Tarana Burke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tarana Burke
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Burke in 2018
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| Born | September 12, 1973 New York City, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Alabama State University Auburn University at Montgomery (BA) |
| Occupation | Activist |
| Years active | 2003–present |
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| Movement | MeToo |
Tarana Burke (born September 12, 1973) is an American activist from New York City. She is best known for starting the MeToo movement. In 2006, Burke began using the phrase "MeToo" to help young women who had faced difficult experiences. She wanted them to know they were not alone and could speak up for themselves. Over ten years later, in 2017, "MeToo" became a very popular online hashtag. This phrase and hashtag quickly grew into a large, worldwide movement.
Time magazine recognized Burke and other important activists as "the silence breakers." They were named Time Person of the Year for 2017. Today, Burke speaks at events across the country. She is also a senior director at Girls for Gender Equity in Brooklyn. Harvard University has even studied her work.
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Early Life and Education
Tarana Burke was born and grew up in The Bronx, New York. Her mother helped her recover from hard times. She also encouraged Tarana to get involved in her community. Burke says these experiences made her want to help other girls facing tough situations. As a teenager, she started working to improve the lives of young girls. These girls lived in communities that needed more support.
Burke went to Alabama State University. She later transferred and graduated from Auburn University at Montgomery. During her college years, she organized press conferences and protests. These events focused on fairness in money and race.
Tarana Burke's Career
Burke has been an activist since 1989. After college, in the late 1990s, she moved to Selma, Alabama.
In 2003, Burke created a non-profit organization called "Just Be." This program was specifically for Black girls aged 12 to 18. In 2006, she officially started the MeToo movement.
In 2008, Burke moved to Philadelphia. She worked at Art Sanctuary Philadelphia and other non-profit groups. She was a consultant for the 2014 Hollywood movie Selma. This film was about the 1965 voting rights marches. These marches were led by James Bevel, Hosea Williams, Martin Luther King Jr., and John Lewis.
The phrase "Me Too" became a much bigger movement in 2017. This happened after the #MeToo hashtag became popular online. By mid-October 2017, Burke's friends told her about the hashtag. Burke decided to shape the movement. She wanted it to be about "empowermental empathy." This means helping people feel strong and understood. Time magazine named Burke and other female activists "the silence breakers." They were named Time Person of the Year for 2017.
In 2018, she attended the 75th Golden Globe Awards. She was a guest of American actor Michelle Williams. Burke received the 2018 Prize for Courage from The Ridenhour Prizes. This award honors people who bravely defend the public and work for social justice.
Burke is a senior director at Girls for Gender Equity. She organizes workshops to help improve rules at schools, workplaces, and places of worship. Burke attends public speaking events all over the country. More recently, Burke and Mervyn Marcano made a deal with CBS Studios. Burke had two books published in 2021. One was You Are Your Best Thing (with Brené Brown). The other was Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement.
Other Activism
Girls for Gender Equity
As of December 2017, Burke was the Senior Director of Girls for Gender Equity. This organization is in Brooklyn. It helps young women of color grow and develop through different programs and classes.
Just Be Inc.
Burke founded Just Be Inc. This organization helps young female minorities aged 12–18. In 2006, she created a Myspace page for it. Just Be Inc. received its first grant (money gift) in 2007.
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Awards and Honors
- 2017: Time, Time Person of the Year
- 2018: Time, 100 Most Influential People of 2018
- 2018: The Ridenhour Prizes, The Ridenhour Prize for Courage
- 2018: SheKnows Media, the VOTY (Voices of the Year) Catalyst Award
- 2019: Trailblazer Award winner
- 2022: BBC 100 Women
See Also
In Spanish: Tarana Burke para niños
