Meghan Markle Turns 40, Launches 40 x 40 Initiative To Uplift Working Women

Meghan Markle just celebrated her 40th birthday, but she’s celebrating by giving women a gift. In a new blog posted to her and Prince Harry’s Archwell site, the Duchess of Sussex announced her “40 by 40” initiative, calling on 40 of her friends to donate 40 minutes of their time to help someone advance a professional life on her own terms. The initiative aims to help women who left the workforce during the pandemic and uses mentorship as a path to assisting women with rebuilding their economic strength and confidence after this last year, which saw many women putting their professional lives on hold to juggle personal and family responsibilities. Some of Meghan’s influential friends who’ve already pledged their time to mentor other women for the initiative include: Adele, Amanda Gorman, Gloria Steinem, Ayesha Curry, Priyanka Chopra-Jonas, Kerry Washington, Ciara, Elaine Welteroth, Katie Couric, Princess Eugenie, Gabrielle Union, Sarah Paulson, Tracee Ellis Ross and more.

The hilarious Melissa McCarthy helped Meghan make the announcement in a fun video, which you can watch below. And if you’re wondering where Prince Harry was, well he was just outside Meghan’s window juggling…??? Lol! You gotta watch the video to see all the shenanigans. And for more info on Meghan’s “40 by 40” initiative–including how you can participate yourself, click the link below the video…

I am all about girl power and as a woman whose work & career have been vital to my sense of identity, I commend Meghan for uplifting working women and creating this initiative for women to help other women. Of her 40 x 40 initiative, Meghan says,

In the past two years, and in large part because of the COVID-19 pandemic, TENS OF MILLIONS OF women around the world have left the workforce, including over two million women in the U.S. So many of these women are also SHOULDERING THE BRUNT OF THE CRISIS when it comes to unpaid labor, including schooling and caring for family members. And the latest research shows that FEWER WOMEN THAN MEN WILL REGAIN WORK as we recover from the pandemic.
I believe mentorship is one way to help women regain confidence and rebuild their economic strength, and for my birthday, I have asked 40 friends, activists, athletes, artists, and world leaders to help kickoff a global effort by contributing 40 MINUTES OF MENTORSHIP to support women re-entering the workforce. With this time, I hope they each help someone advance a professional life on her own terms, and, I hope that they inspire countless others to give 40 minutes of their time as well.
If you are able, please JOIN US and pledge 40 minutes today in service of others in the way that feels right to you. The time that you donate can contribute to a GLOBAL WAVE OF SERVICE and set in motion meaningful impact in our own communities, and across the world.
~Meghan Markle, The Duchess of Sussex~

For more on the 40 x 40 Initiative and how you can join in, click here to head to the Archwell site. As always, thanks for stopping by my blog. Bookmark it & check back often. And be sure to follow, like & subscribe to me on social media & podcast. All the info’s below…