For International Women’s Day, we continue to celebrate the women who inspire us, challenge us, and push us to be better. In this heartfelt voice note, Stella Aiecheng Odiambo honors her high school deskmate, Karimi, whose fearless defiance of limitations reshaped Stella’s view of the world.

It’s a story of friendship, courage, and the power of standing up against societal constraints. Because sometimes, all it takes is one person’s boldness to change the course of another’s life.