• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · Parenting

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud

TIME magazine just released its annual 30 Most Influential Teens list, and we have a few additions! Here are 25 young ladies that have us feeling good about the next generation.
By Jolie A. Doggett · Updated October 27, 2020
01
Amandla Stenberg (17)

Amandla is more than just an actress. This teen is an accomplished musician and is unafraid to be the voice for all Black girls, eloquently speaking out on hot topic issues like cultural appropriation. 

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
Getty Images
02
Sasha Obama (14) & Malia Obama (17)

We love how the First Daughters are staying classy and cool while living in the public eye and still managing to be themselves and we’re sure they have a bright future ahead of them!

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
Theo Wargo/WireImage
03
Mo’Ne Davis (14)

With a shoe line, a book, a documentary and a historic Sports Illustrated cover, pitching pro Mo’Ne Davis is proving you can do anything when you put your mind to it. 

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
Getty Images
04
Willow Smith (15)

You can’t deny it. Willow Smith is 100 percent herself all the time. Her quirky style and eclectic thoughts show our daughters how to be confident.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
AP Images
05
Zendaya Coleman (19)

Zendaya got a resounding “YASSSS” from the world when she shut down Guiliana Rancic’s racist comments about her hair, and she has ben beautifully outspoken on issues like body image. Zendaya will show your little one to stand up for herself no matter what.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
AP Images
06
Keke Palmer (22)

This Scream Queens actress will show your little girl it’s okay to grow up and change your look as long as you remain true to yourself.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
AP Images
07
Quvenzhané Wallis (12)

This talented pre-teen is the youngest actress ever to be nominated for an Oscar and she just landed a book deal, proving talent and skill come in all shapes and sizes.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
AP Images
08
Malala Yousafzai (18)

Malala won the Nobel Peace Prize and was almost killed for encouraging the education of girls in Pakistan. She’ll show your daughter and the world to always stand up for what’s right, no matter how hard it gets.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
AP Images
09
Justine Skye (20)

This purple-haired pop star is quickly rising in the ranks of singers and will raise your daughter’s self-esteem with her intense love of her beautiful brown skin.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
AP Images
10
Winnie Harlow (21)

America’s Next Top Model contestant Winnie Harlow may not have taken the top prize but she’s showing the world what it means to be comfortable in your own skin.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
AP Images
11
Gabby Douglas (20) and Simone Biles (18)

These two Black gymnasts are breaking all the records and taking the gymnastics world by storm. They’ll show your daughter that there’s room for everyone at the top.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
Jamie Squire/Getty Images and Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
12
Jourdan Dunn (25)

This British model is changing the face of the beauty and fashion industry to look more like our little brown girls.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
13
Cheyenne Woods (25)

Tiger Woods’ niece is following in her uncle’s footsteps while still blazing her own trail for success.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
Ap Images
14
Chanel Iman (25)

Half-Black and Half-Korean, supermodel-turned-actress Chanel Iman stays true to herself and finds the beauty in all sides of her heritage.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
Andy Kropa/Invision/AP
15
Esther Okade (11)

Last year, this math super-genius became the youngest student at Open University in the U.K. She’s proving that having a good head on your shoulders will take you far.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
Nick Wilkinson/Birmingham Mail
16
Mikaila Ulmer (11)

Mikaila Ulmer entered a room full of “sharks” and walked out with $60,000 for her lemonade business. This Shark Tank champ proves age doesn’t matter when you’re confident about who you are and what you have.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
Facebook
17
Yara Shahidi (16) & Marsai Martin (11)

These Black-ish siblings are breaking racial and gender stereotypes on their hit primetime show.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
Getty Images
18
Kiersey Clemons (22)

Kiersey Clemons is the breakout actress your young one needs to watch. From Disney to DOPE, she’s a beautiful representation of Brown Girl Power on the big and small screens.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
Wire Images/Vincent Sandoval
19
Synead Nichols (24) & Umaara Elliott (20)

Synead and Umaara were fed up with police violence against Black people so they did something about it. Together, they organized last year’s Millions March NYC and proved that with a little effort, you can do a lot. 

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
20
Asia Newson (12)

This pint-sized entrepreneur has the perfect pitch and uses it to perfect the world around her.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
AP Photo/Detroit News, Robin Buckson
21
Alexandra Shipp (24)

Alexandra Shipp is the perfect example of hard work and dedication paying off in the end.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
Paras Griffin/Getty Images
22
Lia Neal (21)

Lia swam her way into history when she won the bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She is everything a young woman should be: strong, focused, confident and happy.

26 Young Women Who Would Make Any Mother Proud
Michael Rowe
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now