March being Women's History Month, and March 8 being International Women's Day, I want to take a moment to share some amazing accomplishments that women are making right now, today, in the world around us. Apple has been promoting women in tech all month (and really, all the time) with daily App of the Day spotlights from women App Developers, and weekly (on Fridays) behind-the-scenes stories featuring women who have done some amazing things in the tech world.
Apple has also partnered with Girls Who Code to offer the Everyone Can Code Curriculum to 90,000 members and facilitators of the Girls Who Code Club. Club leaders will also get Swift training so they can pass along their knowledge to young coders.
Apple supports educational opportunities for students of all ages and backgrounds, and advocates for girls' right to access the same learning opportunities as their male counterparts through its Developer Academies, Everyone Can Code curriculum and work with the Malala Fund and National Center for Women and Information Technology.
Women's History Month
To celebrate Women's History Month, Apple is offering 60 events throughout the world, including Singapore, Kyoto, Hong Kong, London, Milan, Paris, Dubai, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles, as part of the Today at Apple: Made By Women series, each one hosted by scientists, app developers, illustrators, filmmakers, musicians, and creators from a variety of careers and life paths.
Here are just a few highlights of some of the fantastic events coming to Apple Retail stores around the world.
Apple Williamsburg in Brooklyn New York is hosting a series of DJ sessions all month long. Pick a night, put on your dance shoes, and learn what it takes to drop a beat.
If you're in the San Francisco, CA area, stop by for an evening with Jaylen Green, who will discuss essentials in songwriting (something I could use some help with).
At Apple Union Square in San Francisco, you can meet with California College of Arts for a couple of awesome-sounding "nature" walks through the concrete jungle of the City by the Bay.
Walk the streets of sunny Santa Monica at Apple Third Street Promenade this weekend to learn about portrait photography and historical landmarks
- Photo Walk - Exploring Alternate Histories with Maj Hasager
- Photo Lab: Taking Authentic Portraits with Zorah Olivia
In Chicago, there's an amazing session with four photographers that will talk about their creative process.
At Apple Dubai Mall, go on an intimate photo walk with visual artist Ola Allouz to photograph the simple beauty of street life.
At Apple Causeway Bay in Hong Kong, meet Hillary Yip, who at 14 years old is the founder and CEO of a language exchange platform. She'll host a session on developing and pitching ideas for building social platforms.
And a couple more for good measure:
- App Lab: Developing an App Concept with Amanda Southworth - San Francisco
- Exclusive: Poems and Positivity with Telixia Inico - London
- Exclusive: Positive Reflections with Elise Swopes - Chicago
- Exclusive: Persuasive Storytelling with Alida Miranda-Wolff - Chicago
March 8, International Women's Day
To celebrate International Women's Day specifically, Apple has some specially curated content that focuses on women.
Strap on your Apple Watch and hit those activity goals to earn the Women's Day award (it comes with stickers!). Just complete a walk, run or wheelchair workout of a mile (1.6km) or more on March 8.
Don't forget to check out the App Store, where you can celebrate games with women and girls in staring roles, as well as apps developed by women.
- Lara Croft Go - an adventure of epic proportion staring the OG female action star.
- Monument Valley 2 - Help Ro help her daughter navigate the confusing world of the Sacred Geometry.
- Flipped Out - The Powerpuff Girls - Everyone's favorite kinder heroes are here to save the day in three different game style adventures.
- DC Super Hero Girls - The DC universe just got a little cuter (and tougher) with help from teen-aged Wonder Woman, Super Girl, Starfire, and Batgirl and their fun mini puzzle game adventures.
- Marvel Contest of Champions - Guess who's the star of the show this time? Captain Marvel, meet your destiny. Not only can you protect the world from supervillains, but you can also compete with other players in PVP battles.
- #SelfCare - Relax every day by treating yourself to some much-needed self care, like breathing exercises and simple word games. Don't get out of bed until you've spent some time with yourself.
- Oh She Glows - 208 delicious vegan and plant-based recipes to inspire you to cook like a pro and eat healthier. Recipes are from bestselling author Angela Liddon
- Ground News - A news aggregate with a little extra. Taking advantage of social media and geolocation, you can directly contact other Ground News readers to chat specifically about a news story. Flooding in Northern California? As a local resident how bad the situation is.
- A Color Story - Your Instagram brand will be on point with this photo editing beauty. It's stuffed with filters, tools, and all the things you need to turn your photos into an Insta hit.
- Sweat with Kayla - Join the world's biggest female fitness community and get fit the way that works best for you. From low-impact exercise to muscle-building weight training.
And be sure to read the background story behind Women who Changed the World in today's Celebrating Women story.
Kickstart your day by listening to one of two-dozen curated music playlists dedicated to women. This is my personal favorite. I'm a strong advocate for rewriting history to include women's roles across the music industry. These playlists remind us of how many women were important players in music throughout time. Look for these playlists in Apple Music today:
- #OnRepeat
- Friday Feeling
- Alt Pop
- Feeling Happy
- Untitled
- Mood.
- In My Room
- Today's Easy Hits
- Today's Acoustic
- Acoustic Chill
- FEELS
- ¡Dale Play!
- What Would Dolly Do?
- Brown Sugar
- Feminism Essentials
- Singer's Delight
- Women in Classical
- Wax Eclectic
- Beneath the Stars
- The Underground
- Piano Bar
- Divas Essentials
- Riot Grrrl Essentials
- Best of K-Pop: Female Groups
If you're looking for something inspiring to read, check out these Apple Books, written by some of the most inspiring women in the world:
- We are Displaced - Malala Yousafzai
- Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body - Roxane Gay
- Just Kids - Patti Smith
- I Hear She's A Real Bitch - Jen Agg
- Heroes in My Head: A Memoir - Judy Rebick
- Becoming - Michelle Obama
- Unbowed - Wangari Maathai
- My Life on the Road - Gloria Steinem
- Lakota Woman - Mary Crow Dog
- I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing - Maya Angelou
If you don't have the time to read a book, or if you just want to relax with a good movie, Apple is spotlighting these 12 movies for the strong women in them:
- Captain Marvel
- Aquaman
- The Favourite
- Mary Queen of Scots
- Spider-Man Into the Spider-verse
- Ralph Breaks the Internet
- Ben is Back
- A Star is Born
- Crazy Rich Asians
- Instant Family
- A Private War
- The Hate You Give
Oh, and here's a bit of trivia you can take with you to your next party. Here are Apple Music's top 20 women in music based on their streaming numbers (all time):
- Ariana Grande
- Taylor Swift
- Rihanna
- Beyoncé
- Nicki Minaj
- Cardi B
- Adele
- Sia
- Lady Gaga
- Halsey
- Lana Del Rey
- SZA
- Demi Lovato
- Selena Gomez
- Katy Perry
- P!nk
- Camila Cabello
- Mariah Carey
- Ella Mai
- Billie Eilish
(Is anyone else surprised that Ariana Grande beat out Beyoncé?)
Everyone has a woman in their life that has impacted their lives in one way or another, whether it be your mom, sister, spouse, best friend, or teacher. Celebrate International Women's Day today with me and them. And be sure to celebrate the women in your life every day.
