Tarana Burke
AUTHOR

Tarana Burke

Biographies & Memoirs | History | Literature & Fiction
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Tarana J. Burke has been working at the intersection of racial justice, arts and culture, anti-violence and gender equity for nearly three decades. Fueled by a commitment to interrupt systemic issues disproportionately impacting marginalized people, like sexual violence, particularly for Black women and girls, Tarana has created and led campaigns that have brought awareness to the harmful legacies surrounding communities of color. Specifically, her work to end sexual violence has not only exposed the ugly truths of sexism and spoke truth to power, it has also increased access to resources and support for survivors and paved a way forward for everyone to find their place in the movement. A proud native of the Bronx, NY, Tarana's passion for community organizing began in the late 1980s; when as a young girl, she joined a youth leadership organization called 21st Century Youth Leadership Movement. She led and participated in initiatives around issues like police brutality, housing inequality and economic justice across the city. That work, coupled with a desire to deepen her academic education and organizing skills led her to Alabama State University, a historically Black institution. Her organizing and advocacy work continued throughout college and remains a pillar of her professional life. Her career took an intentional turn toward supporting survivors of sexual violence while living in Selma, Alabama and working for 21st Century. She encountered dozens of Black girls with stories of sexual violence, abuse, and exploitation, stories with which she personally identified. Tarana realized too many girls were trying their best to survive without access to resources, safe spaces and support. So, in 2004, she created Just Be, Inc., an organization committed to the empowerment and wellness of Black and Brown girls. The ‘me too.’ Movement was born shortly thereafter as an entry to healing for survivors and a mechanism for developing survivor leaders. In 2017, when ‘me too.’ as a hashtag (#metoo) went viral, Tarana emerged as a global leader in the evolving conversation around sexual violence. She placed the focus back on survivors and the need for survivor-centered, survivor-led solutions. Her theory of 'empowerment through empathy' is changing the way the world thinks and talks about sexual violence, consent and bodily autonomy. Tarana uses her platform to share the messages that healing is possible, survivors are leaders and ending sexual violence has to be a social justice priority, which has touched and inspired millions of survivors who previously lived with the pain, shame and trauma of their experience in isolation. In 2018, Tarana founded ‘me too.’ International, a global non-profit organization that serves as a container for the vision and framework for the ‘me too.’ Movement. The organization serves as a convener, innovator, thought leader, and organizer across the mainstream and the grassroots to address systems that allow for the proliferation of sexual violence, specifically in Black, queer, trans, disabled, and all communities of color. Her steadfast commitment is what led her to receive numerous accolades including 2017 TIME Person of the Year, 2018 TIME 100 Most Influential People, the 2019 Sydney Peace Prize and Harvard Gleitsman Citizen Activist Award, and in 2020 being named one of USA Today’s Women of the Decade among many other honors and recognitions.
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Featured Article: The top 100 memoirs of all time


All genres considered, the memoir is among the most difficult and complex for a writer to pull off. After all, giving voice to your own lived experience and recounting deeply painful or uncomfortable memories in a way that still engages and entertains is a remarkable feat. These autobiographies, often narrated by the authors themselves, shine with raw, unfiltered emotion sure to resonate with any listener. But don't just take our word for it—queue up any one of these listens, and you'll hear exactly what we mean.

Featured Article The top 100 memoirs of all time

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  • The Trauma of Caste Audiobook By Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Tarana Burke - foreword, Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Cornel West - aft

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  • Sing a Black Girl's Song Audiobook By Ntozake Shange, Imani Perry - editor, Tarana Burke - foreword cover art

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  • You Are Your Best Thing Audiobook By Tarana Burke, Brené Brown cover art

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    • My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement
    • By: Tarana Burke
    • Narrated by: Tarana Burke
    • Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins
    • Release date: 09-14-21
    • Language: English
    • 5 out of 5 stars 1,749 ratings

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  • Unbound Audiobook By Tarana Burke cover art

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    • My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement
    • By: Tarana Burke
    • Narrated by: Tarana Burke
    • Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins
    • Release date: 09-14-21
    • Language: English
    • 5 out of 5 stars 14 ratings

    Regular price: $14.52 or 1 credit

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