Oumou is a Grammy Award winning Malian Wassoulou musician from Bamako, Mali. In 1970 , aged just 2, she was brought up by her mother, Aminata Diakite. Her career 'began ’ at the age of 5 when she won an inter-kindergarten singing competition in Bamako, at the Omnisport Stadium, in front of an audience of several thousand. She left school at an early age and began singing in the streets to help her mother. Aged 16 she went on tour with the percussion group Djoliba to Europe and the Caribbean. Inspired by her reception on tour she established her own musical group. In 1990 recorded her first album* Moussoulou* (Women) with Amandou Ba Guindo - 200,000 copies sold. (in total recorded 8 albums -see Discography) She is considered an ambassador of Wassoulou. Her music has been inspired by the music and traditional dances of the area. Since 1990 she has performed at some on the most important venues in the world. Oumou . is an advocate for women’s rights, opposing child marriage and polygamy. In 2003 she was named ambassador for FAO. In 2022 she was cast in her first acting role. She does not want to become a politician While you’re an artist, you’re free to say what you think, when you are a politician you follow instructions from higher up. Oumon Sangare ,

Umm Kylthum and a B was an Egyptian singer, songwriter and film actress. She was active from the 1920s to the 1970s. In her native Egypt she is a national icon and has dubbed as The Voice of Egypt and Egypt’s** Fourth Pyramid. She was the daughter of an imam who performed religious songs at local weddings. Having heard her father practising one day she asked if she could join his small, all male group. She stood in when her brother fell ill before a public performance. Word soon spread about her enchanting voice and she received invites from near by villages- walking miles to reach the venue. Her early concerts were controversial - some members of the community disapproved of gatherings for entertainment. Her father, for her safety and reputation, suggested she wore a boy’s coat and a Bedouin headscarf. In the 1930s she moved to cosmopolitan Cairo where her reputation grew and grew. Umm had a very strong contralto voice, the lowest female voice, with a range of over 7 octaves, and she performed without a microphone. Her concerts lasted for hours. Audiences regularly requested encores of her favourite lines- she was known to improvise and never sang the same line exactly the same - she might change the scale or the emphasis ! For 40 years she broadcast a live concert on the last Thursday in the month. She recorded over 300 songs over her 60 year career. One of her best songs Enta Omn has been covered and reinterpreted numerous times. Umm embodied pan-Arab unity and her songs of love, longing and loss are still played in taxis, radios and cafes across the Arab world today. Sources Wikipedia *RISE: Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the World * by Maliha Abidi

Tererai was born in Rhodesia ( now Zimbabwe)in 1965. The children in the poor village of Zvipani received little education. The boys received some basic primary education to help them get a job; the girls almost none because they were expected to get married. Tererai’s father accepted a ‘brideprice’ of a cow and she was married aged just 11. By the age 18 she was the mother of 3 children ( a fourth lost due to poor nourishment). Her husband beat her for wanting an education In 1991 Jo Luck, who headed a development organization visited her village. Jo asked her about her dreams, she replied to get degrees in America. Encouraged by her mother she wrote down those dreams, put the paper in a tin and buried it. In 1998 she moved to Oklahoma with her husband and 5 children. 2001 she had a degree in agriculture education. In 2003 MA degree , husband deported for abuse. Married Mark Trent. 2008 PhD degree- looked at HIV/AIDS programs for women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa. After each degree she returned to Zimbabwe, unearthed the tin and checked off each goal. In 2009 her life story featured in Half the Sky by Nicholas and Sherl WuDunn. Excerpt from book published by The New York Times. Oprah Winfrey ran a segment in an episode. Oprah sent a crew with Tererai to Zimbabwe to dig up the tin. In 2009 she founded the Tinagona Foundation, later renamed Tererai Trent International which has funded several schools in Zimbabwe. In 2011 Oprah revealed Tereria was her all-time favourite guest and donated $1,5 million so she could build a school in her home village. 2015 published children’s book The Girl who Buried her Dreams in a Can 2017 * Awakened Woman: Remembering and Igniting Our Sacred Dreams** a self help book, was named the Outstanding Literary Work, Instructional at the 49th NAAP Image Awards. She has helped educate 1000s of children In Zambabwe while inspiring millions around the world. Tereria fulfilled her dreams Sources Wikipedia *RISE: Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the World * by Maliha Abidi

