How to transform your world

A couple of years ago, at the Golden Globes, Oprah Winfrey made a speech which became the final piece of evidence I needed to believe that the year could see big transformations. She spoke of a woman; young wife and mother Recy Taylor, who, in 1944, was abducted by six armed men, blindfolded, raped, and left by the side of the road. The men were never prosecuted and she lived with this injustice until she died late in 2017. As Oprah closed her speech, with the whole room on their feet, she said: ‘A new day is on the horizon! And when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women… and some pretty phenomenal men; fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say “me too” again.’ That’s when I realised 2018 would be a year of leaders.

The #metoo movement has been an amazing example of how something as tiny as a hashtag can sweep the globe, from Hollywood superstars to everyday women of all generations. Coined by American civil-rights activist and senior director at Girls For Gender Equity, Tarana Burke, who was named Person Of The Year for 2017, #metoo became a way for women to speak up, speak out and find solidarity against sexual assault and harassment, particularly in the workplace. To see how this seemingly small act of sharing personal experiences had grown to completely take over speeches in Hollywood awards ceremonies, was a powerful example of how change happens in the world today.