Women You Should Know
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz is a Democratic Congresswoman from Florida, and a Breast Cancer Survivor. In fact, she hid her disease from everyone until the end of the 2008 election. Now, she advocates for Breast Cancer Awareness all over the country. Learn more about Debbie
Rebecca Lolosoli perfectly exemplifies a woman who does what is hardest in order to do what is right. A 
member of the Samburu tribe in Kenya, Rebecca witnessed cultural Samburu practices which were harmful and violent to women, such as the treatment of women who had endured rape, forced marriage, female genital cutting, as well as females who had been widowed or orphaned. When she spoke out on behalf of these women, Rebecca was brutally beaten. Ready to start anew, Rebecca and sixteen other women seeking shelter started their own community in 1990 called the Umoja Uaso
Women’s Organization (Umoja means "unity"). Rebecca and the other women of Umoja remain self-sufficient by selling their homeade jewelry. Diane Von Furstenberg recently collaborated with Rebecca to showcase the jewelry in Von Furstenberg's 2010 spring collection. Learn more about Rebecca.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee serves California’s 9th Congressional District. She has worked to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. Congresswoman Lee was the only member of all of congress to vote against giving President Bush the authority to invade wherever he wanted after the September 11th attacks. Learn more about Barbara
Tammy Duckworth served in the Iraq war, where she was severely injured, losing both her legs and damaging her right arm. She moved to the United States from Thailand when she was 16. She has dedicated her life, since serving in the military, to insuring veterans the rights they deserve, and helped to create the Intrepid Foundation. She ran in 2006 for Congress in Illinois, but lost by a very small margin. Recently, Barack Obama nominated her Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs. Learn more about Tammy.
Roshaneh Zafar is a Pakistani woman who created the Kashf Foundation, the first specializedf microfinance institution to serve women in Pakistan. Roshaneh is a well known figure in the economic world, and has used her study of other microfinance organizations to further her idea that women can realize their inherent worth through, as she says, "building that ladder which links what women are to what they can be.” Learn more about Roshaneh.
Elected in 1992, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney is a Democrat who represents New York's 14th district, which she is the first woman to serve. Her new book, Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated discusses women in leadership positions and the future of women in politics. She has worked on numerous issues such as health care needs in New York City related to September 11, and the Debbie Smith Act, which helped fund law enforcement to process DNA rape kits. Learn more about Carolyn.
Ellen Malcolm is the founder of Emily’s List, an organization that is dedicated to electing more pro-choice, Democratic women into office. The organization endorses and fundraises for female candidates. They also raise awareness about voting, in an attempt to have more women turn out to vote. Learn more about Emily’s List
Marie Wilson is the president and founder of The White House Project, an organization dedicated to getting a woman in the Whitehouse. She was also the President of the Ms. Foundation. She was the co-creator of Take Our Daughters To Work Day, and served as the first woman to the Des Moines City Council in 1983. Learn more about Marie
Nicholas Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn are the authors of Half the Sky, a book which educates readers about the problems facing women around the world everyday, and organizations looking to help. Kristof is a writer for the New York Times and WuDunn is a former New York Times Correspondant who works in finance. Learn more about Nicholas and Sheryl.
Panmela Castro is a twenty eight-year-old, Brazilian graffiti artist who has
been raising awareness about domestic violence and the recently passed Maria da Penha Law on Domestic and Family Violence against Women, named for a woman who was paralyzed for life as a result of brutal beatings from her husband. Panmela received the Vital Voices Global Leadership Human Rights Award for her multi-media socially conscious campaign as well as recognition within her own community. Learn more about Panmela.
Afnan Al Zayani is a remarkable woman from Bahrain who plays many roles in 
her community. Afnan is a television cooking show star, activist and CEO of a multi-million dollar company. A strongly driven woman in a male-dominated society, Afnan bought Al Zayani Commercial Services from her brothers in 1999. She has pursued her dream of creating a network of business women in Bahrain through her work on the Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society, as well as several other Middle East based organizations which look to incorporating women into the corporate field. Learn more about Afnan.
Alyse Nelson is the President, Cheif Executive Officer, and co founder of the international, non-governmental organization, Vital Voices. Through her job, she has worked with women leaders to develop training programs and international forums in over 120 countries and has interviewed more than 200 international leaders. Before Vital Voices, Alyse worked with Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Hillary Clinton on issues involving women and girls around the world. Learn more about Alyse.
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