Photo via: Just Me, Inc.
2017 was a year of breaking silence. From the media industry to Hollywood, people (particularly women) everywhere chose to speak out against injustice and harassment in their industries. Throughout the social media sphere, survivors of sexual harassment and abuse used the hashtag #MeToo to voice their experiences and bring light to an oft-ignored plight.
Although the movement gained international attention following the social media frenzy, Me Too has been around for a decade. Tarana Burke, the leader of this courageous movement, created “Me Too” in 2007 following an encounter with a young survivor of sexual assault. A survivor of sexual violence herself, Burke was unsure of how to handle the unexpected meeting and vowed to aid survivors in whatever way possible through advocacy, conversation and transparency. Thus, “Me Too” was designed to amplify the voices of underprivileged victims and survivors of sexual abuse.
This New Year’s Eve, the “Me Too” creator’s work is being recognized on the national stage where she will drop the legendary Waterford Crystal ball when the clock strikes midnight.
Pictured: Burke at Time Square’s New Year’s ball testing on Saturday; Photo credit: Shawn Inglima/New York Daily News
In a recent press release on the event, Burke expressed her excitement with participating in the yearly tradition: “I am delighted to be participating in this momentous occasion. I think it’s fitting to honor the ‘Me Too’ movement as we close a historic year and set our intentions for 2018. With the new year comes new momentum to fuel this work and we won’t stop anytime soon.”
Along with ushering in the New Year at one of the biggest NYE events, Burke was also recognized in this year’s TIME Magazine “Person of the Year” issue for her contributions to the movement against sexual violence.