CONTENTS ANGELA MERKEL CHANCELLOR 1 CATHERINE THE GREAT EMPRESS CHRISTINA OF SWEDEN QUEEN CLEOPATRA PHARAOH ELIZABETH I QUEEN EUFROSINA CRUZ ACTIVIST AND POLITICIAN EVITA PERÓN POLITICIAN GIUSI NICOLINI MAYOR GRACE O’MALLEY PIRATE HARRIET TUBMAN FREEDOM FIGHTER HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE L E Y M A H G B O W E E PEACE ACTIVIST MALALA YOUSAFZAI ACTIVIST MICHELLE OBAMA LAWYER AND FIRST LADY NANNY OF THE MAROONS QUEEN R I G O B E R T A M E N C H Ú T U M POLITICAL ACTIVIST RUTH BADER GINSBURG SUPREME COURT JUSTICE SERAFINA BATTAGLIA ANTI-MAFIA WITNESS S O J O U R N E R T R U T H ACTIVIST YAA ASANTEWAA WARRIOR QUEEN ACTIVITIES QUIZ INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHORS WORKSHOP ILLUSTRATORS ABOUT THE AUTHORS III 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 46 48 50 51
PREFACE Dearest Rebel With this book we unravel the stories of powerful leaders past and present You will right wrongs with political activist Rigoberta Menchú Tum reveal difficult truths with witness Serafina Battaglia and captain a fleet of ships with pirate Grace O’Malley We celebrate the unreserved ambition that steered these women to become great leaders Women are often the footnote if mentioned at all in the historical record so do not be surprised if these names are new Today we put them front and center Celebrate their accomplishments and take this opportunity to investigate other hidden figures Always remember that you are the lead character in your story You are powerful You are capable of being a strong leader Speak your mind and fight for what you believe in and like the women whose stories we’ve featured here you will change the world Dream bigger aim higher fight harder and when in doubt remember you are right Rebel Girls V
Born July 17 1954 ANGELA MERKEL CHANCELLOR Once upon a time in Templin Germany there lived a seven her father’s sermon in church when her mother started to cry year-old girl called Angela One Sunday she was listening to What’s the matter Angela asked They are going to build a wall her mother said They want to seal off the border between East Germany and West Germany Angela was stunned Why would they build a wall she thought People should be free to go wherever they like Not only would East Germans be stopped from going to the West but they would be barred from listening to the news coming from the other side Every day Angela would hide in the school washroom with a little radio and try to catch a station from the West It was illegal to do this but she didn’t care she wanted to know what was happening to her country When Angela grew up she studied quantum chemistry and wanted to become a university professor The secret police told her that she would be promoted only if she spied for them Angela refused and she never became a professor She was working as a researcher in a lab when the Berlin Wall was demolished She called her mom and said I think we’re free to go to the West Indeed they were Angela eventually became chancellor of Germany a determined leader who knew the pain walls could cause and never wanted her people to be divided again GERMANY 1
Illustration By Elenia Beretta WHAT WE SEEK IS HARMONY AMONG NATIONS THAT WAS AND REMAINS THE GREATEST GOAL OF EUROPEAN UNITY ANGELA MERKEL
