Three years after turning a hashtag into a movement, Black Lives Matter founders Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi have been crowned Women of the Year by Glamour Magazine.
Since joining forces in the wake of George Zimmerman’s acquittal in the murder of Trayvon Martin, the trio of activists has committed to fighting against police brutality and systemic racism in America while amplifying voices of the black community through their digital platform.
“We wanted to connect people who were already buzzing about all this stuff and get them to do something, not just retweet or like or share,” Garza told the publication. “We thought, How do we get folks together and take that energy and create something awesome?”
“We gave tongue to something that we all knew was happening,” Tometi added. “We were courageous enough to call it what it was. But more than that, to offer an alternative. An aspirational message: Black lives matter.”
Cullors, Garza and Tometi will be celebrated alongside honorees like Zendaya and Simone Biles at a special awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Nov. 14. Congrats to all parties involved!