Today’s leaders were yesterday’s girls

Women’s History Month honors women’s contributions to society, culture and history, celebrating their achievements and promoting gender equality. Each year, the National Women’s History Alliance (NWHA) selects a theme. In 2025, the theme is “Moving Forward Together,” focusing on women who educate, mentor and lead to inspire future generations. Beyond the United States, different cultures celebrate women’s achievements in unique ways. In Armenia, “Women’s Month” begins on March 8th with International Women’s Day and culminates on April 7th with Motherhood and Beauty Day. This period is dedicated to celebrating the strength, resilience and accomplishments of women in Armenian society and beyond. My TEDx talk from January 2019, Today’s Girls are Tomorrow’s Leaders, highlighted the critical importance of empowering 10-year-old girls as they approach a pivotal stage in their development. At this age, girls are full of confidence, curiosity and ambition. Yet, societal expectations, gender norms and self-doubt often begin to chip away at their potential. By nurturing their leadership skills, encouraging their voices and providing strong role models, we can help girls maintain their confidence and grow into empowered women who shape the future. Leveraging this year’s NWHA theme to inspire future generations, I have invited four successful Armenian and “Armenian-by-choice” women to give advice to today’s 10-year-old girls. These remarkable women are overcoming obstacles and breaking ceilings, serving as worthy role models who make us proud. Andrea Ajemian Andrea Ajemian has produced movies and TV for over 20 years, working with top studios including Sony, Netflix, Amazon and Paramount. She was the executive producer and unit production manager on It Ends With Us (Sony/Wayfarer), starring Blake Lively, which grossed over $350 million worldwide and topped Netflix charts. Her credits include Netflix hits The Curse of Bridge Hollow and I Care a Lot, for which Rosamund Pike won a Golden Globe. She also produced Honest Thief starring Liam Neeson and The Unholy starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, as well as co-produced Possession of Hannah Grace, Proud Mary and Slender Man. Ajemian’s advice: “I remember being 10 years old. The year was 1985. I was in fifth grade. I loved Madonna and Cindy Lauper and the movie The Goonies. My two best friends were Aimee and Bridget. I got glasses and was embarrassed to wear them, but I loved fluorescent clothes. I wanted to be a movie star when I grew up. I’m turning 50 this year. I still love Madonna and Cindy Lauper and the movie The Goonies. I’m still the best of friends with Aimee and Bridget. I wear my glasses now and am grateful that I can see well with them. I was almost a movie star. Ok, maybe not, but I did move to Los Angeles after college to try to be a movie star, and I starred in a couple of independent movies that I produced, so I was a short lived, low budget movie star. Then, I fell in love with being a movie producer. What I would tell my 10-year-old self, as well as all of the 10-year-old girls today, is: Don’t be afraid to fail. Find the joy in the little things. Live life to the fullest. Love with all your heart, and tell your friends and family that you value them. Be grateful for what you have, and be kind to others. Don’t be afraid to dream, but be ready to work hard to make those dreams come true. Treat everyone with respect. Be happy. It’s ok to change your mind. Figure out the next thing you want to do, and work hard at that. Believe in yourself. Be true to yourself. Wear those glasses with pride, because they’ll help you to see everything more clearly. When you are sad, play your favorite song and sing it loudly. It’ll make you feel better. Be a leader. Be a good person. People will remember you by how you make them feel, so make people feel good; uplift them. Smile lots. Laugh lots.” Kim Kalunian Kim Kalunian is a reporter and anchor with WPRI 12 in Providence, Rhode Island. She helped create and launch the station’s four o’clock news, which she co-anchors each weekday. She also produces a series on cold cases, which received a regional Emmy nomination. Kalunian uses her platform to advocate for Armenians by covering important community events. She reported on a march organized by the Providence Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) to raise awareness about the situation in Artsakh followed by a screening of the film Amerikatsi. She also facilitated a panel discussion at an Armenian author’s event in Providence showcasing Meghri Dervartanian, Aida Zilelian and me. In her spare time, Kalunian loves going on adventures with her husband and daughter, cooking and baking, and taking dance classes. She encourages everyone to adopt a senior dog. Kalunian’s advice: “If I could go back in time and talk to my 10-year-old self, I would tell her a secret: the people you sometimes hold in highest esteem don’t have all the answers. I’d tell her those who are telling you to change your dreams, to conform or to dim your light aren’t the people you’ll look up to in the future. One day, you’ll find like-minded innovators, people with courage to think outside the box, who forged their own paths as you’ll forge yours. Stay true to you, little one, and have faith that the right people will help you open the right doors at the right time. Yes, your hopes and dreams will evolve. Let the evolution come and marvel at it. Work hard, be kind and trust in yourself.” Kathleen Sarnelli Kapukchyan