Tebello Nyokong (OMB, FRR, Hon FRSC, FRSSAf) is a South African chemist and distinguished professor at Rhodes University. INCREDIBLE to think that in her childhood she had to wear second-hand clothes and was barefoot- her ambition was to own a pair of shoes. As a young child she went to live with her grandparents in the mountains of Lesotho. She learned science observing the wildlife as an 8 year old while caring for sheep. School one day, sheep next day. When she started university she was originally steered away from, science - told it was too difficult. She changed direction and in 2 years with perseverance, completed the science course. 1977 earned BSc degree in chemistry and biology. !987 earned an MA and Ph.D in chemistry Received a Fulbright fellowship to continue her post-doctoral studies at the university of Notre Dame in US. Returned to Lesotho. 1992 began to lecture at Rhodes University. Moved rapidly through the ranks from lecturer, to professor, to distinguished professor. Tebello is known for her research in nanotechnology as well as her work in photo-dynamic therapy. She is paving the way for safer cancer detection without the debilitating side effects of chemotherapy. She researched alternative cancer treatment to chemotherapy. She developing a drug that combined with photodynamic therapy can be injected into the patient and activated by light. She has had 100s of articles published. She has invested her time in training a new generation of chemists, and in programmes to supply unused lab equipment to schools. Tebello has received many awards and honours. She has paved the way for other women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. She now has her shoes and many are trying to follow in her footsteps. Sources Wikipedia RISE: Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the World by Maliha Abidi

Taytu was the third wife of Emperor Manelik II. She was an influential figure in anti-colonial resistance against the Italians during the 19th scramble for Africa. Along with her husband they founded the modern Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa in 1886. As empress she played a valuable role advising her husband on all political matters. Together they laid foundations for medical care, postal service, wool production, the railways and the tax system.Under the powerful couple Ethiopia advanced into the beginning of the 20th century. The Treaty of Wuchale (1889) was signed with Ethiopia and Italy to strengthen their relationship but the Amharic (Ethiopian language) and Italian versions were different. An added article in the Italian version declared Ethiopia a protectorate of Italy. Italy had wanted Ethiopia to become a colony. WAR ensued - the battle of Adwa followed . Taytu was present on the front line and led the Ethiopians to a historic victory with strategic brilliance and courage. Ethiopia had successfully defended its sovereignty and became an inspiration for African freedom. In early 1900’s Manelik II fell seriously ill and Taytu took all the decisions for Ethiopia. In her fourth and final marriage she married king Manelik of Shewa who later become Emperor of Ethiopia Sources Wikipedia *RISE: Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the World * *by Maliha Abidi .

Sanmoa was born in Chongqing, China in 1948. With the communists rising in power her family moved to Taiwan. She was an avid reader which caused her to neglect some areas of other studies. Her father educated her at home. and also hired other teachers. Her art teacher called herself Echo and she inspired Sanmoa to adopt the same name. In 1967 she set off on a journey to US and Europe.Mastered both German and Spanish. Married Jose Maria Quero, an engineer, in 1973.He quit his job to become her travel partner. They went to the Sahara desert. Stories of the Sahara, her first book, was a collection of travel essays -it eventually sold more than 10 million copies. In her lifetime she visited 59 countries. She wrote 19 more books. Tragically she committed suicide in 1991. Sanmoa 's books continue to be red in many languages by readers all around the world. Sources Wikipedia RISE: Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the World by Maliha Abidi

Raziyyat-Utd-Dunya Wa Ud-Din, popularly known as Razia Sultan, was the fifth Sultan of Delhi. She was courageous, just and generous. She was the only female ruler to sit on the Delhi throne. She was the daughter of Sultan Shamsuddin Litutmish. He had 3 sons. The eldest and heir died prematurely The other two were more interested in the indulgence of royal pleasures rather than leadership. Razia administered Delhi (1231-2) when her father was busy in the Gwalior campaign. Litutmish nominated her to succeed him. fe or mistreaa On his death Ruknuddin Firuz , her half brother, succeeded him and his mother, Shah Turkan, wanted Razia executed. But Razia instigated the general public against him. Ruknuddin and his mother were assassinated. Razia, a female, was now Sultan.She adopted masculine attire in court and on the battlefield.She believed in her supremacy as a ruler and took the title Sultan - (she refused to be called Sultana because it denoted a wife or mistress of the Sultan). Her reign was short. She was a great leader who cared deeply about the empire and was popular with her subjects. She expanded the territory of the state, and fostered peace and prosperity. There was unfortunately resentment against her and she reigned for less than years (1236-40) . She married one of the rebel leaders - Ikhtiyaruddin Altunia in an attempt to regain the throne but was defeated by her half brother and successor Muizuddin Bahramin in October 1240 . She was killed shortly afterwards. Sources Wikipedia RISE: Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the World by Maliha Abidi

