Who run the world? These women—and so many more.
In honor of Women's History Month, TIME released its Women of the Year List, featuring 12 leaders who are striving to make the world a better and more equal place.
And they are definitely names you know—and respect. While Kacey Musgraves is being honored for her honest lyrics and championing women in country music, Pose's Michaela Jaé "Mj" Rodriguez was recognized for making history as the first transgender star to be nominated for an Emmy in a lead acting category and win a Golden Globe.
"When I was younger, I didn't have representation for anyone of color in the LGBTQI community," the actress told the magazine. "Now, I want to be the example. I want to show them that it's possible."
Also on the list? Kerry Washington for using her platform to raise voices and drive activism and Amal Clooney for her work as a human rights lawyer.
"I'm responding to what I see happening in the world," Clooney said. "A world where the guilty are free, and the innocent are imprisoned—where the human-rights abusers are free, and those who report on the abuses are locked up. As a lawyer, I can do something about that. Or I can at least try. So my work is focused on trying to help liberate victims and prosecute perpetrators—and by extension, our foundation's work is trying to really do that at scale and globally."
Plus, TIME is also spotlighting president and CEO of Nasdaq Adena Friedman, Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix, poet and author Amanda Gorman, founder and CEO of Rise Amanda Nguyen, health advocate Jennie Joseph, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund Sherrilyn Ifill, software engineer Tracy Chou and journalist Zahra Joya.
"When we sat down last fall to conceive a version of this project that could become an ongoing tradition, we chose to spotlight leaders who are working to create a better future for women everywhere," TIME Executive Editor Naina Bajekal and Senior Editor Lucy Feldman wrote. "Our 2022 Women of the Year list features 12 individuals who have reached across communities, generations, and borders to fight for a more inclusive and equitable world."
To see their TIME covers and read their interviews, click here.