Every year on March 8, as a nation we have the opportunity to celebrate International Women’s Day. This annual day is to celebrate women’s achievements throughout history and across nations.

As I thought about what this day meant to me, I think about the challenges I have faced as a woman and what the women around me are challenged with. Everyday, yes every day I face women who are in different journeys in their own battle for their rights.

For each of these types of women, I am celebrating today in your honor.

Last year, organizations and individuals around the world supported the #PledgeForParity campaign and committed to help women and girls achieve their ambitions; challenge conscious and unconscious bias; call for gender-balanced leadership; value women and men’s contributions equally; and create inclusive flexible cultures. From awareness raising to concrete action, organizations rallied their people to pledge support to help forge gender parity on International Women’s Day (IWD) and beyond.

This year, we are making an even BOLDER statement. Imagine if the world truly stepped up to take bold action? This year’s theme is #BeBoldForChange to help take groundbreaking action that truly drives the greatest change for women. Each one of us – with women, men and non-binary people can join forces to learn within our own spheres of influence by taking bold pragmatic action to accelerate gender parity. Through purposeful collaboration, we can help women advance and unleash the limitless potential offered to economies the world over.

Are you ready to become bold for change? Check out 5 ways in which you can:

  • Challenge bias and inequality

  • Campaign against violence

  • Forge women’s advancement

  • Celebrate women’s achievement

  • Help champion women’s education

Whatever the reason you decide, please use 2017 as your year to make a change. Pledge today.

As much as I am fighting for the woman that made it and the woman that is going through each of the reasons above, I am also in this for a change for myself. At the age of 26, I have felt unequal pay and opportunity, I have had my skills be challenge based on my age and gender and I have watched others tear down a woman’s achievement instead of celebrating. Even though I have experienced some, it by no means compares to the changes that need to happen for others. This is an international day for a reason, because as a world we need to come together. The right we even have in America do not compare to other countries. Everyone deserves a voice.

While we have each encountered our own experiences, I have also seen women be celebrated, championed and given amazing backing from other encourages. In those moments I do believe change can happen one person at a time.

For the generation before me, with me and after me, I need your help in making this change. This does include you men, I need your help. I am surrounded by extraordinary men just as I am women, and I believe it takes everyone to come together for this journey.

To learn more visit https://www.internationalwomensday.com.