Today marks International Women’s Day! To commemorate, here is a gallery of some of the women I’ve photographed in various parts of the world over the last few years. Most are just going about their days, some are sculptural renditions, and their is one painting of a very special lady, indeed. Whatever they are doing, wherever they are, they sparkle both individually, and as a colorful, beautiful mosaic.

Tree Hug Near Muir Woods National Park, California

Lynne and Ashley, Mother and Daughter, Marin County, CA

Young Female Loom Artist, Antigua, Guatemala

Female Sculpture, Boboli Gardens, Florence, Italy

Native American Princess, Pendleton Round-Up, Pendleton, Oregon

Jacque and Scottie

Reading On the Metro, Paris

Colorful Textile Seller, Panajachel, Guatemala

The Offering Bearer, Musée du Louvre, Paris

Guatemalan Women (Except for Jacque)

Little Girl, Guatemala

Female Statue, Jardin des Tuileries, Paris

“That Seal is So Big!” Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, California

Profile View of the Offering Bearer

Penguin interactions at the California Academy of Sciences

Jacque – Shuttle to Antigua, Guatemala

A Little Salsa In the Streets of Antigua

Amanda, Marin County, California

Woman with Flat Basket and Conical Hat. Hanoi, Vietnam

Barrel Racer, Pendleton Round-Up, Pendleton, Oregon

Umbrellas at the Eiffel Tower

Along the Via Sacra, Rome

Concern on a Second Grade Teacher’s Face. Aquarium of the Pacific Field Trip, Long Beach, California

Shy. On the Bus to the Aquarium of the Pacific. Long Beach, California

Toddler Twins, San Francisco Bay Area

Paris Painter

Little Girl, Guatemala

Female Horse Rider, Hyde Park, London

A Walk Near Muir Woods National Park, California

Wonder at the Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, California

In the home of a Guatemalan woman

Beautiful Vietnamese Women (and a Couple of American Ones, Too!) Hanoi, Vietnam

Guatemalan Woman, Chimaltenango

Lori Nelson, An American in Paris

Street Photo, Paris

Aphrodite, Known as Venus de Milo, Louvre

San Francisco Metallic

Grandmother’s Pearls, Marin County, California

Skeletons and Lace, Cour d’Honneur, Palais Royal, Paris

A Kiss for Baby Brother, Marin County, California

Vietnamese Nursing Instructors Learning Teaching Methods. Hanoi, Vietnam

Street Photo, Paris

Woman Wearing Hijab

Toddler Twins, San Francisco Bay Area

Sunrise, Tikal National Park, Guatemala

Kristine and Sadie Enjoying the Beach, Stinson Beach, California

Sunset Walk Along the Seine, Paris

Praying Madonna, Picture Over my Bed, The Convent of Suore Elisabetta dell’Olmata, Rome, Italy

Modern Monochrome Stained Glass Madonna. Vatican City

Laughing Friends. Vietnamese Coffee, Hanoi, Vietnam

Red, Paris

Vietnamese Musician. Hanoi, Vietnam

An American Woman Reading on Board a Junk in Halong Bay, Vietnam

Jacque – Ready to Explore Antigua, Guatmala

Classy Ladies in the Rain, Paris

Golden Curls and a Smile. Matt Davis Trail, Marin County, California

“I’m Flying!” Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, California

Look at Me and My Mussels!

Young Ladies, Chimaltenango, Guatemala

Skeletons and Lace, Cour d’Honneur, Palais Royal, Paris

Ishtar: Goddess of Love, War, Fertility, Sex

Fingerpainting

Paris Sentinels

Guatemalan Women, Kateri Tekakwitha Scholarship Recipients (except Jacque)

Taken individually, each is cause for celebration in her own right. When considered as symbolic of all of us women, the collage forms a pleasing and consistent whole.

For International Women’s Day 2016, Google travelled around the world and asked women to complete the phrase #OneDayIWill. Here are some great responses from London:

#OneDayIWill visit the North and the South Poles and every country in between!

#OneDayIWill fly!!! This latter dream I posted on Twitter and Google responded! Here’s the Twitter conversation:

@renate_flynn Fly on! #OneDayIWill pic.twitter.com/BOVujuBTdC

— Google (@google) March 9, 2016

“I’m Flying!” Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, California