Feisty Female Friday: Tarana Burke

The FFF this week is Tarana Burke.

Tarana is an American NY born activist who founded the #Me Too movement, which assist survivors of sexual abuse and violence, especially women of color. As a teenager, she became involved in a campaign focusing on racial discrimination and housing inequality and joined the 21st Century Youth Leadership Movement which is dedicated to youth development.

After graduating from ASU, Tarana continued her work with 21st Century and met with many African American female survivors of sexual abuse and violence. She herself, also a survivor, began to provide information and counseling for these young women and founded Jendayi Aza, an African-centered program for assisting African American girls in their journey to adulthood which grew into the nonprofit organization, Just Be, Inc. Her organization provided workshops and training dedicated to the health and well-being of young women of color.

Using the phrase “MeToo” while talking with a survivor of sexual assault, Tarana has created a safe place for survivors to gather and share their stories while promoting their “empowerment through empathy.” Actress Alyssa Milano used the “#MeToo” phrase on social media and soon others followed with their own stories of sexual harassment and assault. The movement has since expanded to include leadership training for survivors, bringing programs and healing to women and men everywhere.

This campaign gained even more widespread attention when it was revealed that film mogul Harvey Weinstein had for years sexually harassed and assaulted women in the industry. Victims of sexual harassment or assault around the world, of all races and ethnicities, began sharing their experiences on social media, using #MeToo. The movement grew, bringing condemnation to dozens of powerful men in politics, business, entertainment, and the news media.

Although she was encouraged that the topic of sexual abuse was receiving widespread attention, Tarana felt that the emphasis of the #MeToo movement should also be on the survivors, women, men, and people on the gender spectrum, who are moving forward on their path to healing. With millions of followers on social media, Tarana continues to work for community-based organizations such as the Art Sanctuary, the Black Belt Arts and Cultural Center and the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute. She also helped organize the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee, Girls for Gender Equality, taught empowerment workshops and co-edited the essay collection, You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience.

Tarana’s memoir, Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the #Me Too Movement, has also been published and widely read. She has won the Ridenhour Prize for Courage and the Trailblazer Award. She, herself the victim of sexual assault, lives in NY City, is married, has a daughter, and continues her work daily with over 80 million #MeToo survivors.