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 - In celebration of Black History Month, theGrio.com announced “theGrio’s 100” list on 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
ARTS
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"
BUSINESS
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
EDUCATION
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
HEALTH
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
MEDIA
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"
POLITICS
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
POP CULTURE
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
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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
SPORTS
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
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About TheGrio.com
TheGrio.com, a division of NBC News Digital, is a daily online news and opinion platform devoted to delivering stories and perspectives that reflect and affect African-American audiences. The video-centric interactive community is populated with both aggregated and original content on topics ranging from breaking news and politics to health, business, and entertainment.
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