Celebrating Black History Month: The Most Influential People Of Color Making Waves
February is Black History Month, a time to recognize the black individuals in our country and around the world who are making a difference. On this list, you'll find people across all industries- entertainment, politics, sports, and more who have put themselves out there and come out on top.
These individuals stand out for their incredible talents that are changing the world. Charitable, generous, progressive- see if some of your favorite inspiring figures made the list!
Donald Glover Is Taking The Entertainment Industry By Storm
How is it that Donald Glover is good at everything? He's not just good at everything— he's really good at everything. He's an actor, director, producer, comedian, singer, writer, rapper, and DJ.
His show Atlanta is one of the top shows on the air right now, and his song This Is America was one of the top songs of 2018. Glover is a true artist and a master of all trades.
Black Female Founders- Arlan Hamilton Has Your Back
Arlan Hamilton is the founder and CEO of Backstage Capital. She's best-known for investing in tech founders from underrepresented communities and established a massive $36 million fund exclusively for black female founders.
This is a woman who isn't just lifting herself up, but lifting up everyone around her. Her work should serve as a reminder of how important it is to give back to our communities. Arlan has a tweet pinned on her Twitter profile that reads, "Four years ago, I was on food stamps. Today, I have built a venture capital fund from the ground up, and have invested in 100 startup companies led by women, people of color, and LGBTQ founders."
Ryan Coogler Proved Hollywood's Theory Was Wrong
Ryan Coogler is the man behind one of the most important black films of our generation. We have him to thank for the masterpiece that is Black Panther.
In an era when nobody thought a film with an all-black cast could make any money, Black Panther netted $1.3 billion worldwide. The film opened with a scene in Oakland, partly paying homage to the Black Panther Party as well as to Coogler's hometown. This movie was nominated for an Oscar, won a SAG Award, and defied everyone's expectations. Wakanda forever!
Beyoncé Is Still Breaking Down Barriers
Is there anybody better than Beyoncé? I didn't think so. She's made history once again by being the first black woman to headline the Coachella music festival. Somehow, Beyoncé seems to get better every year. She also seems to get more political every year. Her videos now carry a political message that is so important for our place and time.
Beyoncé pledged $1 million in scholarships for graduating high schoolers. She was also featured on the cover of the September issue of Vogue and insisted that she be shot by Tyler Mitchell, a young black photographer, a first for the magazine.
Chadwick Boseman Is Inspiring The Next Generation
We've already spoken about the director of Black Panther, but that movie would be nowhere near as epic as it was without Chadwick Boseman's acting talent. T'Challa may not be a real person, but the character shows children everywhere that you don't have to be white to be a superhero.
In May of 2018, Boseman delivered the commencement speech at historically black college Howard University, where he told graduates to "press on with pride and press on with purpose."
Issa Rae Is "Rooting For Everybody Black"
Issa Rae is an unapologetic activist and a self-motivated creator. She recently received her first Emmy nomination for her HBO series, Insecure. Insecure started as a web series called The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl in 2011.
On last year's Emmy red carpet, Issa Rae gave us the mantra to live by when she said, "I'm rooting for everybody black." Thank's for that iconic sound bite, Issa. We're rooting for everybody black too.
Tiffany Haddish Is A Busy (And Successful) Lady
Tiffany Haddish spent years on the stand-up circuit before she became a breakout star. Her powerful performance in the movie Girls Trip is undeniable. Tiffany's career has been on a roll the last couple of years, and she even won an Emmy for hosting Saturday Night Live.
It's safe to say that this woman has been keeping herself busy. She wrote a New York Times bestselling book and released a one-hour stand up special on Netflix.
Meghan, Duchess Of Sussex Is Shaking Up The Royal Family
Duchess, actress, and philanthropist Meghan Markle is breaking tradition in the best way possible. She's the first American and first biracial person to marry into the British royal family.
When Meghan and Harry were married, the couple emphasized and celebrated Meghan's blackness. There was a black bishop, black choir, black cellist, and high-profile black guests. Meghan is now taking it upon herself to support girls and women in developing nations.
Colin Kaepernick Fights For Justice
Colin Kaepernick is more than just a football legend. This former NFL star inspired others to take a knee to protest racism and police brutality. Colin faced intense opposition to his act of peaceful protest, but he continued his fight and even donated $1 million to community groups that promote justice.
Earlier this year, Amnesty International honored Kaepernick with the Ambassador of Conscience award, and Nike recently made the former quarterback the spokesperson for their "Just Do It" campaign.
