The Blog of Awesome Women

Christina of Sweden: With Grace and Dignity

The daughter of Sweden’s King Gustavus Adolphus and his wife Maria Eleonora, Christina was their lone surviving child. She took the Swedish throne when she was just six years old, after her father died in battle, but officially began her rule when she was eighteen. She is remembered for her scholarship—Christina’s education was highly extensive at the time, and even more so for a woman. She studied art, philosophy, and languages, as well as ballet to improve her grace and poise, and is considered to be among the most learned women of her century.

“We should never believe anything we have not dared to doubt.”

—Christina, Queen of Sweden

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

St. Jadwiga of Poland: It Takes a Queen to Be King

Jadwiga took the throne of Poland when she was just ten years old after her father Louis the Great, King of Hungary and Poland passed away. Jadwiga was actually named “king” of Poland at the time to emphasize the separation of the Polish and the Hungarian kingdoms. For the next two years, she was the sole ruler of the region, and then she was pressured to marry Jogaila of Lithuania by Polish government and influential business members. To enable the marriage, Jogaila was willing to be christened and promised to unite his country with Poland and to enforce Christianity in Lithuania. From what it seems, Jadwiga seemed unhappy in her marriage with the older man and spent most of her time caring for the poor and sick. She also founded several monasteries. On June 22, 1399, when she was only twenty years old, she gave birth to her only child who survived for just three weeks. Jadwiga then followed her child five days later. In 1997, she was canonized by Pope John Paul II.

“[Jadwiga was] the real-life princess who was one of Poland’s holiest and greatest rulers.”

—Virginia Durkin O’Shea

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

Mary, Queen of Scots: Ruling Before Learning to Crawl

As King James V’s only surviving child with a legitimate claim to the throne of Scotland, Mary ascended to throne when she was still an infant. In fact, she was only days old when the King passed away. Regents ruled Scotland in her place while she grew up in France, where she eventually became queen consort. In her life, she wore the crowns of four different nations: Scotland, France, Ireland, and England.

“To be kind to all, to like many and love a few, to be needed and wanted by those we love, is certainly the nearest we can come to happiness.”

—Mary, Queen of Scots

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

Asia Newson: A Shining Light in the Business World

Asia Newson has a business that's literally lit — https://bit.ly/3O5oFmA

“Detroit’s Youngest Entrepreneur” started her own candle business modeled after her father’s sales career. Her company blew up, and after several years, she is still creating and selling candles. Her business has since grown into Super Business Girl, a workshop-based mentorship program. The company, of which she is co-founder and CEO, gives back to children just like her so that they can learn how to become entrepreneurs too. From the proceeds of the sales, Asia buys her school supplies and purchases food and clothing for less fortunate kids.

“You can’t give up because you’re a child. And you can’t be afraid to fail. That’s one thing that I’ve learned.”

—Asia Newson

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

Hannah Grace: Beautifully You

After her father challenged her to make the same beauty products found in stores, ten-year-old Hannah Grace created a line of bath products using natural ingredients. Her line BeYOUtiful stems from the idea that beauty comes from within. She believes that her brand showcases that you do not have to be anyone but yourself in order to be beautiful. While being a successful young entrepreneur is truly awesome, what makes her even more special is her heart. She was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and celiac disease and wants to help others who experience those diseases too. Twenty percent of all purchases from BeYOUtiful go toward JDRF and Beyond Type 1, organizations that are actively striving to increase awareness about and fund research for Type 1 Diabetes.

Quote: “You don’t have to be like a model or anyone else to be beautiful, you just have to be you.”

—Hannah Grace

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

Gitanjali Rao: Little Scientist, Big Invention

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gitanjali_Rao_(scientist)

When Gitanjali was just eleven years old, she learned about the water crisis in Flint, Michigan and was motivated to make change. She invented Tethys, a device that detects the presence of lead in water. Tethys is based on carbon nanotubes that can send information via Bluetooth. She entered Tethys into the 2017 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge and was awarded $25,000. Gitanjali has faith that the device may be even more accurate than the test options currently available. Because the prototype cost only slightly more than $20 to put together, her invention would also be more accessible due to its affordability. Her She was selected by Gizmodo as one of the most heroic earthlings, earned the title of America’s Top Young Scientist, and was awarded among many other distinctions.

“I was always someone who wanted to put a smile on someone’s face. That was my everyday goal, just to make someone happy.”

—Gitanjali Rao

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

Steph Gabriel: Plastic, but Make it Fashion

Rad Livin': Meet Steph Gabriel Founder of OceanZen - DontTellSummer — https://bit.ly/41nVuhk

Steph Gabriel is an activist, entrepreneur, and marine scientist. She founded Ocean Zen in 2014, a company borne of concern for the environment and the marine life being harmed by the copious amounts of plastic that make their way into our oceans. The company sells sustainable swimwear that is made from materials recovered from the ocean, including recycled plastic bottles and abandoned fishing nets. Steph is “saving the ocean, one bikini at a time,” as the company slogan goes.

“Don’t waste another second wondering if and how. Just launch straight into your passion and go for gold.”

—Steph Gabriel

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

Ann Makosinski: Lighting the Way for Others

Ann Makosinski is a Canadian inventor and public speaker. When she was fifteen, she participated in the 2013 Google Science Fair. Her entry was flashlight of her own invention, powered completely by body heat! This discovery served two purposes: it reduced the waste produced by flashlight batteries, and it offered an affordable light source to people who didn’t have the means to pay for electricity. This invention was followed by another—the eDrink mug, which converts the excess heat from beverages into energy that can be used to charge a phone. She presented her eDrink on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show and has won a number of awards and investments from climate organizations. She has also forged major brand partnerships, as well as been featured in TIME Magazine and Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list.

“If I don’t do something constructive every day, I feel like I have wasted my time, and I almost feel guilty for not doing something I could have learned from.”

—Ann Makosinski

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

Mikaila Ulmer: Queen Bee

Mikaila Ulmer – Audio Books, Best Sellers, Author Bio | Audible.com — https://bit.ly/3B0jfkS

At four years old, Mikaila Ulmer learned about bees’ importance in the environment and decided that she wanted to do something to protect them. She entered a local business competition for children in the area with her family’s homemade lemonade recipe, sweetening the lemonade with locally produced honey. Mikaila donated a portion of sales toward conservation organizations working to prevent the extinction of honeybees. She has sold her “Me & the Bees” lemonade at events and went on Shark Tank to grow the business. She was even able to secure a partnership with Whole Foods!

“Don’t be discouraged by life’s little stings, get back up and spread your wings!”

—Mikaila Ulmer

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Girls by Becca Anderson which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.

Maya Penn: Eco-Friendly Fashionista

Maya is a young entrepreneur who was born and raised in Atlanta. In 2008, at the age of eight, she started Maya’s Ideas, her own eco-friendly fashion house. She partners with major brands to help them address sustainability and find ways to make fashion more friendly for the environment, promoting the development of eco-consciousness in the industry. She has also done three TED Talks that have gone viral and was chosen as Oprah’s youngest SuperSoul100 entrepreneur.

“Be creative, be curious, and watch as your awesomeness is unleashed.”

—Maya Penn

This post is an excerpt from Positively Badass by Becca Anderson, which can be found at Amazon and Mango Media.