21 People We Should All Recognize For Fighting For Civil Rights In 2020

Nikole Hannah-Jones is an investigative reporter who recently created the 1619 Project for the New York Times Magazine. The 1619 Project delves into the 400th year of slavery in what would become the United States with attention to how we understand the contributions of black Americans in the present day. She also cofounded the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting, a training and mentorship organization dedicated to increasing the ranks of investigative reporters of color.

Kimberly Bryant was born in civil rights-era Memphis. She got her own start in the early days of computer programming. She always noted the lack of African American women in STEM spaces but thought that would eventually change. After 30 years of not seeing that change, she founded Black Girls Code. The nonprofit aims to introduce programming and in-demand technology to a new generation who will carry out the technological advancements of tomorrow.

She may only be 12 years old, but Mari Copeny, better known as Little Miss Flint, is intent on changing the world. Since she first spoke out about the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, in 2016, she's raised over $500,000, impacting over 25,000 children in Flint and beyond. She continues to speak out about the water crisis to bring water filtration to communities in need across the country.

Susan Burton's life was forever changed when her 5-year-old son was struck and killed by a car driven by an off-duty police officer. Devastated, she became addicted to alcohol and crack cocaine. She went to prison, only to get out and end up behind bars again.

When she was finally released in 1997, she was looking for a change. As she got back on her feet, she noticed how hard it was for black female parolees to rebuild their lives after doing time. This inspired her to found A New Way of Life, which helps women navigate the difficult process and slowly come to be self-sufficient. Today, she is one of the strongest advocates for formerly incarcerated women.

Vanessa Nakate is a 23-year-old climate activist from Uganda. Vanessa recently made news when she was cropped out of a photo she was in with white climate activists Greta Thunberg, Luisa Neubauer, Isabelle Axelsson, and Loukina Tille. Vanessa's activism is so much greater than this one incident, however.

Vanessa decided to become involved in climate activism after seeing how Ugandans, who are economically and personally dependent on agriculture, were feeling the impacts of climate change. She protested outside the gates of Parliament of Uganda, alone at first and later with other youth concerned about the state of the Congo rainforests. She founded the Rise Up Movement to amplify the voices of climate change throughout Africa.

Ta-Nehisi Coates is a journalist and writer tackling the social and political history of racism in America in various media. While he prefers to think more of his responsibilities toward his community than fancying himself an activist, he has truly made waves, including testifying before Congress. Last year, his debut novel, The Water Dancer, premiered.

Alicia Garza is one of the three founders of Black Lives Matter. It was she who coined the phrase that would serve as the organization's guiding light, although she'll tell you they're continuing the work of activists before them. Alicia has used her platform to sound off on anti-black state-sanctioned violence and oppression.

Another BLM founder, Opal also serves as the executive director at the Black Alliance for Just Immigration. Opal was inspired to speak out on immigration because of her parents' own immigration from Nigeria to the United States. Opal was able to mobilize BLM in an impressive utilization of social media.

Patrisse, the third co-founder of BLM, also founded prison activism organization Dignity and Power Now. The next year, in the wake of George Zimmerman's sentencing in the murder of Trayvon Martin, she used the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter. Patrisse also advocates for queer youth in addition to her work in prison activism.

The athlete turned activist found himself at the center of the conversation of how black players are treated by the NFL when he was barred from the league. Colin's unofficial ban comes after his actions during the national anthem, kneeling to protest police brutality and systemic racial injustice. Colin hasn't played in three years and now spends his time working with various civil rights organizations.

Fania Davis was drawn to activism after two of her close friends were killed in the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. She is the sister of activist Angela Davis. Fania is the founder of Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth. The organization works with public schools in Oakland to reduce suspensions for minority students and enroll them in diversion programs.

Farhana Khera is the president and executive director of Muslim Advocates, a national legal advocacy and educational organization. She is also one of the cofounders. She works along with American Muslim lawyers and policy experts to protect the civil rights of Muslim Americans. Prior to that, she was counsel to the US Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Property Rights and contributed to the Patriot Act.

Ashley is the state director of the Human Rights Campaign in Alabama. Ashley champions LGBTQ+ rights and focuses on the intersection of race, sexuality, poverty, and other factors that lead to the marginalization of people in society. She also cofounded the Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition and the Queer Youth Leading the South Action Camp. She played a significant role in helping to overturn Alabama’s ban on same-sex marriage.

Rosa is a community organizer, journalist, former vice presidential candidate, and hip-hop activist. An Afro-Puerto Rican Bronx native, she is the president and founder of Know Thy Self Productions. The media organization engages in activism on subjects including hip-hop feminism, media justice, voter engagement among youth of color, third-party politics, United States political prisoners, and the right of Puerto Rico to become an independent nation free of United States colonial domination.

Van Jones is a television personality, environmental and civil rights activist, and attorney. Van founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, a California nonprofit dedicated to working for alternatives to violence. In 2005, he cofounded Color of Change, an African American advocacy group.

In 2007, he cofounded Green for All, a national nongovernmental organization dedicated to building an inclusive green economy. He continues to serve as a voice for green initiatives, getting disadvantaged youth trained in the latest technology, and training prison inmates in media skills.

Majora is the founder of Sustainable South Bronx and served as executive director through 2008. She also cofounded Green for All with Van Jones. She formed the economic consulting and planning firm the Majora Carter Group, where she's leveraging green tools to unlock the potential of cities and coastal towns.

Michelle Alexander is a civil rights lawyer, advocate, and legal scholar. In 2010, Michelle released The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. Today, she is a law professor at Ohio State University and travels the country speaking of the harm of mass incarceration.

Bryan Stevenson is the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, an organization dedicated to fighting injustice in the criminal justice system. He has also been one of the most vocal advocates for ending the death penalty. He acquired six acres of former public housing land in Montgomery for the development of the National Memorial for Peace and Justice.

Ciara Taylor is a founding member, political director, and director of political consciousness for Dream Defenders, a community organizing collective that fights for social justice and boldly challenges the status quo. A grassroots organizer and artist, Ciara challenges the structures of power that sustain inequality while working with smaller groups to make differences on the community level.

Ciara is currently working with CodePink, a women-led grassroots organization working to end US wars and militarism and support peace and human rights initiatives. She is the special project coordinator for the Iraq War Tribunal.

The daughter of civil rights leader George A. Wiley, Maya is a renowned expert on racial justice and equity. She served as counsel to the mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio. She also founded and codirects The New School’s Digital Equity Laboratory, where she teaches and serves as senior vice president for social justice.

Benjamin Crump is a civil rights attorney who works on high-profile cases. Benjamin represented the families of Trayvon Martin, Alesia Thomas, Tamir Rice, and Michael Brown, among many others. Benjamin also travels to speak on issues of criminal justice in the black community.