Kathleen Sarnelli Kapukchyan is a mixed Latina writer who grew up in Glendale, California and worked as a staff writer on Disney’s popular children’s cartoon, Mickey Mouse Funhouse. Kapukchyan went to Glendale High School where she met her Armenian husband, Manvel Kapukchyan. She graduated from UCLA and worked with MJA Advertising in Beverly Hills. She was later hired at Disney as a production secretary, where she worked her way up to a staff writer. Her most recently aired episode, “Vardavar!” made international news as one of the first mainstream representations of Armenian culture in animation. Kapukchyan lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children. Kapukchyan’s advice: “My advice to you, as a 10-year-old girl or any aspiring writer, is to pick up a good book and get lost in a new world and journey, because you will learn so much. Before you can write well, you must read all that you can. When I was 10 years old, I remember I had a dream of becoming a writer. I come from a humble background and, when I was good, my mom would take me to get hot chocolate and let me pick out a book. Above all else, I loved reading, and it was one of the few things that brought me happiness regardless of whatever was going on in my life. I read about characters overcoming obstacles and making it through difficult situations, and as I got older, I realized how those stories shaped my life. I remember going to the local library and taking a stack of books home to help me with whatever I was going through. Reading helped me escape, and I learned that ordinary people can be extraordinary. I learned how to write properly, became a more empathetic person and, most importantly, it made me a well-rounded person. After reading a great book, I would take out pen and paper and write stories of my own and get lost in a world of fun and adventure. I think back on the incredible characters from The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter and other great books and how different authors helped me and thousands of people journey into new worlds. You also don’t have to be an aspiring writer to love a good book. Reading will make anyone more well-rounded and will transport them to different parts of the world, right in the comfort of their own home. There is a reason why so many people fear books—because books are knowledge and knowledge is powerful. I believe you can be powerful too, so pick up a book, get cozy and go on a great adventure!” Lia Krumian Lia Krumian is an 18-year-old psychology student at Emmanuel College in Boston, Massachusetts. She has a diverse athletic background, having played basketball, soccer and golf, as well as trained in ballet. Over time, she chose to focus on basketball. Krumian’s advice: “I started playing basketball at four years old, but it was at age 10 when I really decided to focus and improve my game. I wanted not to just play basketball for fun, but to be very good at it, and I decided that I would do whatever it took to become the best player I could possibly be. At a young age, I understood that if I wasn’t going to be the best at something, I might as well not do it. So, I started to practice every single day—two to three times every single day—and I improved my game. Once I got to high school, I made it my mission to get to another level so I could get the attention of college coaches. It has been my dream to play NCAA basketball, and I intend to make the most out of my time here at Emmanuel. The journey to get here was not easy. There were days where I was in a lot of pain; there were days where I didn’t want to go to the gym and get extra shots up, but those were the days when I improved the most. Alongside my dream of playing college basketball, I have always wanted to play overseas in Greece or Italy. So, while I have only three years left of college basketball, I intend to push my career for as far as it will go. If I were to give advice to any young girls with dreams they want to achieve, I would say to stay consistent, and don’t let others tell you what you can or cannot do. Find something you are passionate about and follow it all the way through. Don’t shy away when the road gets tough or when obstacles come up. If you have a dream to play college basketball, for example, do absolutely everything in your power to make that dream come true. The road is full of obstacles, so make sure to smile through the tough parts and to never give up just because it got difficult. Last thing I will say is to always, always appreciate the people around you and the people who help you achieve your dream. It truly does take a village, and while you may be the one putting in the work, there are people around you pushing you and helping you improve, so be sure to recognize them.” Conclusion The wisdom shared by these remarkable women reflects the power of perseverance, passion and belief in oneself. Their stories show that success is not just about talent but about hard work, resilience and staying true to one’s dreams. By lifting up today’s young girls, we create a future where they, too, can break barriers and lead with confidence. Let’s embrace the theme “Moving Forward Together,” and continue to empower the next generation—because today’s girls are, indeed, tomorrow’s leaders.

Today’s leaders were yesterday’s girls

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Victoria Atamian Waterman

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This story is FREE for you...

Victoria Atamian Waterman

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