These women are breaking barriers across the board as amazing performers, politicians, athletes, and philanthropists. But there is something they all have in common: motherhood.
While they may spend their days winning Grammys, smashing athletic records, and trying to change the world, one of their most important roles is simply being Mom.
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Beyond just being celebrities and mothers, these ladies are Global Citizens who inspire us through their commitment to supporting many amazing causes. They tackle issues like gender equality, education, and international development, all while smashing glass ceilings of their own.
From Beyoncé to Melinda Gates, these famous women have spent their lives in the limelight, and they’re using their platforms to speak openly and candidly about what it means to be a mother.
Global Citizen is bringing you 10 powerful quotes on motherhood from famous moms who are changing the world:
1. Beyoncé
"I have so much admiration for women who are mothers, who balance family and work." Cosmopolitan UK interview, April 2011
2. Michelle Obama
"For me, being Mom-in-Chief is, and always will be, job number one." Commencement Address at Tuskegee University, 2015
3. Angelina Jolie
"With my family, I'm trying to raise them to have respect for all people ... and really live a truly global life." Interview with Front Row Features, 2012
UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie talks to the media and Syrian refugees at Za'atari camp in Jordan. Almost seven years since the start of the conflict, more than 6 million people remain displaced inside Syria and a further 5.48 million have fled to other countries in the region, creating the biggest refugee crisis since the end of the second world war. On her fifth visit to Jordan since the beginning of the crisis, Angelina Jolie visited families living in Za’atari camp, the largest refugee settlement in the Middle East, home to more than 80,000 Syrians. At a news conference in the camp, Jolie urged the international community to find a “principled end” to the war that respects the human rights of all Syrians and urged donors to help UNHCR support refugees by donating desperately needed funds.
4. Reese Witherspoon
"No one’s really doing it perfectly. I just think you love your kids with your whole heart, and you do the best you possibly can." Elle Decor article, 2018
5. Chrissy Teigen
"I've never had more appreciation for anyone in my entire life until I became a mom." Interview with ET, 2017
6. Hillary Clinton
"If you want to know how strong a country's health system is, look at the well-being of its mothers." Global Health Summit, 2012
7. Serena Williams
"I'm so glad I had a daughter. I want to teach her that there are no limits." Interview with Vogue, February 2018
8. Pink
"The most important jewels that will ever be wrapped around your neck are the arms of your children." Pink’s Twitter
9. Salma Hayek
"A mother is willing and capable of doing anything for her children." Movies Online Interview, 2012
10. Melinda Gates
"If we don't empower women, we don't allow them to unlock the potential of themselves and their children." Girls in Tech article, 2015
