Samantha Backus: In the Middle of the Fire, She Took Action

International Women’s Day invites us to recognize women whose leadership creates lasting change in their communities. For Samantha Backus, action began in the middle of a crisis.

During the 2025 Franklin Fire in southern California, students at Pepperdine University were told to shelter in place with only minutes to gather belongings before evacuating their dorms. In a crowded campus restroom filled with anxious students, Samantha overheard someone say, “I just got my period. Does anyone have a tampon?”

Pepperdine had emergency supplies ready. Menstrual products were not among them.

As President of the Days for Girls Pepperdine Chapter, Samantha immediately began working to change that. With support from Days for Girls International, she and her team donated emergency menstrual cups and disposable products to the campus and to students who had lost their belongings in the fires. But, she didn’t stop there.

Samantha and her team successfully worked with student government to secure funding for free menstrual products in campus bathrooms. Today, they continue to personally stock stalls to ensure students have what they need, during emergencies and every day.

“This work matters because it’s helping others have access to things that should be their right,” she shares. “And in doing so, it helps give people dignity.”

For Samantha, International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate the women who have shaped her life and to reflect on how far women have come. It is also a reminder that progress continues because women choose to lead, speak up, and take action.

In moments of chaos and in everyday routines, Samantha’s leadership reflects what International Women’s Day is all about: showing up for others and creating change when it is needed most.