Who is the most powerful woman in your life?

January 13, 2015

By Tory Starr

Sure, your mom is the “correct” answer, but what about Angela Merkel? Or Michelle Obama?

Every year, Forbes publishes a list of the world's most powerful women. The 2014 list included names from all over the world: Dilma Rousseff and Gisele Bundchen from Brazil, Aung San Suu Kyi from Burma, Sheikh Hasina Wajed from Bangladesh, Australia's Gail Kelly and the United States' Melinda Gates and Sheryl Sandberg.

Join Across Women's Lives on Facebook — Join this discussion group on Facebook to connect with more powerful women.

For me, power and strength define my mother, who has been a practicing criminal defense attorney for over 30 years. She is a quiet force at home, and almost never talks about her work. But in the courtroom, her power is fueled by a passionate belief that every person has the right to a fair trial.

Tell us about the most powerful woman in YOUR life in the comments below.

PRI's The World producer Jeb Sharp and South African journalist Kim Cloete recently met many strong, powerful women while reporting in Cape Town. They are women who have inspired, but who also have been inspired by other women. Here's one of them:

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