Ann Bancroft and Norwegian Liv Arnesen were the first women to ski across Antarctica (2001). They received corporate sponsorship for that expedition. But when Ann was planning an earlier expedition to ski from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole (1993) she could not find sponsors to provide equipment and financial support. In one meeting, a potential sponsor squeezed Ann's biceps and said "You aren't strong enough to pull a 250-pound sled on the harshest continent in the world." Ann led three women on that expedition to the South Pole, supported by grassroots fundraising, and she proved she was strong enough. In 1995, Ann was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. I was inspired to create this book in 2008 when I heard Ann tell her story at the White House Project's political leadership training in Tower, Minnesota.

Astronaut Dr. Ellen Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman in space (1993). One of her role models was Dr. Sally Ride, the first woman from the United States in space (1983). Ellen is a research engineer and inventor. In 2012, Ellen was the first Hispanic woman, the second woman, to become director of the Johnson Space Center; the first woman was Dr. Carolyn L. Huntoon. Ellen was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2017. Former NASA astronaut Dr. Mae C. Jemison, engineer and physician, was the first African American woman in space (1992). Mae once said, "Don't let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It's your place in the world; it's your life." In 2015, Mae received the Elizabeth Blackwell Award for outstanding contributions to the advancement of women in medicine. Mae is also a dancer and sees the connection between art and science.

At the 1960 Summer Olympic Games, Wilma Rudolph became the first woman from the United States to win three gold medals in track and field during a single Olympics. She was called the fastest woman in the world. Her wins were especially remarkable because she had had polio when she was a child and it had been hard for her to even walk. Wilma encouraged others to believe in themselves: "Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion. The potential for greatness lives within each one of us."

Maria Tallchief was a world-famous ballerina. When she was young, Maria was quiet and reserved, some thought shy. Maria loved to be outdoors. In her autobiography she wrote, "Mostly, I longed to be in the pasture, running around where the horses were." As a dancer, Maria Tallchief dazzled audiences with her athleticism and passion; perhaps her most famous role was in the ballet Firebird. Maria was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1996 and received the National Medal of Arts in 1999.