“'You're beautiful' was the compliment I craved so much. I didn't care if people called me smart or innovative - it was the number-one compliment I gave out to other women hoping it was given back to me. I heard people saying it to my best friends. It was the one I wanted to hear more than anything else.”

Indian-Canadian poet, illustrator, photographer, and author

Rupi Kaur is an Indian-Canadian poet, illustrator, photographer, and author. Born in Punjab, India, she moved to Canada with her family when she was young. She is known for her poetry and for the public presence that helped make her work widely read. She began performing poetry in 2009 and later gained attention through Instagram before becoming widely known for three poetry collections. Her work is often associated with spoken performance and the digital platform that first expanded her audience.