It is 1900. You are a woman who has three kids. Your responsibility includes taking care of the children, tidying up the household, and getting ready for your husband to come home after a long day at the factory. You aspire to be more than a housewife, but the times you live in and the stereotypes that women are not cut out for the “real world” has left you hopeless. Life is not good.

Now fast forward to the 21st century, where women have more freedom than they could have ever imagined. Women are now allowed to work, to get an education, to vote. We can voice our opinion and prove to the nation that we can be equal (maybe even better) than men. Being a female right now in this era is exhilarating. This is the time to showcase our intrinsic talents to the outside world.

Powerful women in the past decades have broken against the gender barriers of society. From Oprah Winfrey, the first woman – first African American woman – to own and produce the highest-rated talk show in the history of television, to Serena Williams, the first African American woman to win 23 Grand Slam titles playing tennis. Rule breakers like Danica Patrick, who became the first woman to lead the Indianapolis and Daytona 500, to sky soarers like Mae Jemison, the first African American women to fly into space. Influential women are everywhere, and even more are coming to assert their power. Grownish actress Yara Shahidi uses her platform as an advantage to protest for change and inspire young people, especially girls, to become active participants in their community. 16-year old Rowan Blanchard, who was previously on the Disney sitcom Girl Meets World, is a female activist teaching young girls about their full potential and independent nature. The women advocating for the equality of women are getting younger and younger by the day as their eyes become open to the possibilities that lay in front of them.

Yet this does not mean that women will never will face criticism from the men who are intimidated by us usurping their once high held power. With the advent of women today who suffer from being underpaid in their profession of work, to sexual harassment in the Hollywood industry, women will continue to face difficulties, just like African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement and Mahatma Gandhi fighting for self-determination in India.

But the struggle is the journey. Women will go through trials and tribulations, people that test their patience, people that tell them they can not do this because of four little words: you are a woman; Yet what really defines a woman is her perseverance in the face of challenges, because she knows at the end waits a extravagant reward.

Being in high school, an African American girl, I find it important to pay homage to my race and the woman that have paved a way for me. I also want to encourage other little girls that nothing is impossible. I appreciate that Time magazine has paid homage to the “Firsts” women to make an accomplishment in history, doing what they love. Watch out, because I see the future…and it is female.