For(bes) The Culture 50 Champions
Championing community. Creating pathways. Lifting as they climb.
NEW YORK – October 26, 2021 – For(bes) the Culture today announces its inaugural list of 50 Champions, honoring Black and Brown industry leaders for their standout impact and service in underserved communities. From tech innovators and TV executives to social justice activists and physicists, these 50 Champions are not only excelling in their fields, but they’re using their platforms to actively shift the narrative of overlooked and underserved communities.
“The champions on this list are not only driving their respective fields forward, but they’re effecting real change in Black and Brown communities by increasing access to their crafts, using their voices and resources to invest in underserved communities, and intentionally building community to eradicate the racial wealth gap and create Black generational wealth,” said Ali Jackson-Jolley, Assistant Managing Editor, Forbes.
The For(bes) the Culture 50 Champions list is broken down into three categories: Superstars; Blazing Stars; and Rising Stars. Highlights on this year’s list include:
– Hadiyah Nicole Green, Medical Physicist & Founder of Ora Lee Smith Cancer Research Foundation. As one of the few female physicists in the U.S. and one of the first Black women in the nation to earn a Ph.D. in physics, Green developed a novel cancer treatment using nanotechnology. Beyond her academic role and nonprofit work, Green actively uses her platform to model a path towards the medical research field for Black and Brown girls.
– Colin Kaepernick, Social Activist & Founder of Know Your Rights Camp. Kaepernick shattered the paradigm for how athletes of color can express themselves. Now, he’s building awareness and activism around criminal justice inequity through Know Your Rights Camp, which aims to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization and the creation of new systems.
– Issa Rae, Producer, Actress & Co-Founder of Raedio. In addition to creating and starring in both ‘The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl’ and HBO’s ‘Insecure,’ Rae creates pathways for other Black creatives via her music label, Raedio, and invests in her local community through her partnership with Hilltop Coffee and Kitchen.
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– Al Harrington, Co-founder & CEO of Viola Cannabis. Harrington played 16 seasons in the NBA and has become a successful entrepreneur in the cannabis industry since retiring. In addition to running Viola Cannabis, Harrington has pledged to fund 100 Black-owned cannabis businesses throughout his career, and actively funds legal fees for Black and Brown Americans who remain incarcerated for past crimes related to cannabis.
– Arlan Hamilton, Founder & Managing Partner of Backstage Capital. With no formal venture capital training, Hamilton became the first Black and openly gay woman to break into the venture capital world, launching Backstage Capital to invest in underfunded founders. In 2021, she launched a new fund aimed at making venture capital-style investing more accessible to everyone.
To see the full list, visit: FTC 50 Champions
About Forbes
Forbes champions success by celebrating those who have made it, and those who aspire to make it. Forbes convenes and curates the most influential leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving change, transforming business and making a significant impact on the world. The Forbes brand today reaches more than 150 million people worldwide through its trusted journalism, signature LIVE and Forbes Virtual events, custom marketing programs and 44 licensed local editions in 77 countries. Forbes Media’s brand extensions include real estate, education and financial services license agreements.
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