As part of USA TODAY's annual selection of Women of the Year, which recently came out with its nationwide honorees, the publication also includes local representatives from every state, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

Nicole Carroll, president of News and Editor in Chief of USA TODAY, stated:

It is an honor to have this inspiring group of women join our Women of the Year family. Their accomplishments have vigorously broken social norms and have been a driving force in their communities. We are proud to spotlight these women who continue to change the world.

Notable national honorees include Goldie Hawn, who leads the conversation around mental health in children and raises awareness through MindUP | The Goldie Hawn Foundation; astronaut Nicole Mann, the first Indigenous woman to travel to outer space; former First Lady Michelle Obama, who champions for girls to have equal opportunities in education through the Girls Opportunity Alliance; and Sheryl Lee Ralph, actress and advocate for those who have lost their lives to HIV/AIDS through the support of her D.I.V.A Foundation.

2023 Women of the Year

For those chosen as nationwide honorees, USA TODAY highlighted that the honorees have broken barriers to achieve significant change in their communities and around the world. 

“Each unique trailblazer exemplifies courage and resilience having made a lasting impact on their communities. USA TODAY’s yearlong efforts focus on defying stereotypes and sparking conversations that challenge misconceptions,” the publication underlined.

Beyond Obama, Mann, Hawn and Ralph, the 2023 USA TODAY Women of the Year National Honorees include:

• Quannah Chasinghorse – Indigenous model redefining beauty standards
• Roberta 'Bobbi' Cordano – First deaf and openly LGBTQ president of Gallaudet University, the world’s only liberal arts university for deaf and hard-of-hearing people
• Maura Healey – First woman elected governor of Massachusetts and one of the first two lesbian women elected governor of any U.S. state
• Mónica Muñoz Martínez – Associate Professor at The University of Texas at Austin devoted to driving awareness of racial violence in Texas along the US-Mexico border
• Sandra Day O'Connor – First woman to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States
• U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (USWNT) – Most successful international women's soccer team who negotiated a landmark equal pay agreement
• Women of the 118th Congress – Honorable Congresswomen comprise more than a quarter (28%) of the 118th Congress - the highest percentage in U.S. history
• Grace Young – Renowned cookbook author and activist using her platform to support Chinatowns across America 

Honorees were nominated by USA TODAY NETWORK readers, staff and a diverse panel of experts including Nikki Lane, Assistant Professor, Gender, Sexuality and Feminist Studies at Duke University, Jill Tietjen author and an inductee into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame and Hilary N. Weaver, the youngest person to be awarded the American Indian Elder Award from the Indigenous and Tribal Social Work Educators’ Association.

Oscar-winning actor @goldiehawn is one of @USATODAY's Women of the Year, honored for raising awareness for children's mental health.

She shares how she developed @MindUP — and why she encourages others to "be fearless." pic.twitter.com/ZJNCRY0UZu

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) March 17, 2023

“I just wanted children to find a way to manage their emotions, in a way that was scientific. They have to know how to regulate their emotions, and that's what happens when they know how the brain works,” said Hawn, when asked about her foundation and the curriculum she has designed for children.

USA TODAY also conducted an interview with Mann in space from NASA Johnson Space Center floating in zero gravity.

Interviews with each state's honorees are now available in their respective publications.

The USA TODAY news channel will also offer a special broadcast program highlighting national honorees and delving into the lives of extraordinary women. The show debuts on March 31 and is available on Roku, Tubi, Amazon, and most smart TVs.

Accompanying the series, it also features a marketing campaign that challenges female stereotypes and advocates for representation. The campaign, sponsored by UKG, is designed to start with the stigma and end with the truth.

To read the stories of the 2023 local and national picks, click here.