Who Were the Filipino Women U2 Paid Tribute to Last Night?
U2 held its very first concert in the Philippines last night, and some 45,000 to 50,000 of their biggest fans flocked to the Philippine Arena to watch the Irish rock band perform their biggest hits live. It was a momentous occasion made even more special by the surprise the band had in store—a tribute to journalist Maria Ressa and inspiring women in the Philippines and around the world.
As the rest of the band prepared to perform “Ultra Violet,” frontman Bono gave a spiel to open the song: “Human rights churn out human wrongs, that’s a beautiful day. When sisters around the world go to school with their brothers, that’s a beautiful day. When journalists don’t have to worry about what they write, that’s a beautiful day. When women of the world unite to rewrite history as ‘herstory,’ that is a beautiful day.”
During the performance, a visual roll call of trailblazing women flashed on screens. This was in support of the Poverty is Sexist campaign, an ongoing movement helmed by the ONE organization to close the gender inequality gap.
Here are all of the women recognized that evening:
#BabaeAko
A social media-based women’s rights movement in the Philippines recognized in TIME Magazine’s Most Influential People on the Internet list in 2018
#BabaeAko Lalaban ako! Use #BabaeAko frame here: http://bit.ly/BabaeAko
Posted by GABRIELA | A National Alliance of Women on Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Akenehi Tomoana
A Maori leader who was a prominent figure in women’s right in New Zealand in the 1890s
?kenehi T?moana (died 1908) There was more to women's suffrage than a single voice - there were dozens, hundreds and...
Posted by Matthew Tukaki on Sunday, September 16, 2018
Amal Clooney
A barrister of Lebanese and British origins who famously aided Yazidi refugee Nadia Murad and an avid supporter of Maria Ressa
View this post on Instagram
American Suffragettes
The group of women who fought for the American woman’s right to vote in the 1840s and onward
Artemisa Xakriaba
A 19-year-old climate change activist from São João das Missões, Brazil, who has been vocal about environmental change across her country
Aya Chebbi
A Pan-African activist and feminist who is the ambassador of the African Union for Youth
Begum Rokeya
A Bengali feminist and political activist who established the first school of Bengali Muslim girls and founded the Muslim Women’s Association in 1916
Connie Mudenda
An HIV-positive ambassador for RED and an advocate of the use of anti-retroviral medication
From left to right: Karen Nakawala, Debra Messing, and Connie Mudenda (CIDRZ)
Posted by CIDRZ - the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Corazon Aquino
The first female president of the Philippines who was sworn in after the EDSA Revolution
Ellen DeGeneres
A comedian and television show host who is also known for her charity work
Emma Gonzalez
A 20-year-old American activist who gave a viral speech for gun control after the Parkland, Florida shooting last year
Greta Thunberg
A 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist and this year’s TIME Person of the Year
Grrrl Gang Manila
A collective of Filipino women dedicated to creating a safe space for women and creating discourse for feminism
Havanna Champan-Edwards
An 8-year-old American activist who advocates for gun control in the U.S.
7 ya??ndaki Havanna Chapman-Edwards, k?zlar?n gücüne inan?yor. Havanna geçen y?l ulusal bir kitap kulübü kurdu. Kulübü...
Posted by Barbie on Friday, October 19, 2018
Hilda Flavia Nakabuye
A 22-year-old Ugandan climate change activist who established her country’s chapter of #FridaysForFuture
Indian Suffragettes
The body of women who fought for the Indian and British woman’s right to vote in 1918 and onward
Jane Goodall
An acclaimed English anthropologist and primatologist who has worked on bettering conservation and animal welfare
Joan Carling
A Filipina from the Cordillera Region who is a human rights and environmental activist. She has spent decades fighting to defend the environment and rights of indigenous people.
From the Press Conference with Ms. Aili Keskitalo, President and elected representative to the Norwegian Sámi...
Posted by United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues on Monday, May 19, 2014
Lea Salonga
A Filipino singer and theater actress who became the first Asian woman to win a Tony Award and was a Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2010
Lidy Nacpil
A Filipina activist who has fought for human rights, the environment, economic justice, and women’s right on a local and international level. She is also the co-founder of the Fight Inequality Alliance
Lily Parr
A celebrated English footballer in the 1920s, who paved the way for other women in the sport
Maria Carpena
The Philippines’ first soprano recording artist from Sta. Rosa, Laguna
Maria Carpena, a popular sarswela star, was the First Filipino recording artist. Accompanied by the Molina Orchestra she...
Posted by National Commission for Culture and the Arts on Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Maria Ressa
A Filipino journalist and CEO of news company Rappler
Marinel Ubaldo
A typhoon Yolanda survivor and now a climate activist who lobbies for the ban of single-use plastics and reducing carbon emissions
Posted by Marinel Ubaldo on Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Marsha Johnson and Sylvia Rivera
Transgender activists who played crucial parts in the 1969 Stonewall Uprising
Mary Wollstonecraft
An English writer and advocate for women’s rights
Melchora Aquino
A Filipino revolutionary who was a collaborator of the Katipunan
Melinda Gates
An American philanthropist who, together with her husband, founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which works toward improving global poverty, health issues, education, and access to digital information
Moms Mabley
An American stand-up comedian who became one of the first openly gay comedians on her time. She also tackled taboo topics such as racism and sexuality
One Billion Rising
A global campaign that aims to end violence against women and rape. The photo used was of students of St. Scholastica
Monique Wilson (2nd right) joins other nuns, students and teachers in the "One Billion Rising" dance campaign at St....
Posted by Nopel Taz on Friday, February 13, 2015
Pia Cayetano
A Filipino lawyer and senator who was a vocal supporter of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, among other female-centric bills
Pussy Riot
A Russian activist and feminist punk rock band
View this post on Instagram
Rosetta Tharpe
An American musician who was known to pioneer the recording of gospel music
Ruth Ellis
A model and hostess who was hanged for the alleged murder of her lover David Blakely. Her execution sparked public discourse and unrest until the death penalty was abolished
Ruth Sienkiewicz-Mercer
A quadriplegic who lobbied for disability rights in America
Sari Squad
A group of South Asian women who help protect the activities of multicultural clubs in London in the 1980s
The Sari Squad, London, early 80s. They fought racists in the streets and fought against deportations. Just thought you'd all like that.
Posted by Mutualist Memes on Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Sinead Burke
An activist from Dublin who stands at three-and-a-half feet tall and fights for rights for the disabled
U.K. Suffragettes
The body of women who fought for the English woman’s right to vote in the 1872 and onward
Women of Iceland
The collective name of the Icelandic women who released a joint statement in support of the #MeToo movement
Yusra Mardini
A Syrian swimmer and refugee who fled to Germany and competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics as a member of the Refugee Olympic Athletes Team
