TIME has released its annual Women of the Year selection for 2022. The award recognizes women who are leading the charge to make the world a more equal and inclusive place. TIME considered methods to overcome dysfunctional systems that unfairly and severely disadvantaged women in response to the pandemic. The end result was a tribute to the 12 women and their incredible labor, with the goal of creating a more inspiring story for women globally. “Creating a better future for women means building bridges—across generations, communities, and borders,” TIME wrote.
The exceptional Black women who made this year’s list are listed below. On March 8th, International Women’s Day, a banquet will be held in Los Angeles to honor their efforts.
- Allyson Felix, Most Decorated Woman In Track and Founder of Saysh
“When you speak your truth, things happen. You draw power from one another.” – Allyson Felix
- Amanda Gorman, Youngest Inaugural Poet in U.S. History
“The type of leadership that I like to participate in really leans into my femininity. Things like empathy, compassion, listening, tenderness, sharing power—you risk being called ‘too emotional,’ but I like to lean into those characteristics because we need to see more of that in the world.” – Amanda Gorman
- Jennie Joseph, Maternal Health Care Advocate
“There’s the calling to midwifery. It’s been my entire life. Because you cannot stand by and tolerate injustice. Not when you’ve found ways that do actually make a difference.” – Jennie Joseph
- Kerry Washington, Actor and Activist
“In a world that marginalizes people of color and women, to center a Black woman and make her fully human became perceived as a political act,” – Kerry Washington
- Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, First Trans Actor To Win A Golden Globe
“When I was younger, I didn’t have representation for anyone of color in the LGBTQI community. Now, I want to be the example. I want to show them that it’s possible.” – Michaela Jaé Rodriguez
- Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director Counsel of NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
“I think it has mattered, my voice not only as a Black civil rights leader but as a Black woman civil rights leader, to speak with power, authority, and knowledge. It is important to show that women who have chosen a path of service [can] rise to the highest level.” – Sherrilyn Ifill