VIA: www.newsone.com
In our continuing efforts to celebrate the women who shape our world, we take a look back at 10 women who shaped 2008.
10. Christina Norman – Norman may be the most powerful black woman in media that most don’t know. That won’t be the case for long, however. She departed her post as MTV president in February, and is said to be in talks to head up Oprah Winfrey’s cable network venture the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). Norman has a decorated career as an advertiser and programmer that makes her a near shoe-in for the CEO position.
9. Candace Parker – Also gracing NewsOne’s Athletes of the Year list, Parker has made her way to the top ranks of female athletes in her sport. She’s already won two gold medals with the U.S. Olympic Basketball team, two NCAA championships and a WNBA Most Valuable Player award in the last 4 years. She and Lisa Leslie have provided the punch to bring the L.A. Sparks back to prominence. Parker led the WNBA in four major statistical categories, and made herself a player to watch in the coming seasons.
8. Serena Williams & Venus Williams – More remarkable than Serena Williams capturing her ninth single’s title at the U.S. Open, is that she’s done so with her most challenging opponent being her sister Venus. The Williams Sisters faced each other in the Wimbledon Final, where Venus had already won four championships. In Serena’s loss, she missed out on a third Wimbledon title. Despite their heated rivalry, the sisters still won Gold in Beijing Women’s Doubles Tennis.
7. Stephanie Tubbs-Jones – Although Mrs. Tubbs-Jones passed in a sudden turn this summer, her career will not soon be forgotten. She was the first black woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representative seat in Ohio’s 11th district. She made her way into the ranks of the Democratic party, serving as its chair in 2002 and as the chair of the House Committee of Official Conduct in 2006. Her support was instrumental in building Hillary Clinton’s name during the Democratic primary. Clinton expressed deep sorrow at her loss, as did many others.
6. Susan E. Rice – Just last month, Susan Rice accepted her highest political position by agreeing to serve as President-elect Barack Obama’s Ambassador to the United Nations. The appointment created a stir for two reasons: Rice was yet another prominent black woman to serve as a diplomatic envoy to the United States; she had a reputation for ruffling feathers to get the job done. Rice has been a leading voice in the drive to end genocide in Darfur. Her career in public policy is impressive but green, a common theme among some Obama cabinet choices. This year will certainly be her biggest test as the tensions surrounding terrorism have reached a fever pitch internationally.
