Who run the world? Girls. March 8 is International Women’s Day, a day to “celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women.” And Cincinnati has more than its fair share of badass ladies doing all of the above. Here’s just a sampling of a few that we’ve covered over the years.
Megs Gelfgot, founder of Keep Her Wild, a Cincinnati skate initiative that empowers women to overcome their fear of starting something new when barriers like age, gender and social stigma may prevent them from doing so. Photo: Provided
Pam Kravetz, an artist, parade leader, wig wearer and educator/art teacher at Harrison High School. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Biz Young, filmmaker, visual storyteller and cinematographer. Photo: Biz Young
Stephanie Webster, owner of The Rhined and Oakley Wines. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Catherine Manabat (left) and Julia Petiprin, co-founders of Over-the-Rhine’s HomeMakers Bar. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Tammie Scott, owner and founder of Over-the-Rhine’s Nostalgia Wine & Jazz Lounge. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Siri Imani, artist, activist, musician and a member of Cincinnati’s popular Hip Hop and community service group TRIIIBE. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Brianna Matzke (right), University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music alumna, local Classical pianist, music professor and mind behind The Response Project — in which  Matzke commissions artists and composers to “respond” to existing artworks or ideas. Photo: Provided by The Response Project
Vanessa Miller, executive chef at 21c Museum Hotel’s Metropole. Photo: Provided
Tyra Patterson, a social justice advocate who works as the Community Outreach Strategy Specialist at the Ohio Justice & Policy Center, and is an ambassador for Represent Justice. She also helped in the creation of ArtWorks’ 200th mural, “Time Saved vs. Time Served.”
Brittney Braemer and Suzy Hinnefeld of Handzy Shop + Studio and Gumdrop. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Stacy Vest, artist and wigmaker. Photo: Hailey Bollnger
Colleen Houston, ArtWorks CEO and Artistic Director. Photo: Andrew Houston
Gabrielle Lauren, founder and owner of Madisonville’s Fill More Waste Less. Photo: Provided
Ibtisam Masto, a Syrian refugee and proprietor of a catering outlet called Olive Tree. Photo: Emma Stiefel
Molly Wellmann, author, mixologist, cocktail historian and owner of Japp’s. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Julia Keister (right), founder of Lil’s Bagels Photo: lilsbagels.com
Blair Fornshell, owner of Brown Bear Bakery. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Yuliya Bui, owner of Gia and The Blooms. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Q-Kidz Dance Team — a West End dance studio and community program — and founder Marquicia Jones-Woods. Photo: facebook.com/QKDTstudio
Alejandra Flores, owner of Unataza Coffee in Dayton, Kentucky. Photo: Facebook.com/unataza.coffee
Tamia Stinson, People’s Liberty Haile fellowship recipient and mastermind behind Tether, a creative sourcebook. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Rachel Desrochers, founder of Grateful Grahams and Incubator Kitchen Collective. Photo: racheldesrochers.com
Emily Frank, owner of Share: Cheesebar. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Andi Ploehs, designer and artist behind ap loves design. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The team behind Indigo Hippo creative reuse store. Photo: Brittany Thornton
Rosie Kovacs (left) and Shailah Maynard are the partners behind Sew Valley, a local nonprofit business which offers specialized industrial sewing equipment and a sense of community. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Hannah Lowen, New Riff vice president of operations and general manager. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Kim Taylor, Cincinnati singer/songwriter. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Melissa Aydogan, who used a People’s Liberty grant to transform their Globefront Gallery into her popular Rüya Coffee Turkish coffeehouse. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Patty Brisben, founder of Pure Romance. Photo: Jesse Fox
Chef Margaret (Meg) Galvin (right), a professor at the Midwest Culinary Institute at Cincinnati State.
Taren Kinebrew and Crystal Grace, co-owners of Cream + Sugar Coffee House in Evanston. Photo: Facebook.com/creamandsugarcoffeehouse
Rachel Felous, founder of Simply Zero, a store that promotes zero-waste living and sustainability at 1235 Vine St. in the former Spruce Nail Shop spot. Photo: simplyzero.co
Kate MacDonald, owner and vintner behind The Skeleton Root. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Emily Bosse-Wollum and Donna Hoffman, co-owners of floral and plant shop Buds. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
D. Lynn Meyers, producing artistic director for Ensemble Theatre. Photo: Jesse Fox
Carolyn Evans, founder of My Furry Valentine, owner of PhoDOGrapher pet photography studio and executive director of Cincinnati Animal CARE/Hamilton County Animal ShelterPhoto: Jesse Fox