Tarana Burke

Tarana Burke is a social activist and community organizer who founded the MeToo movement.

Burke was born on September 12, 1973, in The Bronx, New York. As a teenager, she became involved in working to improve the lives of young girls living in marginalized communities. During college, first at Alabama State University then Auburn University, she organized press conferences and protests regarding economic and racial justice. After graduation, she moved to Selma, Alabama. After working with survivors of sexual violence, she developed the nonprofit "Just Be," an all-girls program for young Black girls aged 12-18.

In 2006, Burke founded the Me Too movement as part of a grassroots campaign to promote "empowerment through empathy" among women who have experienced sexual abuse, particularly young women of color from low wealth communities. In October 2017, actress Alyssa Milano encouraged using the hashtag #MeToo on social media to help reveal the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment, especially in the workplace. After millions of people started using the hashtag, the conversation was thrust into the national dialogue.

Burke is currently senior director at Girls for Gender Equity, which which strives to help young women of color increase their overall development through programs and classes.