The May edition of Essence will feature the magazine’s first-ever “Woke 100” list, a tribute to the women of color doing the work.
Twelve impressive activists and leaders will grace the cover, with the rest featured within the magazine’s pages.
The list includes luminaries like Michelle Obama and Maxine Waters, creators like Shonda Rimes and Ava DuVernay, pioneers like Angela Y Davis and many more.
In addition to the Essence story and cover, the Woke 100 will also be presented at the 2017 Essence Festival, which will have the theme of “Woke Wonderland” from June 30 to July 2 in New Orleans.
“We are beyond proud to announce our first ever Woke 100 list and to summon a circle of women who are shaping the narrative of today’s social and political climate,” said Essence editor-in-chief Vanessa De Luca. “As we kick off the conversation of modern activism in our May issue, the 2017 Essence Festival’s ‘Woke Wonderland’ theme will act as the intersection of passion and purpose—bridging the gap between this generation’s most prominent voices in leadership and those who’ve laid the groundwork before them.”
The May issue of Essence will hit newsstands Friday, April 21.
