Inspiring Women Making History at Home
March 13, 2024
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March is Women’s History Month, and though Jennifer Hudson has put the spotlight on the female stars who have changed the game, “The Jennifer Hudson Show” aims to highlight all women — not just celebrities — who are making history.
Whether they’re breaking records or making an extraordinary impact in their own family, we salute these incredible women.
Here are some of the amazing everyday women, from age 18 to 84, that shared their incredible story with Jennifer on the show.
18-Year-Old Accepted to More Than 50 Colleges After Experiencing Homelessness
Jennifer met Dana Bolden, an 18-year-old high school student from Mississippi who was accepted to 57 colleges and had been awarded millions of dollars in scholarships.
“It’s been my dream ever since I was little to go to college because I come from a background that’s not very college educated,” she said. “I told myself, if I don’t do it, then nobody’s gonna do it. So I put that work in.”
Dana shared with Jennifer how remaining positive throughout homelessness and issues with her mental health helped her get to the incredible position she’s in today.
“I’ve learned to take my baggage and hold onto it, because it’s either I find a way to overcome it or it’s going to consume me, and I refuse to let it consume me,” she said.
Mom Who Graduated from College the Same Day as Her Son
Indya Thomas and her son Kamau Gomes shared their amazing journey from living in a homeless shelter to earning their college degrees at the same time.
This past May, Kamau and Indya made headlines for graduating from Georgia State University on the same day.
Indya earned a bachelor’s degree after majoring in marketing and minoring in hospitality, while Kamau earned an associate degree from his dual enrollment at Georgia State through DeKalb County Early College Academy.
Graduating with her son was a “full-circle moment” for the 35-year-old mother, who welcomed her son Kamau when she was a teenager. At age 17, Indya gave up full-ride college scholarships and her dream of pursuing higher education so she could focus on raising her son.
Indya was kicked out of her home by her parents, who didn’t approve of her being a teen mom. The first few years of Kamau’s life were spent in a shelter. Indya said they started with everything against them, so to be able to graduate together was an unforgettable moment.
“Time doesn’t dim the dream, it just changes the plan to get there,” she told Jennifer.
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Meet the Mom & Son Who Overcame Homelessness to Graduate College Together
View StoryRecord-Breaking 81-Year-Old Powerlifter
Nora Langdon, 81, told Jennifer how after 35 years of being a realtor, she retired — and then discovered her love for powerlifting.
After retirement, Nora hoped to lose some weight and began hitting the gym. She took up powerlifting and eventually went on to break all the records in her weight class. She even inspired the International Powerlifting Federation to form a weight class for women over 80 years old, which has since been nicknamed “The Nora Division.”
This unbelievable athlete showed Jennifer and her studio audience her skills when she deadlifted 275 lbs. on the show!
She said her favorite part of powerlifting is, “helping other people get up and start doing something… if not powerlifting, then some type of exercise.”
84-Year-Old Skydiver Who Has Made Over 600 Jumps
Jennifer met Kim Emmons Knor, an 84-year-old skydiver who has made over 600 jumps and is on track for 1,000 jumps.
At six years old, her uncle came home from flight training in the navy and brought a parachute with him. “I wrapped up and slept in that every night,” Kim recalled. “Ever since that day I just wanted to jump, all the time!”
She did her first jump at age 20 and made history in 1962 as a member of the very first US Women’s Parachute Team.
Inspiring Truck Driver Who Graduated from College at Age 63
Truck driver Robyn Roberts made headlines for earning her bachelor’s degree at age 63 while driving back and forth across the country. Most of her studies and schoolwork were done from inside the bed of her semi-truck.
She was inspired to get her college degree when her grandson told her he wasn’t sure about continuing his education after high school. She made a deal with him — if he attends college, she’ll go back to college.
Robyn received her degree from Southern New Hampshire University, and now her nephew is enrolled at the same school!
Restaurant Owner Who Was the First Woman Business Owner in Her Family
Kimi Sanghu from Riverside, California, is not only the first woman in her family to open a business — she saved her family from homelessness when she opened up an at-home restaurant.
The Sanghu family suffered a financial crisis that would have left them unable to pay their mortgage — if not for Kimi’s cooking. She began selling her samosas while working as a medical technician, eventually opening a restaurant in their home, called Cali Tardka. She would cook from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and waking up at 3 a.m. for her day job until Covid hit, and she quit her job to focus on her restaurant full-time.
By promoting their business on social media, orders began rolling in, and Cali Tardka now has customers traveling long distances to order Kimi’s butter chicken and chicken tikka masala burritos.
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Jennifer Hands Out $10,000 Check to Family That Provided Free Meals to Community
View StoryDACA Recipient Who Was the First Member of Her Family to Graduate From College
As the show’s “Knock Star” of the day, Liz Sanchez was invited to “The Jennifer Hudson Show” studio to share her story of being the first in her family to graduate from college after immigrating to the U.S. as a child.
The 34-year-old is a PhD student studying biomedical and translational medicine at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. Her journey to become a doctor hasn’t been easy.
Liz came to the United States with her parents from Mexico when she was just three years old and slept on the floor of a studio apartment until she was 13 years old and became a DACA recipient. She worked as a street vendor and housekeeper to put herself through school, becoming the first person in her family to graduate from college.
In 2012, DACA was established, which gave Liz the opportunity to get a real job and pursue higher education. Liz hopes her story inspires others to pursue their dreams, no matter how impossible they may seem.
Liz shared the lesson she learned throughout her journey: “Don’t stop, keep on going. You will have roadblocks, I promise you, you will. But they’re not there to stop you. They’re meant for you to achieve your goals,” she said.
“Find mentors, even if they don’t look like you,” she continued. “Someone will help you. And don’t be afraid to break those barriers and be the first in your family.”
“The Jennifer Hudson Show” airs weekdays. Here’s when to watch in your area.