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.
Time named Burke, among a group of other prominent activists dubbed "the silence breakers", as the Time Person of the Year for 2017. Burke presents at public speaking events across the country and is currently Senior Director at Girls for Gender Equity in Brooklyn.
Harvard University published a case study on Burke.
Contents
Early life and education
Burke was born in The Bronx, New York, and raised in the area. Her mother supported her recovery from these violent acts and encouraged her to be involved in the community. In her biography Burke states that these experiences inspired her to work to improve the lives of girls who undergo extreme hardships. As a teenager, she began improving the lives of young girls living in marginalized communities. Burke attended Alabama State University then transferred and graduated from Auburn University at Montgomery. During her time in college, she organized press conferences and protests regarding economic and racial justice.
Career
An activist since 1989, Burke moved to Selma, Alabama, in the late 1990s after graduating college.
Burke developed the nonprofit "Just Be" in 2003, which was an all-girls program for Black girls aged 12 to 18.
In 2008, she moved to Philadelphia and worked at Art Sanctuary Philadelphia and other non-profits. She was a consultant for the 2014 Hollywood movie Selma, based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches led by James Bevel, Hosea Williams, Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis.
Time named Burke, among a group of other prominent female activists dubbed "the silence breakers", as the Time Person of the Year for 2017.
In 2018, she attended the 75th Golden Globe Awards as a guest of American actor Michelle Williams. Burke received the 2018 Prize for Courage from The Ridenhour Prizes, which is awarded to individuals who demonstrate courageous defense of the public interest and passionate commitment to social justice.
Burke is currently Senior Director at Girls for Gender Equity. Burke organizes workshops to help improve policies at schools, workplaces, and places of worship. Burke attends public speaking events across the country. More recently, Burke and Mervyn Marcano, of Field/House Productions, inked a CBS Studios overall deal. Burke published the book You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience (co-authored with Brené Brown for Random House, April 2021) in 2021.
Activism
Girls for Gender Equity
Burke is the Senior Director of Girls for Gender Equity in Brooklyn, which strives to help young women of color increase their overall development through various programs and classes.
Just Be Inc.
Burke founded Just Be Inc., an organization that promotes the wellness of young female minorities aged 12–18. In 2006, she made a Myspace page. Just Be Inc. received its first grant in 2007.
Honors and awards
- 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
