Once recognized as a weeklong celebration, Women’s History Month us now a full-month commemorating the achievements of women in America. At Sol de Janeiro, we are all about self-love, self-celebration and joy without any age limit. “Discovering yourself is a lifelong journey; there’s no age cap on being in your prime,” explains co-founder and CEO of Sol de Janeiro, Heela Yang Tsuzuki.
“In your twenties and thirties, forties, and even fifties, you grow. You have different experiences, you change, and being really in tune and having that open, positive attitude will allow you to be in your prime in everything in your life.”
Below, we’ve created a roundup of women (like Heela) who inspire us daily. Keep reading and get inspired to tackle your goals both big — and small.
Marley Dias, Age 17, @iammarleydias
In 2015, the Philadelphia-based literary activist and author, Marley Dias launched #1000BlackGirlBooks with the goal to collect 1,000 books featuring Black female protagonists. Marley’s story went viral (p.s. she’s collected 13,000 books-to-date!) and soon gained recognition from Michelle Obama, Oprah, Ellen DeGeneres, Disney, Walmart, Forbes and TIME Magazine as “one of the most influential teens” in 2018. She also is one of the youngest people to be listed on the “Forbes 30 Under 30” list to date and was awarded both the Smithsonian Ingenuity Award and EBONY 100.
ANITTA, Age 28, @anitta
As the second most followed Latina women on Instagram, the world of ANITTA is an exciting one. The unapologetic “Girl from Rio” is singlehandedly credited with bringing Brazil’s infamous Funk Carioca to a global audience and has racked up features with other legendary artists including Madonna, Snoop Dogg, Cardi B, and J Balvin to name a few. In addition to creating an exclusive perfume mist with Sol de Janeiro, the crossover artist inked a major deal with Sony Music Publishing to kick off 2022.
Marta Vieira da Silva, 36, @martasilva10
Widely lauded as the best female soccer player of all-time, Brazilian Olympic silver medalist Marta Vieira da Silva is also a six-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year award. In 2002, She made her international football debut as a member of Brazil’s under-20 Women’s World Cup team. The iconic role model is currently a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador with the mission to challenge socio-cultural norms and gender stereotypes, while helping young girls increase self-esteem, develop life and leadership skills, and improve their health — all in between playing for the Orlando Pride in the US National Women’s Soccer League.
Viola Davis, Age 56, @violadavis
Actress and producer, Viola Davis is recognized as the first African American to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting — which means she is a recipient of an Academy Award, Primetime Emmy, and two Tony Awards. Despite her longstanding acting career, Viola’s success gained steam in 2010 during her role in the Broadway revival of August Wilson’s Fences. The Juilliard School graduate then went on to starring roles in “The Help” and ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder” and is now considered one of the biggest names in Hollywood.
Amy Tan, Age 70, @amytanwriter
Born in the United States to Chinese immigrants, author Amy Tan went to China for the first time in 1987 with her mother, inspiring her first New York Times best-selling book The Joy Luck Club. Amy went on to serve as a co-producer and co-screenwriter (alongside Ron Bass) for the film adaption that broke barriers for actors of Asian descent. Her written work (including 5 other NYT bestsellers) has been translated into 35 languages, and she released two more novels, Where the Past Begins and The Memory of Desire both in 2017.
Iris Apfel, Age 100, @iris.apfel
Described as a “vibrant fashion icon” by L’Officiel, the self-proclaimed “geriatric starlet” is one of the oldest models to ever sign with IMG. The eccentric New York Native got her start in textiles and interior design alongside husband Carl, before pivoting into the world of fashion. In 2005, Iris was tapped by the Met Costume Institute to showcase her impressive collection of couture costume jewelry. In 2015, she was the star of her own 2015 documentary, Iris, and Mattel made a Barbie in her likeness sporting her signature oversize glasses, printed garments, and jewelry galore. In celebration of her 100th birthday, she also launched an eyewear collab with Zenni Optical, a capsule collection of five frames perfect for any age.
And now, we want to hear how you’re in YOUR prime. Make sure to participate in our Tik Tok challenge launching soon — follow us on Instagram @soldejaneiro for more details.
Happy Women’s History Month SOL family!
