Tarana Burke,Love Nonetheless the activist who created the "Me Too" campaign back in 2007, which recently inspired an online movement against sexual assault and harassment, is leading us all into 2018.
Burke will be participating in New York's traditional New Year's Eve ceremony, according to a Monday press release. In honor of her efforts and social impact, she was chosen as the evening's special guest and will push the Waterford crystal button that drops the ball in Times Square starting the countdown to the new year.
Seems like 2018 is already looking up.
SEE ALSO: You may have missed the most impactful detail on Time's 'Person of the Year' cover"I am delighted to be participating in this momentous occasion," Burke said in a statement. "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."
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Burke's "Me Too" campaign gained traction this year after sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein began to surface. Actress Alyssa Milano used the #MeToo hashtag to encourage women to share their own stories of sexual harassment and assault, which was shared more than 100,000 times in its first 24 hours.
Earlier this month Time alsorevealed it would be honoring "The Silence Breakers" — all the women, including Burke, who spoke out against sexual assault and harassment this year — as 2017's "Person of the Year."
#MeToo played a key role in encouraging women and all those who've experienced sexual misconduct to share their voices and stand up for themselves, so the fact that Burke was chosen as the special guest by the event's co-organizers is sending a powerful message.
"New Year’s is a time when we look at the most significant cultural and political moments of the last year, when we look for inspiration by honoring and giving a global platform to those who have made a difference," Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, said in the release.
"Tarana Burke’s courage and foresight have changed the world this year, and, we hope, forever," he added.
As the activist tweeted alongside her Twitter announcement, "We are setting intentions for the new year."
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Topics Activism Social Good
