Sunlight Spotlight: Tarana Burke
Tarana Burke is the founder of the #MeToo movement, which was created in 2006 as an attempt to connect and vocalize other survivors of sexual assault. Over a decade later, #MeToo gained some traction and became one of the top trending hashtags on Twitter and other social media platforms.
“It wasn’t built to be a viral campaign or hashtag that is here today and forgotten tomorrow. It was a catchphrase to be used from survivor to survivor to let folks know that they were not alone and that a movement for radical healing was happening and possible”
Burke grew up in The Bronx, New York. She is not only a well known American activist, but also a survivor, as she was assaulted multiple times in both her childhood and teenage years.
“I know exactly how you feel, that happened to me too”
Tarana Burke speaking at the #MeToo Survivors March & Rally back in 2017
As Tarana began to heal from her trauma, her mother encouraged her to stand up against injustice and to make a difference in her community. Along with being a sexual violence advocate, Burke has created and supported multiple organizations advocating racial justice, especially amongst Black young women, gender equality and economic justice. Additionally, Burke has used her platform to vocalize her support towards the current Black Lives Matter movement. Due to her great accomplishments and works towards social justice, Tarana has been named as one of the most respected and influential activists in our history.
“I believe healing is a lifelong journey and the hardest part is starting”
If you’d like to see what Tarana Burke is up to now, check out her social medias:
Instagram: @taranajaneen
Twitter: @TaranaBurke