The Luminaries: 25 women pushing boundaries and accomplishing extraordinary feats

InsiderOct 6, 2020, 00:28 IST

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Insider has compiled a list of 25 Luminaries — women pushing boundaries in their personal and professional lives.
The list includes women who work in music, travel, food, fashion, art, beauty, and wellness.

Kate McCue is the first female captain of a mega-cruise ship. Zerina Akers is a stylist for Beyoncé and the founder of Black Owned Everything, a marketplace that showcases Black designers and businesses. After Karen Darke was paralyzed in a cliff-climbing accident, she has hand-biked the length of Japan, sit-skied across the Greenland ice cap, and climbed El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.

These are some of the 25 women featured on Insider's list of Luminaries who are pushing boundaries and accomplishing extraordinary feats in music, travel, fashion, food, art, beauty, and wellness.

Read on to meet the Luminaries who are inspiring us in 2020.

Kellee Edwards is a modern-day adventurer: The pilot, scuba diver, and mountain climber is the first Black woman to host an adventure series on the Travel Channel.

Kellee Edwards

Tayla Parx, 27, is ready to be seen as more than pop music's secret weapon.

Atlantic Records

Mirror founder Brynn Putnam, 37, is a professional ballerina turned entrepreneur who believes movement is a form of self-respect.

Brynn Putnam

Kate McCue, 42, the first female captain of a mega-cruise ship, hopes to inspire other women to follow in her footsteps.

Celebrity Cruises

Princess Keisha Omilana, 34, is a model, curly-hair advocate, and Nigerian royalty.

Princess Keisha Omilana

Chef Melissa King, 36, is expanding the traditional definition of a chef.

Susan Yee @enpointe

Marsha Douglas-Sydnor, 41, is the founder of Shades of Shades, an inclusive eyewear line specializing in sunglasses made for different skin tones and undertones.

Marsha Douglas-Sydnor

Jackie Aina, 33, is a force within the beauty industry, sharing makeup tips, entertaining fans, and launching a lifestyle brand.

Sarah Morris/Getty Images

Geetika Agrawal, 41, wants to help people find personal fulfillment while ensuring the preservation of global craftsmanship.

Geetika Agrawal

Katie Sturino, 36, is the founder of Megababe, a personal-care line for women, and a body-acceptance advocate.

Katie Sturino

Martha Hoover, 66, is a lawyer turned serial restaurateur who's bettering her community and the restaurant industry from the inside.

Rachel Enneking

Karen Darke, 49, is an adventurer and gold-medal-winning Paralympian.

Karen Darke

Aurora James, 36, is a fashion designer and the creator of the 15 Percent Pledge.

Aurora James

The Haim sisters — Danielle, Alana, and Este — have helped redefine what rock can be and "rock star" can mean.

Drew Le Fore Escriva/Courtesy of the artist

Zerina Akers, 34, is a stylist for Beyoncé and the founder of Black Owned Everything, a marketplace that showcases Black designers and businesses "for when the trend is over."

Zerina Akers

Zerina Akers, 34, is a stylist for Beyoncé and the founder of Black Owned Everything, a marketplace that showcases Black designers and businesses "for when the trend is over."

Christine D'Ercole, 49, is one of the only female Peloton instructors to also be a decorated track cyclist.

Christine D'Ercole

Austyn Weiner, 30, is a painter who's had solo shows around the world, recently collaborating with Each X Other on a clothing collection.

Austyn Weiner

Rhiannon Giddens, 43, is an activist and storyteller who sings so people will listen.

Erika Goldring/Getty Images

Natasha Logan, 38, has displayed standout works of art throughout New York City.

Nicholas Parakas

Rea Ann Silva created a new category of cosmetic tools when she invented Beautyblender in the early 2000s.

Rea Ann Silva

Honey Dijon is a world-renowned DJ known for high-fashion collaborations and celebrating the queer origins of house music.

Reuter/Getty Images

The chef, author, and food and travel show host Samin Nosrat, 40, is bringing the joy back to cooking.

Randy Holmes/Getty Images

Kelly McGonigal, PhD, 42, is a Stanford University lecturer and psychologist specializing in "science-help."

Kelly McGonigal giving a TED talk in 2013. TED

Kimberly Drew, 30, makes art accessible to diverse audiences through her writing and advocacy.

Bryan Bedder/Stringer/Getty Images

Ann Mincieli is a Grammy winner, founder of New York City's legendary studio Jungle City, and a rarity in the male-dominated trade of music engineering.

Mike Pont/Getty Images

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The Luminaries: 25 women pushing boundaries and accomplishing extraordinary feats

Kellee Edwards is a modern-day adventurer: The pilot, scuba diver, and mountain climber is the first Black woman to host an adventure series on the Travel Channel.

Tayla Parx, 27, is ready to be seen as more than pop music's secret weapon.

Mirror founder Brynn Putnam, 37, is a professional ballerina turned entrepreneur who believes movement is a form of self-respect.

Kate McCue, 42, the first female captain of a mega-cruise ship, hopes to inspire other women to follow in her footsteps.

Princess Keisha Omilana, 34, is a model, curly-hair advocate, and Nigerian royalty.

Chef Melissa King, 36, is expanding the traditional definition of a chef.

Marsha Douglas-Sydnor, 41, is the founder of Shades of Shades, an inclusive eyewear line specializing in sunglasses made for different skin tones and undertones.

Jackie Aina, 33, is a force within the beauty industry, sharing makeup tips, entertaining fans, and launching a lifestyle brand.

Geetika Agrawal, 41, wants to help people find personal fulfillment while ensuring the preservation of global craftsmanship.

Katie Sturino, 36, is the founder of Megababe, a personal-care line for women, and a body-acceptance advocate.

Martha Hoover, 66, is a lawyer turned serial restaurateur who's bettering her community and the restaurant industry from the inside.

Karen Darke, 49, is an adventurer and gold-medal-winning Paralympian.

Aurora James, 36, is a fashion designer and the creator of the 15 Percent Pledge.

The Haim sisters — Danielle, Alana, and Este — have helped redefine what rock can be and "rock star" can mean.

Zerina Akers, 34, is a stylist for Beyoncé and the founder of Black Owned Everything, a marketplace that showcases Black designers and businesses "for when the trend is over."

Christine D'Ercole, 49, is one of the only female Peloton instructors to also be a decorated track cyclist.

Austyn Weiner, 30, is a painter who's had solo shows around the world, recently collaborating with Each X Other on a clothing collection.

Rhiannon Giddens, 43, is an activist and storyteller who sings so people will listen.

Natasha Logan, 38, has displayed standout works of art throughout New York City.

Rea Ann Silva created a new category of cosmetic tools when she invented Beautyblender in the early 2000s.

Honey Dijon is a world-renowned DJ known for high-fashion collaborations and celebrating the queer origins of house music.

The chef, author, and food and travel show host Samin Nosrat, 40, is bringing the joy back to cooking.

Kelly McGonigal, PhD, 42, is a Stanford University lecturer and psychologist specializing in "science-help."

Kimberly Drew, 30, makes art accessible to diverse audiences through her writing and advocacy.

Ann Mincieli is a Grammy winner, founder of New York City's legendary studio Jungle City, and a rarity in the male-dominated trade of music engineering.