There are a lot of things you should never say to any woman ever. “You should smile more,” “It happened because of what you were wearing,” “You aren’t a real woman until you have kids,” “That’s a man’s job,”—the list goes on and on. A good rule of thumb would be to not say anything you wouldn’t say to a woman in your family, but an uncomfortable amount of people say these horrible things, even to those women closest to them. Instead of a backhanded compliment or your oh-so-valuable advice on how they should live, you should tell every woman thank you. Not the half-hearted, last minute ones you muster up on birthdays and sporadically throughout the years. I mean real, honest, holy s— I-couldn’t-imagine-a-world-without-you thank yous. StudLife has published far too many stories on the failures of Washington University and society has a whole when it comes to reporting and punishing those who sexually assault women, with some members of our community acting shocked by what women have to deal with everyday on this campus. That does not even include the blatant sexism they face when their chosen field of study strays ever so slightly from the tired gender norms people somehow still hold. But they aren’t who we should be focusing our attention on. Instead we should be praising those supremely strong, brilliant, resilient and world-changing women who do whatever means necessary to ensure the world keeps moving forward.

The University’s leadership council has 31 members, 16 of whom are women. This list is comprised of the University’s senior leadership, and I am pleasantly surprised by the balance. While none of the top five positions, chancellor and the four executive vice chancellors, are occupied by women, there is hope that the next chancellor will take the groundbreaking step in not being a white man. Beyond top leadership, Washington University has extraordinary women throughout its many departments and offices who make this school worth anything. For myself, I would not have gotten through a single day at Wash. U. without massive support from women. These women have proven time and time again their ability to lead and should be promoted to the top roles at the University instead of slightly different versions of the same white guy.

It would be a grave mistake if I did not take a moment to acknowledge and praise women of color, specifically Black women. It is not an exaggeration to say that everything any Black man has ever done would not be possible without the support of Black women. Black women have been able to build a community despite the countless legal and societal barriers put in their way. From public housing excluding Black fathers to live with their families (Pruitte-Igoe in St. Louis), to having their sons murdered without any justice (Mamie Till, Emmett Till’s mother, made sure the world could not ignore what had been done to her son), to people saying that their natural hair wasn’t professional, but being ok with it when a white woman does it. If you aren’t convinced about the power of Black women, then look at this year’s Coachella, the Golden Globes, ABC television on Thursday, makeup counters, in Congress or in the Rhodes Scholar list from this year (Congrats Mimi and Jasmine!). I have been surrounded by powerful Black women my entire life; and no matter what I have gone through, there was a Black women who would not let me fail. Black girl magic is real. Black women have never needed any help to make an impact on the world, but they definitely deserve the respect they have been denied for thousands of years.

I can never thank all the women who have made life for everyone somewhat enjoyable. As a community, Wash. U. should be doing a lot more in making sure they are given credit for all the incredible work they do on a daily basis. If you wish to do better in your own life, start right now. It’s the easiest thing in the world to say thank you.