Watch these reactions from people who see family members come back to life in a new app

This March marks one year since the beginning of the pandemic … and it has been an incredibly difficult year: more than 500,000 people have died and hundreds of thousands have lost their jobs. But the economic downturn of the pandemic has disproportionately affected women, as they are more likely to work in heavily affected industries, such as hospitality or entertainment, and many of them have been forced to leave their jobs. work due to lack of daycare.

But throughout all these difficulties, women have found, time and time again, ways to help each other and solve problems.

“All over the world, women have stepped up and found ways to help where it is most needed,” says Tory Burch, a businesswoman who started her own business in 2004.

Burch knows a thing or two about women’s empowerment: after seeing the many obstacles women face in business, even before the pandemic, he created the Tory Burch Foundation in 2009 to empower women. enterprising women.

And now, for International Women’s Day, her company is launching a global campaign with Upworthy to celebrate women around the world returning and creating real change in their communities.

“I hope that the creativity and resilience of these women, and the amazing ways they have found to have a real impact, will inspire and energize others as much as they have me,” Burch says.

This year’s empowered women are certainly inspiring:

Shalini SamtaniCourtesy of Shalini Samtani

Take, for example, Shalini Samtani. When her daughter was diagnosed with a rare immune disorder, she spent a lot of time in the hospital, which made her quickly realize that there was not a single company in the toy industry that served her needs. physical or emotional problems of the 3 million hospitalized children across America each year. She was determined to change that, so she created The Spread the Joy Foundation to deliver free game kits to pediatric patients across the country.

Varsha yajmanCourtesy of Varsha Yajman

Varsha Yajman is another nominee this year. He is just 18 years old and yet has been diligently struggling to raise awareness and act for climate justice for the past seven years leading school strikes, working as a paralegal with Equity Generations lawyers and speaking with CEOs in Siemen and several Australian Banks in the AGM.

Caitlin MurphyCourtesy of Caitlin Murphy

Meanwhile, Caitlin Murphy stepped up her action during the pandemic, driving her business, Global Gateway Logistics, to secure and transport more than 2 million masks to hospitals and senior care centers across the country. He also created the Gateway for Good program, which bought and donated 10,000 KN95 masks to small local businesses, charities, cancer patients and their families, immunocompromised people and churches in the area.

Simone GordonCourtesy of Simone Gordon

Simone Gordon, a survivor of domestic violence and single mother, wanted to pay for it after receiving help getting basic and tuition assistance, so she created the Instagram account @TheBlackFairyGodMotherOfficial and non-existent profit to provide direct help to families in need. During the pandemic alone they have raised more than $ 50,000 for families and provided emergency assistance (in the form of groceries) to numerous women and families of color.

Victoria SanusiCourtesy of Victoria Sanusi

Victoria Sanusi started Black Gals Livin ’with her friend Jas and the podcast has been an incredibly powerful way to destigmatize mental health for many listeners. The podcast quickly surpassed one million listens, appeared on Michaela Coel’s “I May Destroy You,” which won the podcast of the year at the Brown Sugar Awards, and was named one of Elle Magazine’s best podcasts. of 2020.

And Upworthy and the Tory Burch are just beginning. They are still looking for more extraordinary women in the world who affect their communities.

Do you know one? If you do, designate it now. If selected, she could receive $ 5,000 to donate to a nonprofit organization she chooses through the Tory Burch Foundation. Submissions are accepted on a continuous basis and an empowered woman will be selected each month from April.

Nominate her now at www.toryburch.com/empoweredwomen.