Today is International Women's Day, a time to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women throughout the world...

Inspired by an 1857 demonstration in New York City by women textile workers, German socialist Klara Zetkin organized International Women's Day in 1911. The United Nations formally adopted the celebration in 1976.

On this day in 1917, Russian women workers sparked the Bolshevik Revolution with their powerful "bread and peace" protest against the living conditions of Czar Nicholas II. He abdicated.

"Women have been on the front lines in the battle for human rights and individual dignity for a very long time," celebrated Hillary Clinton.

International Women's Day is a celebration of courage and progress with a hopeful look to the future. As activist Dorothy Day once said, "The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution which has to start with each one of us?"

Since 1960, women have been elected to head eleven countries--Ireland, Britain, Israel, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Finland, Canada, Nicaragua, Philippines. Throughout history, women have made ground-breaking contributions despite overwhelming obstacles.

In the United States, March is Women's History Month. According to the Center for Women’s Business Research, as of 2006, there were nearly 10.4 million women-owned businesses, employing 12.8 million people and contributing $1.9 trillion to the economy.

With the special genius of women, the future is bright. Poet Maya Angelou said it with passion:

I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Be the spark!