Baby Noor Jehan was her stage name(born Allah Rakhi Wasai) was a famous playback singer (one whose voice is played over actor’s lip-syncing) and an actress. She worked first for British India and then the cinema in Pakistan. She had command of Hindustani classical music as well as other genres. She recorded over 20,000 songs in different languages -Urdu, Punjabi and Sindhi. She sang 2,442 songs in 1,148 films. She was awarded 15 Nigar awards and the national* Star of Excellence*. In 1951 she appeared as a main character in her first Pakistan film. She was also co-director with her husband - becoming Pakistan’s first female film director. Her career lasted over 50 years. 1965 saw the war of Pakistan with India. Her patriotic songs broadcast on the radio apparently had a profound effect on the morale of the Pakistani soldiers. Following the partition of India she moved her family to the new nation of Pakistan. Her presence in Pakistan shored up the entertainment industry in Lahore. Noor returned to India in 1982 where she was received by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Sources Wikipedia RISE:Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the World by Maliha Abidi

Negin is a female conductor leading the Zohra - the first all female orchastra in Afghanistan. Being a girl, under Taliban rule, she could never share her passion with her family. He first steps were in secret until she finally revealed her passion to her father who supported her… She was sent to an orphanage called the Afghan Child Education and Care Organization (AFCECO). Aged 13 she was selected for the Afghanistan Institute for Music by musicologist Ahmad Naser Samast. Half the students are street kids or orphans. Talented and hard working she learned to play the lute-like robab and the piano. , She also studied singing before becoming a conductor. In 2017 they performed outside Afghanistan for the first time at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. They have since been on tours to Switzerland and Germany. I will never accept defeat. I will continue to play music. I do not feel safe but when people say 'That is Negin Khpalwak ’ that gives me energy. Sources Wikipedia RISE:Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the World by Maliha Abidi

Nawal El Saadawi wrote numerous books on the subject of women in Islam. She was described as Egypt’s most radical woman. Nawal was founder and president of the Arab Women’s Solidarity Association and co-founder of the Arab Association for Human Rights. She studied medicine in Cairo and New York. She was appointed Director General of Health Education at Egypt’s Ministry of Health. She remained in post until she published Women and Sex -in which she criticised FGM (Female Gential Mutilation) - aged just 6 she had under done FMG.She was expelled. As a psychiatrist she had special insight into the traumas and injustices Egyptian women faced daily. Her writing empowered women but proved unacceptable to Egyptian political and religious authorities. She was imprisoned for a time and wrote Memories from the Women’s Prison (1983) using toilet paper and an eyebrow pencil . Nawal was a prolific writer writing both non-fiction and fiction.They were translated into many languages. ( Selected works) She fled Egypt in 1988 when her life was threatened. She returned to Cairo in 1996 where she stayed until her death in 2021. They call me a wild and dangerous woman. I speak the truth. And truth is wild and dangerous Nawal El Saadawi Sources Wikipedia Rise: Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the Worldby Maliha Abidi

Na Hye-sok’s art name was Jeongwol. She was a pioneering Korean Feminist writer and painter, She was both the first female professional painter and writer in Korea. She created some of the earliest Western-style painting in Korea. She also published feminist novels and short stories. She rejected the traditional** Good Wife, Wise Mother** ** Kyonghur* was her major written work (1918) concerned a woman’s self discovery and her subsequent search for meaning as a ’ new woman’. Na had her first painting exhibition in 1921. She participated in many exhibitions -some sold for 350 won (US $3,000 today). On 10th April 1920 she married Kim Woo-young. He divorced her in 1931 on grounds of infidelity. She lost her children and property Despite the divorce and disgraced reputation she continued to paint and write. In 1931 she published A Divorce Testimony. Her views were regarded as scandalous and shocking. She had advocated ‘test marriages’ to avoid a repeat of her unhappy marriage . Korean Confucian culture considered premarital sex taboo. This ultimately ruined her career. She died destitute and alone on 10th December 1948 in a charity hospital. The location of her grave is unknown. She became known as a feminist because of her criticism of the institute of marriage in the early 20th century. She has recently been acknowledged In Korea for her artistic and literary accomplishments. Soel Arts Centre in 2000 opened a retrospective exhibition of her works. Sources Wikiped RISE: Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the World by Maliha Abidi