Gabrielle Union Believes Everyone Should Be Given Opportunity
Actress Gabrielle Union has been an outspoken advocate for black women in the #MeToo era. During her fight for gender equality, Gabrielle has bravely shared her own story about being a victim of sexual assault.
While Union supports the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, she has criticized the fact that both movements have prioritized the stories of famous white women over underprivileged women of color. Gabrielle has said that it's important to make room for everyone.
Kendrick Lamar Is A Powerful Artist
Rapper Kendrick Lamar became the first hip hop artist to win a Pulitzer Prize. He's also won four Grammys and is the producer of the Black Panther soundtrack. Kendrick made his acting debut on Starz's hit drama series Power and surprised everyone with his brilliant performance as a scheming crackhead.
The Pulitzer board called his album DAMN. "a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life."
LeBron James Is Giving Underprivileged Kids A Bright Future
You probably know LeBron James best as a huge basketball star, but LeBron has been making even more impressive moves off the court. He recently opened his I Promise School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.
The school is a public institution with 240 third and fourth-graders in its inaugural classes. Each student receives emotional support, free meals, and a bike to get back and forth to school. LeBron has promised college tuition for each graduate, paving the way for other schools to invest in their students.
Virgil Abloh Is Among The New Era Of Designers
Fashion designer and CEO Virgil Abloh is the first African American to lead Louis Vuitton's menswear collection. Ten years ago, Abloh wrote about "new era of designers becoming the new rock stars," and now he is one of those rock stars.
Virgil Abloh has quickly become one of the most important and sought-after voices in fashion. He's worked with Kanye West and Nike, and he designed Serena Williams' U.S. Open tutus.
Stacey Abrams Made Political History
In 2018, Stacey Abrams ran to become the first black female governor in U.S. history. Although she didn't win the election, she did become the first black woman to receive a gubernatorial nomination by a major party in any state.
As Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez stated in December: "Black women are the backbone of the Democratic Party, and we can't take that for granted." It looks as though we'll have a black female governor in the near future.
Chance The Rapper Gives Back To His Hometown
In case you've been living under a rock and you don't know who Chance the Rapper is, he's a rapper from Chicago who is both a musical genius and a wonderful person. He's using his platform to help improve education for kids in his hometown.
This past May, Chance delivered the commencement speech at historically black college Dillard University. Even more recently, Chance announced that he invested in journalism by purchasing the Chicagoist, a local news publication. This man's dedication to his city is admirable to say the least.
Tarana Burke Wants To Empower Victims
You know the #MeToo movement that everybody's been talking about for the past few years? Well, Tarana Burke started that. She created the Me Too movement in 2006, which went viral in 2017 as #MeToo.
Burke describes her activism as "empowerment through empathy." Burke and her fellow silence breakers were named Time's Person of The Year for supporting and empowering women in the face of sexual violence. She is living proof that we all have the ability to make a difference.
San Francisco's First Black Female Mayor: London Breed
After a special election in June, London Breed was sworn in as San Francisco's first black female mayor. London has always been involved in community politics. She was raised by her grandmother in Plaza East public housing, and while she was a student at the University of California in the San Francisco Bay Area. she took a real interest in local government.
She won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in November 2012, and less than three years later, she was chosen by her colleagues to be the president of the Board.
Michael B. Jordan Prioritizes Diversity
Michael B. Jordan has been a fixture in the entertainment industry for decades, but his impact and notoriety shot up after he appeared in Marvel's blockbuster hit Black Panther. Jordan's portrayal of T'Challa's nemesis, Erik Killmonger, nearly stole the show. Some people in the audience were even rooting for the bad guy.
Offscreen, Jordan's company, Outlier Society Productions, was one of the first to commit to adopting an inclusion rider on all of its projects. This means that all of Outlier's future projects will have a diverse cast and crew.
Young Black Girls Have A Role Model In Danai Gurira
Danai Gurira portrayed the fierce warrior Okoye in Black Panther. Since making it big in Hollywood, Danai has been an advocate for women and girls around the world.
Whether she's playing a katana-wielding zombie slayer on The Walking Dead or a talented warrior in the Marvel universe, Danai definitely knows how to pick roles that display both her strength and her femininity. Her presence on screen inspires young black girls to be tough and kind at the same time.
