When Eva Muraya, Hafsat Abiola-Costello, and Kah Walla entered, the room fell silent. In the silence, the resounding sound of awe and respect echoed throughout the walls of the Vital Voices headquarters. They walked with their heads held high, exuding the perfect combination of confidence and humility. They sat down, and flashed us three gleaming smiles. Each smile, representing a story waiting to be told, a lesson waiting to be learned, and a drive waiting to be shared. I scooted forward in my seat, captivated by their magnetic charisma. Grounded in their roots and driven by their history, these were three women who knew exactly what they stood for.

They spoke honestly and openly, relaying stories about their pasts and visions for their futures. Eva Muraya spoke about her country of Kenya, and the path that led her to her position as co-founder and CEO of Color Creations Group. Hafsat Abiola-Costello shared a heart-wrenching story about the assassination of her parents, and the way she used this tragedy to fuel her actions as a human rights campaigner in Nigeria. Kah Walla passionately described her future aspiration of becoming president of Cameroon, encouraging all women to “embrace power and transform it.” Each woman embodied a different quality of leadership, and together, the combination was powerful.