The Women Who Made Me - Alyssa Milano

The instigator of the #MeToo hashtag reveals the women who helped ignite her activist streak

AUDREY HEPBURN

The first time I saw Audrey Hepburn was in a UNICEF commercial and I remember thinking how amazing it was to see a woman travelling to developing nations, helping people and shining a light on important issues. Her goal was to make sure no child died of a preventable cause. Seeing her make a difference in the lives of children really inspired my activism at a young age. Audrey wasn’t afraid to use her name to effect positive change – she was a trailblazer. When I found out she was an actress, I knew I wanted to do the same. To be able to use my name in such a powerful way was something I aspired to do. In 2003, UNICEF named me an ambassador and it was a dream come true because of my admiration for what Audrey had done with her fame. We are fighting for so much in our country [the US] right now: children’s health, women’s rights, immigration and equality. I feel like every day is a new fight.

LIN MILANO