – Internationally recognized as one of the leading climate activists of our time, Greta has inspired global strikes by students concerned about the warming climate. She spoke at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit and was named Time Person of the Year. She has received two consecutive nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize. @GretaThunberg
In Oct. 2019, Mom.com launched an ongoing series, The Greatness of Girls to empower and inspire young girls, as well as the parents raising them, to be smarter, kinder, happier and more confident. The series has launched countless articles, essays and recommendations aimed to help inspire girls to greatness.
About Wild Sky Media
Headquartered in New York City with offices in Bangkok, Wild Sky Media offers massive global reach through hyper-engaging content and multicultural audiences. A top-five parenting group according to ComScore, Wild Sky Media’s robust portfolio of parenting websites includes Mom.com, CafeMom, LittleThings, Revelist and MamásLatinas. The company is backed by private investment firm Centre Lane Partners, which acquired the assets in 2018 and has made strategic investments designed to enhance the portfolio.
Contacts: Marie Espinel or Katie Lewis
LAK Public Relations, Inc.
212-575-4545
mespinel@lakpr.com or klewis@lakpr.com
