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Tarana Burke

society Maturity 11-13 social justice Next article →

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Tarana Burke is a famous activist from New York City.

2018 Disobedience Awards at the MIT Media Lab (44348553020)
2018 Disobedience Awards at the MIT Media Lab (44348553020)

She is well known for starting the Me Too movement. This movement helps people talk about sexual abuse and harassment. Her work focuses on making sure people feel safe and heard. She wants to help change how society treats these hard issues. Many people now know her name because of her brave work.

Burke began her work in a very specific way. In 2006, she started Me Too as a program for students. It was made for kids in junior and high school. She wanted to address violence in their own communities. Later, the movement grew much larger and went global. In 2017, a hashtag called #MeToo became very popular online. An actress named Alyssa Milano helped the hashtag go viral. This happened after news about Harvey Weinstein came out.

Tarana's journey as a leader started a long time ago. She was born on September 12, 1973, in The Bronx. As a young girl, she joined a group for youth leadership. She went to Alabama State University and Auburn University at Montgomery. While in college, she led protests for racial justice. In the late 1990s, she moved to Selma, Alabama. There, she worked closely with survivors of sexual violence. She also started a group for Black girls in 2003.

She has achieved many big things in her career.

2018 Disobedience Awards at the MIT Media Lab (44348553020)
2018 Disobedience Awards at the MIT Media Lab (44348553020)

In 2017, Time magazine named her Person of the Year. They called her one of the "silence breakers." She also founded me too. International in 2018 to help the movement grow. Burke has written two books that became best sellers. One is called "Unbound," which tells her own life story. She has also won the Ridenhour Prize for Courage.

Her work connects to many important ideas in our world. She has fought for racial justice and housing equality. She also works for economic justice for all people. Burke served as a senior director at Girls for Gender Equity. This group helps women of color develop through special classes. Her life shows how one person can start a big change. She continues to speak at many public events today. Her story helps others find the strength to speak up.

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