On Thursday, The Root placed Stacey Abrams at the top of the list of the most influential African Americans in the country.
“A year after a shady election denied her the chance to become America's first black female governor, Abrams is still that chick causing all that conversation,” the editors wrote.
In its 10th year, The Root 100 is an annual list of influential African Americans 25 to 45 years old. The Root is an online magazine launched by scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. and publisher Donald E. Graham.
The list is compiled using an algorithm that calculates the reach of the people through their social media output, coupled with the overall impact of their work.
» RELATED: Read the full Root 100 list
“It’s our way of honoring the innovators, the leaders, the public figures and game changers whose work from the past year is breaking down barriers and paving the way for the next generation,” The Root wrote in introducing this year’s honorees. “This year’s list of honorees is a reminder of the beauty and brilliance of blackness, at a time when the political and cultural landscape has grown even more hostile to the idea of black achievement.”
» RELATED: Stacey Abrams carves out a new Election 2020 role in Georgia
Abrams was not alone in representing Georgia.
Oronike Odeleye, a local activist, was named the fifth most influential African-American. She launched the #muteRKelly movement to combat sexual violence against black girls in the wake of allegations and charges against rhythm and blues singer R. Kelly.
Earlier this year, Lifetime aired the six-part documentary, “Surviving R. Kelly.” Odeleye was not involved, but her fingerprints were all over it, as her grassroots movement caught fire and forced media outlets and African-American consumers to re-evaluate their relationships with R. Kelly and his music.
» RELATED? Why you should dump R. Kelly
“It was completely unexpected, and I am overwhelmed, honored that they would include me and for me to be so high,” Odeleye told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Thursday. “But it really goes to show how big of an impact it can make when someone stands up and champions black girls. These black girls are being abused, and it needs to stop. It has gotten way bigger than I anticipated it would ever be.”
Since losing a tight Georgia gubernatorial race to Brian Kemp in 2018, Abrams has remained busy.
She has embraced her role as the state’s most prominent active Democrat, using the platform she built during her run to help launch an advocacy group to train and mobilize 2 million women to become political activists and organizers ahead of the 2020 election. And she announced in August an expansion of her Fair Fight voting rights initiative to 20 states with competitive elections.
She is also pleading with party officials to pour resources into Georgia, which she believes could be a swing state in 2020.
Abrams, who still hasn’t officially conceded to Kemp, remains on the minds of Georgia Republicans, as evidenced by a recent fundraising appeal by Republican Sen. David Perdue: “She’s still out there, and she’s doing everything she can to deliver Georgia for national Democrats in 2020. Between now and November 2020, we cannot let Stacey Abrams and her political machine go unchallenged.”
Abrams and Odeleye were joined on the list by other Georgians, including: entertainers, Janelle Monae, 20; Donald Glover, 24; and Cardi B. 45.
Mashama Bailey, a Savannah-based chef, clocked in at 50; and Manu Platt, a professor at Georgia Tech is ranked 65.
1. Stacey Abrams - Politician
2. Nipsey Hussle – Rapper
Credit: Ser Baffo
Credit: Ser Baffo
3. Lizzo - Singer, rapper, flutist
Credit: Nicholas Hunt
Credit: Nicholas Hunt
4. Steven Canals – Co-creator of Pose
5. Oronike Odeleye – Activist
6. Colin Kaepernick – Activist
Credit: Al Bello
Credit: Al Bello
7. Ilhan Omar – U.S. Representative, Minnesota
8. Rodney Robinson – Educator
9. Janet Mock – Writer, LGBTQ activist
10. Karen Attiah – Global Opinions editor, The Washington Post
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