Yes!

Essence magazine is marking a big milestone in May — and to honor the event, they’ve dedicated the cover of their upcoming issue to five well-deserving badass women.

The publication aimed at uplifting the voices of African-American women will soon hit their 45th anniversary and in celebrating their legacy, the magazine is featuring five female trailblazers who carry on their same mission.

Shonda Rhimes, Mara Brock Akil, Issa Rae, Debbie Allen and Ava DuVernay grace the cover of the upcoming May issue, which pays tribute to these iconic women and their contributions to television, film and the web.

Each of these women has created powerful narratives that have helped to boost the representation of black women in media — and because of this, Essence is rightfully recognizing, and validating, their amazing work.

The May issue of Essence is expected to hit newsstands on Friday, April 17.

– This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.