Articles

Discover: Shamsia Hassani

As Afghanistan’s premier graffiti artist, Shamsia Hassani is changing the face of art in her country and contributing to the development of graffiti all around the world.

Although she is Afghani, Shamsia was born in Iran. She fell in love with art at an early age and despite the fact that art was not a generally accepted career path for women in her society, her parents were very supportive of her artistic pursuits. Unfortunately however, the only thing harder than trying to pursue art as a woman in Iran was trying to pursue art as an Afghani woman in Iran: she was prohibited from studying the subject. Shamsia’s family ultimately returned to Afghanistan, and there, she was finally able to pursue her passion, studying art at Kabul University. She went on to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree.

Biography: Mae Jemison-- Astronaut 

In America, in 1961, perhaps the only thing more surprising than a little girl answering the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” with “a scientist”, was hearing that response from a little African-American girl. Yet, when her kindergarten teacher asked Mae Jemison that question, “a scientist” was precisely the answer she gave, and much to the surprise of almost everyone around her, a scientist is precisely what she grew up to be.

Biography: Alice huyler Ramsey-- Motorist

Underneath her domestic responsibilities, Alice Huyler Ramsey had the heart of an adventurer. The first woman to complete a cross-country road trip, and the first to be inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame, Alice more than earned her placement in the Notable Names Database, where her occupation is listed not as Housewife, but Daredevil.