#MeToo creator Tarana Burke is stunning on Hannah magazine cover

When the #MeToo movement sparked late last year following allegations against Hollywood heavyweight Harvey Weinstein, many media outlets credited  Alyssa Milano, with creating the hashtag.

However, Black women were quick to correct that error and acknowledge that Tarana Burke created the #MeToo movement a decade ago and has been steadily working on behalf of women and girls for years.  The recognition landed her among Time Magazine’s Person Of The Year honorees as the “Silence Breakers.”

Though listed among the honorees, Burke did not make the cover. Taylor Swift did. Many criticized the magazine for that decision. How did the creator of the movement that sparked a massive cultural shift not be on the cover?

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Now, many are celebrating as Burke’s face graces the cover of Hannah Magazine (a publication created by a Black woman to celebrate Black women). The regal pictures features Burke’s hair styled in a voluminous afro complemented by a golden headpiece reminiscent of the Harlem Renaissance era. Her eyes are closed as her hands cup her face. Her lips are accentuated with a pop of bold, red color. She looks at peace.

Burke posted the cover shot on her Instagram with a note of gratitude to Hannah magazine’s creator, Qimmah Saafir.

“So…I’ve been nervous about this for weeks,” Burke wrote. “@Qimmahsaafir of @hannah.magazine is a visionary who deeply cares about the life, livelihood and well-being of sisters. Her and her team treated me so well on this shoot and the pictures are unlike any I’ve ever seen of myself, but I was still nervous because, well, it’s hard to see what folks who care about you see – but easy to agree with hateful folks.”

Burke continued, “This took a LOT for me. I actually do love it. I love all of the pictures. I hope you all order the magazine and support this sister too because she is putting in work. Thank you, @qimmahsaafir for helping me to see myself through different eyes even for a little while.”

Tarana seems to be making her media rounds. Earlier this week, she joined Patrisse Cullers and dished to Elle about how their influence, anger, and activism have galvanized women and men around the country to speak truth to power. 

“I would imagine that once you have a hashtag that’s gone viral or it’s gotten a lot of attention or you create something that gets a lot of attention,” said Burke, “that the next logical step for me would be to figure out how to take that off the internet and into the community or whatever the place is that you are in service of so that people can get a more robust understanding of what the work is, because it can’t live solely on the internet.”