Written by: Nikki Nair

Black Americans have been changing the world for centuries. This Black History Month, we're covering 20 contemporary Black changemakers that are writing the next chapter in the history books. 

Bryan Stevenson

Bryan Stevenson is a champion for “the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned”. As a renowned public interest lawyer, he confronts and fights the biases against the poor and minorities present in the justice system. After graduating from Harvard Law, Stevenson joined the Southern Center for Human Rights and was later appointed to run the Alabama branch. When Congress cut funding for death-penalty defense, he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to serving those on death row. Stevenson has been particularly focused on ending overly harsh sentencing of minors (individuals under the age of 18). Throughout his career, Stevenson has argued and won several cases at the highest court in the nation: the United States Supreme Court. He is also a Professor of Law at the New York University School of Law.

Along with his efforts within the justice system, Stevenson writes nonfiction about the concepts of mercy and justice. His memoir “Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption” was published in 2014 and has received critical acclaim: Time magazine selected it as one of the “10 Best Books of Nonfiction” in that year. It also won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize for Nonfiction in 2015. A film based on the book starring Michael B. Jordan as Stevenson premiered in 2019. In both the memoir and the film, Stevenson focuses on injustices in the criminal justice system and how he's dedicated his life to challenging them. 

Amanda Gorman

Amanda Gorman has climbed many hills in her life. At a young age, she began writing poetry to cope with a speech impediment. By age 16, she earned the title of Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles. At 19, she became the first National Youth Poet Laureate and began studying sociology at Harvard University. And at 22, Gorman reached her most impressive milestone yet: becoming the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history. She recited her poem “The Hill We Climb”, which she finished after the Jan. 6th insurrection, calling on Americans to advocate for justice and equality in a time of political strife and a public health crisis.

Gorman's list of accomplishments hardly ends there. She was named one of Glamour magazine's “College Women of the Year” in 2018. In 2021, she was highlighted in the Time100 Next list under the category “Phenoms”. She is also the first Estée Lauder “Global Changemaker”; Gorman represents the brand in ad campaigns and speaking events while also working with the company's grantmaking program to raise literacy rates for girls and women.

Even with all these honors, Gorman stays true to who she is. Before any performance, she says a mantra to herself: “I'm the daughter of black writers. We're descended from freedom fighters who broke through chains and changed the world. They call me.”

Marsai Martin

At the age of 17, Marsai Martin has more accomplishments than most people earn in a lifetime. Since 2014, she has portrayed Diane Johnson on the ABC sitcom “Black-ish.” In 2016, she made her film debut as Melody Ellison in “An American Girl Story – Melody 1963: Love Has to Win.” She also portrayed Nina Simone, an American artist and activist, in the movie “Nina”. In 2019 at the age of 13, she starred in and produced the comedy film “Little,” making her the youngest person ever to produce a movie. In the same year, she was named in the Time 100 Next list and signed a first-look deal with Universal Studios. She is the youngest person to get a deal at any studio.

Martin has received a multitude of awards and nominations for her roles. She has won a Young Artist Award and three NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Martin has also won a Kidscreen Award for Best Acting, a Shorty Award, and the BET YoungStars Award. She was nominated for six NAACP Image Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

Rashida Jones

On February 1, 2021, Rashida Jones became the first Black (and female) executive of a major television news network. From writing and editing her high school newspaper to building a lauded 21-year career in journalism, Jones is yet another iconic figure who exemplifies Black excellence. Before taking on this new role, she was senior vice president at MSNBC and NBC News, and therefore instrumental to breaking news coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 presidential election. Jones is also known for expanding the “town hall special” concept to reach wider audiences and increase ratings.

Perhaps the most motivational element of Jones's story is her awareness of the importance of her work. While addressing a conference at the University of Missouri's School of Journalism, she said: “If you really want to be a next-level journalist that's coloring the history of our world, that's the only reason you should be on this path.” 

Her accomplishments, and dedication to her craft, have not gone unnoticed. Jones is a member of the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications Hall of Fame. Dorothy Tucker, the president of the National Association of Black Journalists calls her an inspiration, saying that she represents “the kind of story Black and Brown children everywhere need to see, so they can know what's possible.” 

Tarana Burke

In 2006, Tarana Burke began using the phrase “MeToo” to encourage fellow survivors of domestic violence to stand up for themselves. Over a decade later in the wake of the Harvey Weinstin allegations, #MeToo went viral. As the founder of the MeToo movement, Burke has dedicated her life and career to exposing the harm of sexual violence, especially to communities of color. Her philosophy of “empowerment through empathy” highlights education as a driving force for change. Burke has worked for several nonprofits including Just Be Inc., an organization she created for Black girls aged 12 to 18. Currently, she is Senior Director at Girls for Gender Equity, where she organizes workshops to create better policies at schools, workplaces, and places of worship.

Burke has received national praise for her tireless work. Timemagazine included her in a group of prominent activists that was collectively named Time's Person of the Yearin 2017. Actor Michelle Williams invited Burke to the 75th Golden Globe Awards in 2018. She received the 2018 Prize of Courage, which is awarded to individuals who courageously advocate for public interest and social justice. Burke published two books in 2021: “You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience” and “Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement.” These accomplishments serve to highlight Burke's compassion, courage, and unwavering commitment to serving others.