The Los Angeles Press Club is proud to announce that Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo Movement, will accept the Club’s Impact Award. The ceremony will take place at the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards Gala on December 1 at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
Tarana has been on the forefront in the battle for racial justice and gender equality for almost 30 years. She has fought against sexual violence and systematic injustice affecting marginalized people — especially black women and girls. Among her many accolades and honors, she was named the 2017 TIME Person of the Year.
“Tarana’s work to raise awareness of sexual assault and harassment in society has led to what we all hope will be a permanent change in the entertainment industry and in corporate America,” said Chris Palmeri, president of the club. “She made the difficult decision to come forward with her own history of abuse and in doing so serves as a beacon for others. We are so delighted that Tarana could join us in Los Angeles and accept this award.”
The Impact Award for Influential Contributions to Culture and Society was instituted to pay tribute to those that make a difference and impact on culture and society.
“It is an honor to be the recipient of the 2019 Impact Award,” said Tarana Burke. “The LA Press Club, by way of its mission and commitment to quality journalism, is part of the engine that defines culture and advances justice. Networks like this are largely the reason why movements like ‘me too.’ have been able to touch so many. Thank you to the Board for selecting me, and for continuing to help shift the conversation back to where it belongs — on action, accountability, and agency for all people.”
For more than 25 years, activist and advocate Tarana J. Burke has worked at the intersection of sexual violence and racial justice. Fueled by commitments to interrupt sexual violence and other systemic inequalities disproportionately impacting marginalized people, particularly Black women and girls, Tarana has created and led various campaigns focused on increasing access to resources and support for impacted communities, including The #MeToo Movement, which to date has galvanized millions of survivors and allies around the world.
The Los Angeles Press Club has a long and storied history as one of the oldest and most prestigious journalist organizations in the country, serving the Southland since 1913. The NAEJ event is a fundraiser for this 501c3 charitable organization. It is the only Southern California journalism group speaking for all journalists working for daily and weekly newspapers, radio & TV, magazines, documentary films and online.
The club established the NAEJ awards in 2008 to recognize quality journalism in the fastest growing segment of the modern media revolution. It remains the sole award of its kind in the nation.
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