International Women’s Day: 5 Hudson Valley females to honor

Friday March 8, 2013 10:30 AM By Sana Karim-Noori

Photo credit: Getty Images | Angelina Jolie: The Oscar-winning actress and mother to six, who spent part of her childhood in Palisades, has been prominently involved in a number of international humanitarian projects, including work with the United Nations.

International Women’s Day, marked annually on March 8, is a time to recognize acts of courage, strength and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in their communities.

Here are five females with ties to the Hudson Valley that deserve to be honored today:

Hillary Clinton: The former secretary of state, New York state senator and first lady, who lives in Chappaqua, has a myriad of achievements in and out of politics. She's said she's now working on a second memoir; some say a second presidential run in 2016 may be next.

Angelina Jolie: Thought by many to be the most beautiful woman in the world, Jolie, who spent part of her childhood in Palisades, is just as beautiful on the inside. The Oscar-winning actress and mother to six has been prominently involved in a number of international humanitarian projects, including work with the United Nations.

Eve Ensler: Raised in Scarsdale, the playwright and performer who penned the award-winning “Vagina Monologues,” is a noted women’s rights activist, who founded “V-DAY,” the global movement to end violence against women of all ages.

Diane Sawyer: The ABC World News anchor, who has called Palisades home, broke new ground as the first female correspondent on CBS’ award-winning news magazine, "60 Minutes." Sawyer has won numerous awards for her broadcast journalism work, including three Emmys.

Vivien Leigh: The late actress, who briefly lived in Palisades, won two best actress Academy Awards for her work in “Gone with the Wind" and "A Streetcar Named Desire." Despite her several health woes, including both tuberculosis and depression, Leigh stayed strong and managed to continue acting, earning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. She died in 1967.

Tags: Palisades , Chappaqua , Scarsdale , Hillary Clinton , Angelina Jolie , Eve Ensler , Diane Sawyer , Vivien Leigh , women , television