Tarana Burke(1973 — ?)
Tarana Burke
États-Unis
7 min read
Tarana Burke is an American civil rights activist and founder of the #MeToo movement in 2006. She has dedicated her life to supporting survivors of sexual violence, particularly in underprivileged Black communities.
Frequently asked questions
Famous Quotes
« Me Too is about empathy. It's about connecting with another survivor and saying, 'I see you. I hear you. I believe you.' »
« Healing doesn't happen in a vacuum. »
Key Facts
- 1973: Born in the Bronx, New York
- 2006: Coins the phrase 'Me Too' to support survivors of sexual violence in underprivileged communities
- 2017: The viral spread of the #MeToo hashtag on social media brings the movement to global prominence
- 2017: Burke and the 'Silence Breakers' are named Person of the Year by Time magazine
- Since 2018: Leads the organization 'me too. International' to support survivors
Works & Achievements
Tarana Burke launched the #MeToo movement in 2006, but it gained worldwide recognition in 2017 as a platform to speak out against sexual violence and harassment. The movement enabled millions of women to share their stories and transformed the public conversation around sexual abuse.
Tarana Burke created the 'Me Too' organization to support survivors of sexual violence, particularly Black women and women of color. The organization provides emotional support, resources, and a platform for collective healing.
Burke worked to amplify the voices of Black women and women of color who had experienced sexual violence, a group often rendered invisible within mainstream feminist movements. Her work placed intersectionality and inclusion at the center of the conversation.
A memoir in which Tarana Burke recounts her personal journey, her activist work, and the origins of the #MeToo movement. The book documents her vision of restorative and transformative justice.
Burke championed a model of justice centered on healing and transformation rather than punishment alone, shaping debates about how to address sexual abuse and violence.
Anecdotes
In 2006, Tarana Burke, an American women's rights activist, founded the 'Me Too' movement to support survivors of sexual assault, particularly Black women and women of color. She created the movement in response to the sexual violence she had witnessed in marginalized communities — well before the #MeToo hashtag went viral in 2017.
Tarana Burke grew up in Alabama in a family of preachers and activists, which deeply shaped her social commitment from an early age. She took part in various civil rights and social justice movements before focusing specifically on the issue of sexual violence.
Tarana Burke's Me Too movement spread worldwide in October 2017 when actress Alyssa Milano revived the hashtag on social media, exposing the scale of sexual assault in Hollywood. Millions of women then shared their stories, turning Me Too into a global movement of speaking out.
In 2018, Tarana Burke was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World, recognized for her courage in giving a voice to survivors of sexual assault. This international recognition confirmed the lasting impact of her activism.
Tarana Burke worked for years as a youth educator before becoming a public figure, which gave her a deep understanding of the challenges faced by teenage girls and young women confronting violence. Her hands-on experience gave her invaluable credibility in her fight.
Primary Sources
I created the phrase 'Me Too' back in 2006 as a way to reach in to communities of color where I was working with underprivileged and underage girls.
The movement we created is a movement about the trauma of sexual assault and sexual harassment and how we heal.
Just Be Inc. is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to 'healing justice' for girls of color who have survived sexual abuse and exploitation.
Tarana Burke launched the Me Too movement to center survivors of sexual assault, particularly women of color.
Key Places
Tarana Burke's birthplace, where she was born in 1973. She grew up in this New York City borough and developed her social consciousness before becoming an activist.
The state where Tarana Burke worked as a community organizer and advocate for the rights of women and marginalized people throughout the 1990s and 2000s.
A major hub of Tarana Burke's activism, where she founded and grew the #MeToo movement, making it the heart of her fight against sexual violence and harassment.
The city where the #MeToo movement gained momentum and went global, fueled by the support of public figures and the viral spread of the hashtag in 2017.
The institution where Tarana Burke studied and first became socially engaged, shaping her convictions around social justice.
Liens externes & ressources
Références
Œuvres
Fondation de Just Be Inc.
2003
Création du mouvement 'Me Too'
2006
Participation à la Women's March
2017-2018
Désignation 'Personnes de l'année' — Time Magazine
2017
Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement
2021
Conférences et interventions universitaires
2017 — présent






