Those of us focused on issues related to social justice and

In the words of Christy Turlington, “Those of us focused on issues related to social justice and equality are grateful for the significant steps President Obama has made to advance women's equality and status all over the world.” These words are a song of gratitude but also a recognition of the long march of history. They remind us that the struggle for justice and equality is not a sudden battle won in one day, but a labor carried across generations. Each leader, each reform, each voice raised adds a stone to the foundation upon which future victories are built. Turlington points to the steps taken during Obama’s time not as the final triumph, but as part of the eternal progression toward dignity for all women.

The ancients often taught that justice is a ladder, each rung necessary for the ascent. Great empires that ignored the cries of women fell into ruin, for no nation can stand when half its people are silenced. Obama’s actions, whether through policy, diplomacy, or advocacy, sought to elevate the status of women, affirming that their equality is not only a women’s issue, but a human one. Turlington, who herself worked for maternal health and global women’s rights, saw in these efforts the kind of leadership that plants seeds of lasting change.

History provides us with mirrors of this truth. Consider Eleanor Roosevelt, who, long before Obama, championed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, reminding the world that equality must be recognized “in small places, close to home.” Her labor, like Obama’s, was one step in the chain of progress, ensuring that women, often invisible in law and power, were written into the scrolls of universal dignity. Both figures show us that the elevation of women is never just about the present generation—it reverberates across centuries, shaping the destiny of nations.

Turlington’s words are also a reminder that gratitude is itself an act of strength. Too often, those who labor for social justice grow weary, for the task seems endless. But gratitude allows us to pause and recognize progress, to see that the mountain, though steep, has been climbed one step higher. This recognition gives strength for the next ascent. The significant steps Obama took—expanding access to healthcare for women, advocating for their education globally, and supporting their role in leadership—were such rungs on the ladder. Gratitude acknowledges these victories while knowing the summit is still beyond the clouds.

Yet let us not forget: even as progress is made, dangers of reversal lurk nearby. The ancients warned that victories not guarded are easily lost. To advance women’s equality is to challenge centuries of custom, prejudice, and power. The battle is not only fought in laws and policies but in hearts and households. Thus, Turlington’s words, though filled with gratitude, are also a call to vigilance. Every step forward must be defended, for each generation faces the temptation to slide back into silence and submission.

The lesson for us is clear: honor the leaders who take significant steps, but do not imagine that the work is theirs alone. The labor belongs to all. For true equality cannot be granted from above; it must be demanded, lived, and secured by the people themselves. Obama’s work was meaningful because it joined the chorus of countless women and men who fought before him and will continue to fight after him. The arc of justice bends only because hands unnumbered pull it down toward earth.

Practical actions flow from this truth. Support policies that uplift women, for their advancement is the advancement of all society. Educate the next generation to see equality as natural, not exceptional. Celebrate progress with gratitude, but let it fuel further courage. And above all, continue the conversation on a global scale, for women’s rights in one land are bound to women’s rights in all lands.

Thus, Christy Turlington’s words shine as both thanksgiving and exhortation. They remind us that leaders may help chart the path, but the journey is long and collective. Let us then carry the flame of social justice and equality into the future, knowing that each step forward, however small, carries the weight of generations—and that the final victory will belong not to one leader, but to all of humanity.