Who is Tarana Burke? Meet the woman who started the Me Too movement a decade ago
Updated Dec 06, 2017 By Najja Parker, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sep 27, 2018
What Is "Me Too" On Social Media?
#MeToo, an online campaign that supports the survivors of sexual abuse, assault and harrassment, has recently taken social media by storm. Although it has gained popularity over the last two months, the initiative actually began 10 years ago.
» RELATED: Time names the ‘Silence Breakers’ as Person of the Year
Tarana Burke, an activist from Harlem, launched the movement a decade ago to aid underprivileged women of color affected by sexual abuse.
She was inspired after bonding with a young girl during a youth camp hosted by Just Be Inc., a nonprofit she founded that’s “focused on the health, well-being, and wholeness of young women of color,” the site reads.
Burke detailed the encounter on the site. She said the girl revealed her mother’s boyfriend had been abusing her. That’s when Burke decided to take action by helping the communities where rape crisis centers and sexual assault workers were not present, and “Me Too” was born.
"It's not about a viral campaign for me. It’s about a movement," she told CNN. "On one side, it's a bold declarative statement that 'I'm not ashamed' and 'I'm not alone.' On the other side, it's a statement from survivor to survivor that says 'I see you, I hear you, I understand you and I'm here for you or I get it.'"
» RELATED: #MeToo: Women share harrowing accounts of sexual assault, harassment
The two-word phrase resurfaced in October when actress Alyssa Milano took to Twitter to invite those who have experienced sexual harrassment to respond with “Me too.”
»RELATED: Sexual harassment in the workplace: What is it, how to report it and more you should know
Her tweet followed the New York Times’ Oct. 5 investigation into decades of sexual harassment allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, and within hours #MeToo went viral on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and beyond as people took to the platforms to share their personal accounts of sexual assault.
By the end of that weekend morning, more than 40,000 people had responded to her tweet. More than 12 million people had engaged with the hashtag across Facebook and Twitter, CNN reported.
As the campaign picked up speed, journalist Britni Danielle applauded Burke on Twitter for starting the campaign, highlighting the originator.
Milano credited her later that day.
But for Burke, it isn’t about the accolades. It’s about awareness.
“It made my heart swell to see women using this idea,” she tweeted, “one that we call ‘empowerment through empathy’ #metoo.”
https://www.ajc.com/news/world/who-tara ... h9ucukidK/
When I first met Tarana Burke, I found a kindred spirit, somebody else who’s been screaming into the hurricane. Somebody else who’s been advocating for survivors of rape and sexual assault, and specifically young black women, whose voices have been silenced at best and completely erased from the national dialogue at worst.
She was kind enough to film a guest spot for the upcoming finale of Being Mary Jane. Between takes, it was both of us talking and strategizing, venting and celebrating. You want a leader who truly believes in inclusivity. For Tarana, it’s not about personal gain or attention but doing the work in a way that makes people feel like they can join in.
When you’ve been sidelined for so long, it’s exhilarating to know that such a powerful voice is finally breaking through. Tarana will continue to do this work, but the stage will be bigger and the microphone turned all the way up. She will inspire legislation and new crops of voters. She will sway old voters. She will open eyes. She’s not even going to bring more seats to the table—she’s going to turn the table over and build a new one.
Union is an actor and activist and the star of BET’s Being Mary Jane
http://time.com/collection/most-influen ... ana-burke/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRPeW7ZpLeE
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