Issa Rae, dressed in a white dress with a cutout below the chest and trimmed in black with black spaghetti strips on the red carpet at the 74th Primetime Emmys at Microsoft Theater on September 12, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 12: Issa Rae attends the 74th Primetime Emmys at Microsoft Theater on September 12, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Momodu Mansaray/Getty Images)

This year’s theme for Women’s History Month is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Stories.”

We are celebrating Black millennial women who have used their voices and creativity to share stories that educate, inspire and entertain the world.

These women have used all forms of media and storytelling, such as art, radio, spoken word, music, television, podcasts and blogging in pursuit of truth, and the preservation of our history and culture.

Here are the Defender’s top five picks.

Issa Rae: Creator, Director, Actor, Producer

Best known for: HBO hit show “Insecure.”

Impact: She turned her YouTube series “Mis-Adventures of an Awkward Black Girl” into a hit series with HBO that highlights the untold stories of being a young, Black professional millennial in pursuit of love and success.

Michaela Coel: Actor, Producer, Writer

LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 03: Michaela Coel attends the European Premiere of Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” in Leicester Square on at Cineworld Leicester Square on November 03, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Disney)

Best known for: TV Series Chewing Gum and HBO’s “I May Destroy You”

Impact: The British star created a groundbreaking drama (“I May Destroy You,” focusing on the traumas of sexual assault. She wrote, starred, and directed it. Channeling past experiences from her life, the show was heavy, complex and touched on societal and cultural issues impacting the Black diaspora in London.

Amanda Gorman: Poet

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 20: American poet Amanda Gorman reads a poem during the the 59th inaugural ceremony on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. During today’s inauguration ceremony Joe Biden becomes the 46th president of the United States. (Photo by Patrick Semansky-Pool/Getty Images)

Best Known for: Youngest Inaugural poet in U.S history

Impact: She was the breakout star who solidified her name as one of the youngest inaugural poets to grace the state at President Joe Biden’s Inauguration. She recited her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” a call for America to reconcile and rebuild its deeply rooted racial inequities.

Lizzo: Grammy Award-winning Recording Artist

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 14: Lizzo poses during Reel To Reel: LOVE, LIZZO at The GRAMMY Museum on December 14, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sarah Morris/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Best Known For: Her songs “Juice,” “My Skin” and “Lingerie.”

Impact: Her music and her brand champion women’s empowerment. She is a plus-size woman who unapologetically embraces her body and celebrates it without conforming to society’s standards of beauty.

Lena Waithe: Actor, Producer, Screenwriter

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 26: Lena Waithe attends the 2022 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 26, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images,)

Best Known For: Creator of the Showtime drama series “The Chi”

Impact: She created the show “The Chi” focusing on the life of an LGBTQ+ Black woman, placing Black LGBTQ+ characters at the forefront instead of in the background. She continues to elevate the stories of people who are underrepresented through her craft in TV and film.