In honor of Black History Month, NBC’s theGrio.com has announced its annual “theGrio 100” list of “African-American history makers and industry leaders who are making a difference in the lives of all Americans.”
Media personalities on this year’s list include NBC News Washington bureau chief Ken Strickland, ABC’s “Good Morning America” co-host Robin Roberts, “Live! With Kelly and Michael” co-host Michael Strahan and daytime talk show host Wendy Williams.
See the full list after the jump.
THEGRIO.COM REVEALS FOURTH ANNUAL “THEGRIO’S 100” LIST |
TheGrio’s 100” List Features African-American Industry Leaders and Will Be Featured On-Air and Online on NBC News and MSNBC throughout February |
NEW YORK, NY – February 4, 2013 – In celebration of Black History Month, theGrio.com announced “theGrio’s 100” liston NBC News’ “Today” show this morning. The exclusive list honors Black History Month by highlighting the next generation of African-American history makers and industry leaders who are making a difference in the lives of all Americans. The 100 honorees come from various fields of work, including business, education, sports, science and the environment, media, service and activism, politics, health, pop culture, and the arts.This year’s list includes newsmakers and celebrities like Susan Rice, Gabby Douglas, Swizz Beatz and Amar’e Stoudemire, as well as up and coming leaders such as Svante Myrick, the 25 year-old mayor of Ithaca, NY; Quvenzhané Wallis, the 9 year-old star of “Beasts of the Southern Wild;” Vince and Vance Moss, brothers who led a medical mission in Afghanistan; and Karen Lewis, President of the Chicago’s Teachers Union and at the center of the strike back in September of 2012; to name a few.”This year’s list shines a light on those African-American leaders who may be lesser known but are doing incredible work in their communities, while also highlighting recognizable names for work you may not know they’re doing,” said David Wilson, executive editor of theGrio.com. “The goal of ‘theGrio’s 100’ is to go beyond the rear-view conversations about Black History Month, and instead take a look at where we’re going. This year’s honorees are a great sampling of the leaders who are taking us there.”The “theGrio’s 100” will be profiled on NBC News platforms, including “NBC Nightly News,” “Today,” NBCNews.com and MSNBC, throughout the month of February. Fans can also check out more about “theGrio’s 100” on theGrio’s facebook page: Facebook.com/theGrio and on Twitter @thegrio with the hashtag #thegrios100.
TheGrio’s editorial team selected the 100 individuals with input from a group of experts and NBC News affiliates from across the country. The full list of “theGrio’s 100” is below with links to each honoree profile. ACTIVISM Brendon Ayanbadejo, Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens William Barber, Reverend, Grassroots Activist Swizz Beatz, Hip-Hop Producer Beverly Bond, Founder, Black Girls Rock, Inc. Valeisha Butterfield-Jones, Chair of the Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network Wanda Butts, Founder, The Josh Project Nerfertiti Martin & Emily Carpenter, Gender Equity Youth Activists Ben Crump, Lawyer, Parks and Crump LLC Isis King, Transgender Activist Lee Saunders, President, AFSCME
Nick Cave, Contemporary artist Ava Duvernay, Director, “Middle of Nowhere” Ty Hunter, Beyonce’s Stylist Nzinga Knight, Fashion Designer Anthony & Demarre McGill, Classical Musicians Dinaw Mengestu, Writer, MacArthur Genius Grant Fellow Tripoli Patterson, Professional Surfer, Art Curator Laura Smalls, Fashion Designer RZA, Director, “The Man With The Iron Fists”
Susan E. Chapman, SVP, Global Real Estate and Work Place Enablement at American Express Farrah Gray, Businessman, Philanthropist, Author Oscar L. Harris, Founder and Chairman, Turner Associates Architects and Planners Mellody Hobson, President, Ariel Investments, LLC Vera Moore, Founder, Vera Moore Cosmetics Dambisa Moyo, Author, CNBC Contributor and Economist Randall Pinkett, Co-Founder and CEO, BCT Partners Suzanne Shank, President and CEO, Siebert Brandford and Shank Amos Winbush III, Founder and CEO, CyberSynchs Kiante Young, Owner, Young and Doin’ It Marketing
Madu Eneli, Author Walter Kimbrough, President, Dillard University Sabrina Lamb, Founder and CEO, World of Money Karen Lewis, President, Chicago Teachers Union Tommie Lindsey, Jr., Forensics Coach, James Logan High School Carolyn McCaskill, Professor, Gallaudet University Dylan C. Penningroth, Associate Professor, Northwestern University Earl Phalen, CEO, Reach Out and Read Amar’e Stoudemire, Author, NBA Player Dorian Warren, Associate Professor, Columbia University
James Aikins, Jr. & Charletta Ayers, OB/GYNs Charles E. Crutchfield III, Dermatologist Marilyn Gaston & Gayle Porter, Founders, Primetime Sister Circles Kafui Dzirasa, Psychiatrist, Researcher Nameemah Ghafur, Family Practice Physician Robert Gore, ER Physician Nadine Gracia, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, U.S. Health and Human Services Rick Kittles, Biology Researcher Vince & Vance Moss, Surgeons Terrie Williams, Mental Health Advocate, Publicist
Dean Bacquet, Managing Editor, The New York Times Salaam Coleman Smith, President, The Style Network Emi Kolawole, Editor, Washington Post’s “Ideas and Innovations” Keija Minor, Editor-in-Chief, Brides Magazine Tambay Obenson, Founder, Shadow and Act Franchesca Ramsey, Comedian and Vlogger Robin Roberts, Co-Host, “Good Morning America” Michael Strahan, Co-Host, “Live with Kelly and Michael” Ken Strickland, Washington Bureau Chief, NBC News Wendy Williams, Host, “The Wendy Williams Show”
Barbara R. Amwine, Executive Director, Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Stefanie Brown, Founder, Brown Girls Lead Anthony Foxx, Mayor of Charlotte, NC Steven Horsford, Congressman, Nevada’s 4th Congressional District Jackie Lacey, Los Angeles County District Attorney Svante Myrick, Mayor, Ithaca, New York Rob Nabors, Deputy Director, United States Office of Management and Budget Susan Rice, United States UN Ambassador Judy Smith, American Crisis Manager, Founder of Smith and Company Nina Turner, Ohio State Senator
Chadwick Boseman, Actor Gary Clark, Jr., Blues Guitarist Terrence J. Jenkins, E! News Correspondent Keegan-Michael Key & Jordan Peele, Comedians Solange Knowles, Singer/songwriter, Actress Kendrick Lamar, Rapper Will Packer, Producer, “Think Like A Man” Elle Varner, Singer Quvenzhané Wallis, Actress Kerry Washington, Actress
Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, Author, Muslim Environmentalist Mario Armstrong, Host, “The Mario Armstrong Show” Kat Calvin, Founder, Black Girls Hack Kelvin Doe, Teen Innovator Aprille Ericsson, Aerospace Engineer Shaun Evans, CEO, OMBO Apps Brittney Exline, Engineer Rodney Stearns, President and Founder, Text No More App Neil deGrasse Tyson, Director, Hayden Planetarium
Antron Brown, Auto Racer Gabrielle Douglas, Olympic Gymnast Arian Foster, Running Back, Houston Texans Robert Griffin III (“RG3”), Quarterback, Washington Redskins Britney Griner, Center, Baylor Bears Lia Neal, Olympic Swimmer Jabari Parker, High School Basketball Phenom Claressa Shields, Olympic Boxer Taylor Townsend, Tennis Player Ken Williams, Executive Vice President, Chicago White Sox |