#Celebrating Our Own Heroes : Iman, Lupita, Chimamanda honored in OkayAfrica power list

Kenyan's actress LUPITA NYONG'o rose to critical acclaim for her Oscar winning role in "12 years a slave".

Our own women, our mothers, our sisters, our daughters, our own beautiful black women, the bravest, most beautiful, caring, passionate, lovely, strongest, of all women i have ever seen or heard of on the surface of the earth. They are never ashamed of their skin color, never let Racism distract them from their dreams, focused all through. Our own heroes, our own black women who are proud of who they are and became an inspiration and motivation to our own beautiful lovely young damsels. We are proud of you all, our own black shining sparkling gems where ever you are, who ever you are, what ever you are. 

ILWAD ELMAN is a Somali-born social activist who lives in the USA. The YALI( Young African Leaders Initiative ) Alum is one of four daughters of the late Somali activist Elman Ali Ahmed.

CHIMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE, is a Nigerian prominent Novelist know for "Half of a yellow Sun". She is a short story writer and speaker. She is well known for her TED talk and adapted short-story, "we should all be feminist". 

In honor of Women's History Month, OkayAfrica has released a list recognizing the most influential African women on the continent and in the Diaspora.

IMAN ABDULMAJID, commonly known as Iman is a retired super model, mother, actress, entrepreneur and humanitarian. 

RUTH-NEGGAN is an Ethiopian-Irish, Oscar-Nominated actress who had her breakthrough performance in the 2016 movie, "LOVING"

The list recognizes women who are blazing a trail in their respective fields.

"We proudly present 100 dope women who hail from the continent and the Diaspora—an amazing collective of visionaries, champions, pioneers and innovators," said Antoinette Isama, OkayAfrica Associate Editor.

"These brilliant women," she said. "Are positively impacting our lives and the lives of others across Africa and around the world."

Among those recognized are eminent figures like; Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Luvvie Ajayi, Issa Rae and Lupita Nyong'o.