Lena Waithe Is Making Waves Behind The Camera
Lena Waithe is a talented actor and a producer of The Chi. It seems like this woman has produced a successful show for almost every major network. She's a powerful example of the fact that you don't have to be in front of the camera to be a visible black person in the entertainment industry.
Although, Lena was probably the most visible when she acted on Aziz Ansari's Netflix series, Master of None. She added a lot to that show and provided a voice for the gay black community.
Janet Mock Inspires People To Overcome Through Creative Expression
Janet Mock made history when she became the first black trans woman to direct a television episode. She made her directorial debut when she directed an episode of FX's breakout hit Pose.
Mock told The Glow Up: "I wanted to show that yes, we [the LGBTQ community] deal with the reality of very gritty stuff that we have to go through and overcome—but we do overcome them. We go through them, and we often go through them together through creativity, through love, through acceptance."
Jordan Peele Is The Talent The World Needs
Who would have thought that when Jordan Peele was on MadTV that he'd one day win an Academy Award for screenwriting? Jordan hasn't slowed down at all since the success of Get Out. He's working on several new projects including a Twilight Zone reboot and a new movie called Us.
Jordan Peele produced Spike Lee's Oscar-nominated film BlacKkKlansman. It seems like everything this man touches turns to gold. I can't wait to see what he's going to make next.
Stephen Curry Is Supporting The Right Causes
Steph Curry is an important figure in sports, specifically basketball, but this star player has been making waves outside of the world of sports as well. Steph decided that he and his team wouldn't visit Donald Trump's White House, but would visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture instead.
Curry has partnered with the United Nations' Nothing but Nets campaign to supply mosquito nets to people in parts of the world that are at high risk for malaria.
Kevin Durant Is Helping Fund His Hometown's Education
Another Basketball star turned all-star philanthropist, Kevin Durant has proven to be the Most Valuable Player on and off the court.
He founded the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation and pledged $10 million to help create a program in his native Prince George's County, Md., that guides low-income and first-generation students from ninth grade all the way through the college experience. Clearly, education is a cause that's near and dear to Kevin's heart.
Tracee Ellis Ross Is A Powerful Movement Leader
Tracee Ellis Ross is an Emmy-nominated actress best known for her role as Rainbow Johnson on ABC's hit sitcom Black-ish. Oh yeah, and she's also Diana Ross's daughter. She has been an outspoken advocate for women during the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements.
Earlier this year, Ross gave a TED Talk in which she encouraged women to embrace their righteous fury and change the world: "The global collection of women's experiences can no longer be ignored. Our culture is shifting, and it's time."
Janelle Monáe's Music Videos Speak For Themselves
To say that Janelle Monae is having a moment would be an understatement. The quality and quantity of music videos this woman has been releasing recently is absolutely mindblowing. Janelle Monae also recently opened up about her sexuality and LGBTQ status, making herself a visible advocate and an example of a successful pansexual black woman.
Janelle hires black women of all different shapes and sizes to star in her music videos.
Serena Williams Is A Strong Mama
If you thought Serena Williams was too busy being the greatest tennis player of all time to be an excellent mother and a generous philanthropist, you'd be very wrong. Yes, she is busy, but she still finds time to advocate for working moms and black maternal health.
Just a year after nearly dying from complications after giving birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Williams returned to the court in style. Williams has become a role model for women who want to have it all.
Andrew Gillum Is A Pioneer
Andrew Gillum defied the odds by winning Florida's Democratic gubernatorial nomination and ran to become the state's first black governor. While Gillum didn't win the election, he made the math a little smoother for the next black candidate.
Gillum was the first in his family to graduate from college. He became the youngest person ever elected to the Tallahassee City Commission and he served on the Commission for 11 years before running for mayor in 2014.
Cardi B Handles It All In Style
Say what you want about Cardi B, but you can't deny that this woman is making moves in the hip hop game. She's the first female rapper to have two No. 1 hits from a debut album.
Cardi's unique voice is proving that there's enough room and money for everyone in the music industry. She's got a big personality and she's not afraid to show it. Now that she's a mother, she makes balancing parenting and touring around the world look way too easy.
Ayanna Pressley Won't Back Down
After unseating her 10-term opponent in the primary, Pressley became the first black woman to represent Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Pressley ran on a platform of decreasing violence, alleviating poverty and its coinciding effects, supporting women and girls, and stabilizing families and communities. Pressley is also part of a record-breaking number of women rising up against the tyranny of Donald Trump's America. Pressley thinks that disruptions are necessary for forwarding momentum.
