"There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a third power stronger than both, that of women.” — Malala Yousafzai

When women are encouraged to nurture their gifts and empowered to embrace their ambitions, they can truly change the world for the better. Upworthy and Tory Burch partnered this year to help women do just that by honoring amazing women for their contributions and giving them $5,000 on behalf of the Tory Burch Foundation to donate to a non-profit of their choice.

Meet the 14 women who have been honored in 2021 for their diverse commitments to making the world a more hopeful, healthy, and just place.

Davina Agudelo: Supporting BIPOC and Latinx Writers

8 / 14

Davina Agudelo founded Alegría Magazine and refurbished a van into a mobile bookstore to celebrate Latin American and LatinX indie authors and poets. She also mentors indie writers and encourages children's reading and writing in low-income communities across Southern California. “The amount of talent in our community pushes me to keep growing our company so the world can read their work and remember their names,” she says.

Agudelo donated her $5,000 to the Sims Library of Poetry, the first Black-owned poetry library in California.

Though 2021 has been a tough year for many, these impressive women and their organizations are giving back to their community in incredible ways. Empowered women inspire others, and if we want to see greater progress in our world, we need to empower more women.

Thankfully, that’s something we can all help with. Tory Burch and Upworthy are looking for more extraordinary women to honor, so if you know an empowered woman, nominate her here. Learn more about Tory Burch and Upworthy's Empowered Women program here.

Let’s all celebrate the amazing women in our lives and give them the gift of recognition they deserve.