Michaela Ewuraba Boakya- Collinson professionally known as Michaela Coel is best known for creating and staring in the E4 sitcom Chewing Gun (2015-17) for which she won the BAFTA Award for Best Female Comedy Performance. (See list of other awards and nominations)) She has written and performed professionally since 2006. Aged 22 she enrolled in the Guildford School of Music and Drama. She was the first black woman admitted there for years. She has also written several books (See book sheet) e In 2018 she gave the MacTaggart lecture at the Edinburgh International Television Festival. She showed her integrity by turning down $1 million offered by Netfix so she could retain full rights and creative control of I May Destroy You Again, which was aired on the BBC instead. The self-aware ‘misfit’ is now a show business insider, contributing to positive change in the industry while creating some of the in original programming in years. Sources Wikipedia RISE: Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the World by Maliha Abidi

Haydes Mercedes Sosa, sometimes known as* La Negra (The Black) because of her darker completion and dark hair, was popular throughout Latin America and many other countries outside the region. Her root in Argentina is Folk Music. She became one of the preeminent exponents of El Nuevo cancionero. With her first husband, Manuel Oscar Matus they were key players in the mid-60s. She gave her voice to songs written by many Latin American songwriters. Her voice made people hail her as the* voice of the voiceless ones.* After the military junta of Jorge Videl in 1976 she faced threats against her family. In 1979 after a concert in La Plata she was searched, arrested on stage along with her audience. She was released through international intervention. Banned in her own country she moved first to Paris then to Madrid. In 1982 she returned to Argentina from her exile in Europe In her lifetime she sang with performers across several genres and generations, folk, opera, pop and rock. ( See blue writing on page 3 of notes). She sang in the most prestigious buildings - Carnegie Hall and the Sistern Chapel to name just 2. She received 8 Latin Grammy awards ( 2 posthumously) Mercedes had a career which nearly spanned 6 decades. Aged 15, in 1950, she won a singing competition. In later years she suffered from recurrent endocrine and respiratory problems. She was still singing in 2009, the year she died, from multi organ failure. Her body was placed on display at the National Congress building in Buenos Aires for the public to pay their respects President Fermandez de Kirchner ordered 3 days of national mourning. Mercedes was cremated on 5th October. She lived her 74 years to the fullest She had done practically everything she wanted, she didn’t have any type of barrier or any fear that limited her * Fabian Matus - her son Sources Wikipedia Rise: Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the World by Maliha Abidi

Mazian is Malaysians first astrophysicist whose work has pioneered her country’s participation in space exploration. In 1975 she earned a B Sc.(Hons), followed by being the first woman ever, in 1981, to gain a Ph.D in Physics both from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand (founded in 1869) She has helped create the curriculum at the national university. In 1990 Prime minister Mahathir bin Mohamad placed her in charge of the Planetarium Division of the P.M. 's department. From 2007-2014 she served as the director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs in Vienna. In 2017 she was named director of the International Science Council (ISC) Regional Offi ce for Asia and the Pacific. From May 2023 she is a Non- Executive of HKATG, a mostly China funded satellite program. Mazian has received many honours during her ling her lifetime. ( See honours) She is a female astrophysicist in a male dominated field. She believes that her unyielding passion has played the biggest role in her success, keeping her focused only on putting her country on th map for space exploration. Sources Wikipedia *Rise: Extraordinary Women of Colour Who Changed the World *** by Maliha Abidi

Mary was the first Native American female engineer -she was the great-grand daughter of the Cherokee chief John Ross. She was also the first female engineer in the history of the LockHead Corporation - aeroplane builders. 1928 , aged 20, earned BA in Mathematics. 1938 earn MA in Mathematics. 1949 obtained professional certification in engineering. She began her career teaching maths and science for 9 years. In 1941 relocated to California to seek work after the US joined WW11. In 1942 Lockhead hired her as a mathematician. She worked for Lockhead from 1942 until her retirement in 1973. She is best remembered for her work on aerospace design. She was one of the 40 founding engineers of the renowned and secretive Skunk Works (Advanced Development Programme) team responsible for many aviation innovations ( eg. P-38 Lightning -then the world’s fastest aeroplane) and aerospace innovations (egs. Poseidon and Trident missiles). In the 1950’s she was a founding member of the Society of Women Engineers. When she retired she continued to recruit young women and Native American youth into engineering careers. She lived to the age of 99. She was held in such high regard her picture was placed on the reverse of the 2019 Sacagawea Dollar.

