The Women Inspiring Me This Women’s History Month; A Solo Episode with Carrie
Women’s History Month always makes me pause.
Not because women haven’t already shaped history — we obviously have — but because it reminds me how important it is to actively celebrate the women who are shaping our present.
The ones making us laugh.
The ones making us uncomfortable enough to grow.
The ones making us think harder about the world we live in.
On this episode of Carrie On!, I wanted to highlight a few women who inspire me right now. Some I know personally. Some I discovered through the magical chaos that is the social media algorithm.
But all of them are doing something powerful: they’re showing up fully as themselves.
And in a world that still tries to shrink women’s voices, that matters.
Here are three women you should absolutely know.
Genevieve Turley: The Satirical Queen of Beauty Culture
If you need a laugh — and frankly, who doesn’t right now — you should follow Genevieve Turley.
Genevieve is a UK-based makeup artist whose Instagram reels have become viral hits for a reason: they perfectly parody the over-the-top beauty tutorials we see online every day.
One of my favorites is her brilliant edit alongside Kylie Jenner’s famous multi-step lip routine. Kylie applies lipstick in what feels like fifteen complicated steps… and somehow ends up looking exactly the same.
Meanwhile, Genevieve cuts between the tutorial and her own exaggerated reactions — and the result is comedic gold.
What I love about Genevieve’s content is that it does something really important:
It reminds us not to take beauty culture so seriously.
Her humor has a kind of Ab Fab British satire energy that calls out the absurdity of influencer beauty standards while still celebrating makeup as a form of creativity.
In a world where women are constantly told we need one more product, one more serum, one more “fix,” Genevieve’s humor is a refreshing reminder that sometimes the best beauty tip is simply to laugh at the whole thing.
Coach Jackie: Advocating for Women in Sports and Trans Athletes
Another woman who landed in my algorithm — and immediately stayed there — is Coach Jackie.
Jackie writes and speaks about women in sports, culture, and gender equity, often using humor and sharp commentary to challenge the narratives we see in media and politics.
One of the most powerful moments I saw from her was when she and a friend went to the steps of the Supreme Court during protests about trans athletes in sports.
They asked protesters a simple question:
“Name one professional female athlete.”
Many couldn’t.
Not one.
That moment says everything.
Jackie uses moments like these to highlight a truth we don’t talk about enough:
Many of the people most vocal about protecting women’s sports often don’t actually follow or support women’s sports at all.
Her work consistently reminds us that athletics aren’t just about competition — they’re about community, mental health, mentorship, leadership, and belonging.
Sports teach kids resilience.
They teach teamwork.
They create confidence.
And every kid deserves that opportunity.
Jackie also uses humor to make serious conversations more accessible — including a wildly funny Olympic segment called “Is She an Olympian or a Lesbian?” that pokes fun at stereotypes while celebrating the diversity of women in sports.
Her voice is sharp, funny, and deeply thoughtful — exactly the kind of commentary we need right now.
Dr. Akilah Cadet: Doing the Work of Equity
The third woman I want everyone to know is Dr. Akilah Cadet.
Dr. Cadet is the founder and CEO of Change Cadet, an organization dedicated to building workplaces rooted in equity, belonging, and accountability.
Her work focuses on helping leaders and organizations move beyond performative diversity initiatives and into real, sustained change.
And that’s not easy work.
Through Change Cadet, she partners with organizations to address systemic inequities in leadership, hiring, workplace culture, and policy. Her approach is rooted in both lived experience and deep professional expertise — she holds a doctorate in health education and focuses on the intersection of public health, leadership, and social justice.
Dr. Cadet is also the author of the powerful book:
“White Supremacy Is All Around Us: Notes from a Black Disabled Woman in a White World.”
It’s an honest, challenging, and deeply personal look at how systems of power shape our everyday lives.
One of the messages in her work that really stuck with me is this:
Reading the book is not the work.
It’s the beginning.
For white women especially — and I’m including myself in this — the work requires ongoing listening, learning, and accountability.
It means supporting Black businesses.
It means amplifying Black voices.
It means recognizing when we’ve centered ourselves and choosing to step back.
And most importantly, it means understanding that equity isn’t a trend.
It’s a practice
Lori Medlin
The fourth woman I want to celebrate this month is someone deeply personal to me.
My best friend, Lori Medlin
Loriand I met 18 years ago in a Mommy and Me class when we were both new moms trying to figure out life, motherhood, and everything in between. If you’ve ever walked into one of those rooms, you know the feeling — you’re exhausted, unsure of yourself, and hoping someone else there understands what you’re going through.
Lori did.
What started as two women navigating early motherhood turned into a friendship that has carried us through nearly two decades of life.
She has been there through the building of two businesses.
Through one very difficult divorce.
Through the ups and downs that life inevitably throws our way.
Lori is also the director of Carrie On! — the steady hand behind the scenes helping bring this show to life.
Friendship like that doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through years of showing up for each other, again and again. And while she may be moving to Kentucky (which I’m still emotionally negotiating), I know that friendships like ours don’t disappear because of geography.
That’s what airplanes are for.
At the end of the episode, I found myself getting emotional — because the truth is, none of us are doing life alone. Tell the women who inspire you that you love them!
Watch this episode on YouTube, or listen on Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
