Oscars: Women, people of color triumph on night of firsts (and seconds)
Women made history at the 91st annual Academy Awards on Sunday night with a record-breaking total of 15 female winners. The highlights included the first African-American women to win in their categories: Hannah Bachelor for production design and Ruth E. Carter for costume design, both for their work on “Black Panther.”
Nike and Serena Williams redefine what it means to call a female athlete crazy
Nike’s newest ad, “Dream Crazier,” premiered during the Oscars on Sunday as a follow-up to Colin Kaepernick’s “Dream Crazy” spot. Tennis star Serena Williams narrates the empowering ad, which celebrates female athletes and their emotional drive that critics may deem as “crazy.”
Female football player makes history with full college scholarship offer
Toni Harris became the “first female skill position player” to receive a college scholarship, according Central Methodist University in Missouri. Harris chose CMU out of six collegiate offers, and she said she aims to play in the NFL one day.
With women in combat roles, a federal court rules male-only draft unconstitutional
A federal judge in Texas ruled that women and men are equally able to fight in the military. The declaration was made by an 11-person commission studying the future of the all-male military draft. U.S. District Judge Gray Miller even noted that women may be better-fit for some positions in combat than men, depending on the skills required.
First woman named Illinois state schools superintendent
Carmen Ayala was introduced on Tuesday as the Illinois state schools superintendent. She is the first woman and person of color to hold the title in the 48-year history of the position.
Amateur female boxers can now wear hijabs and head coverings
The International Boxing Association has decided that female boxers now have the option to wear hijabs and head coverings for religious reasons. The association said the decision shows their “commitment to gender equity and religious tolerance.”
Two African-American women are headed for runoff in Chicago’s mayor race
This April, Chicago will name its first female African-American mayor. Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle will face each other in a runoff election to succeed Mayor Rahm Emanuel. If Lightfoot wins, she would also be the first openly gay woman in the position.
Black History Month spotlight: The importance of Oprah’s achievements
In celebration of Black History Month, media companies theSkimm and Shondaland partnered to highlight the achievements of African-American media titans. This video spotlight pays tribute to Oprah and her lasting impact on the media landscape.
Amanda Hayes