Hayat is famous for making major contributions to point-of-care nedival testing and biotechnology. She is ranked by Arabian business as the ninth most Influential Arab woman. Hayat’s own inventions for Diagnostic for All include a Magnetic Acoustic Resonance Sensor, which can help diagnose illnesses on the spot- invaluable where advanced health care is scarce.

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (nee. Frances Abigail Olufunmiayo Olufela Folorunso Thomas ) and as Funmilayo Anikulapo-Kuti . She was born In Abeokula, Southern Nigeria. She was the daughter of Chief Daniel Olumeyuwa Thomas,a farmer and a member pf the aristocratic Jibolu-Taiwo family. She was the first female to attend Abeokula Grammar School. She then attended a finishing school in England. She returned to Nigeria to marry the notable educator Israel Ransome-Kuti. They had a loving relationship and were married for 30 years. As a young adult she worked as a teacher, organizing some of the first preschool classes in the country and arranging literacy classes for lower income women. In 1940’s established the Abeokuta Women’s Union. She led marches and protests of up to 10,000 women. She became known as the Lioness of Lisabi. In 1949 forced Alake to temporary abdicate. Both before and after Nigeria’s independence (1960) she remained a political force. On 13th April 1978 she lost her life when she was mortally wounded during a military raid on her dissident son’s Fela family property. She has been named as a strong influence on a number of activists. No other Nigerian woman of her time ranked as such a national figure or had such international exposure ans connections . Cheyl Johnson-Odim (biographer) Sources Wikipedia RISE by Maliha Abidi

Nouhad Wadie’ Haddad, stage name Fairuz, is considered the musical icon of Lebanon and is popularly known as ‘the soul of Lebanon’. Aged 10 a musician, who taught at the Conservatory, heard her chorus singing when she was part of her school choir… He suggested she joined the Conservatory. She was successful. Her became 'active ’ when she was only 15 years of age. Her first breakthrough came when she was hired by Radio Lebanon as a chorus singer. She met the Rahbani brothers Assi and Mansour. The three became the Rahbani Trio. She married Assi when she was 20. Musical plays or operettas were the corner stone of the trio. Over 30 years they produced 25 popular musical plays (20 with Faituz). In 1975 the 15 rear civil war began. She made music lamenting the violence while refusing to take sides and did not perform in Lebanon during this time. She became a symbol of Lebanese unity and was loved by both sides. She is now in her late 80’s and continues to perform. She had won many awards worldwide. She continues to be an enigmatic, commanding presence on stage- the most listened to singer in the Arab world. Sources Wikipedia RISE by Maliha Abidi

Esther Afua Ocloo. a Ghanaian business woman who pioneered microlending - a programme of making small loans in order to stimulate businesses. She started in 1943, after graduation, to use her pocket money to buy the ingredients to make and sell her now legendary marmalade in Accra. She then took out a contract to supply orange juice to a Achimota school. She gained an additional contract to provided the Royal West African Frontier Force with juice. Lacking resources to meet the demand she had a loan from the bank. She established Nkulenu Industries - the first food processing factory in the Gold Coast. With her business established Achimota college sponsored her to visit England from 1949-51. In 1956 returned to England to develop recipes for commercial canning. 1958 encouraged by President Kwame Nkrumah she became the first president (1959-61) of what was to become the Federation of Ghana Industries. 1970’s onwards worked at national and international level in the economic empowerment of women. (See Business Activity). In 1990 she became the first woman to receive the Africa Prize for Leadership Esther was a member of Unity Worldwide Missions. She died in 2002 aged 82. Nkulenu industries today still make and export marmalade. Sources Wikipedia RISE by Maliha Abidi

Esra’a does not show her face on line -it would put and her and her family at risk if she was recognizable. C She is a Bahraini civil rights activist and founder and executive director of Majal (Mideast Youth) and its related projects including* Crowd Voice.* She founded* Mideast Tunes* which is currently the largest platform for underground musicians in the Middle East and North Africa - it penetrates isolated markets. Read about her many media awards (2008-2015) - paragraph 2. IShe was a keynote speaker at Wikimania 2017 and also appointed to the Wilkimedia Foundation Board of Trustee, In 2018 she was listed as one of BBC’s 100 Women. In January 2023 she was appointed to board of The Tor Project. We want our humanity and our futures in our hands and we use the internet and other forms of technology to fight for those rights Esra’a Her life is dedicated to bringing about change. Sources Wikipedia RISE by Maliha Abidi