PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 29 (2019) Winner
Ayọ Tometi
アヨ・トメティ
Ayo Tometi
Aliases:
Opal Tometi
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1984-08-15 （Phoenix, Arizona, United States）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English, Yoruba, Esan, Pidgin English
- Religion
- Christianity (Protestant)
- Residence History
- Suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona → Brooklyn, New York
Career
- Occupations
- Human rights activist, Community organizer, Writer, Strategist
- Active Years
- 2005-
- Affiliations
- Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI), Black Lives Matter (co-founder), Diaspora Rising (founder), International Living Future Institute (board member), Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity (board member), Theta Nu Xi (member), Puente Movement (former spokesperson)
- Memberships
- Theta Nu Xi (sorority), Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity (BOLD)
- Influenced By
- Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, Activists of the African diaspora
- Influenced
- Black Lives Matter (movement), Young human rights activists, Networks for immigrant rights
- Nominations
- Nobel Peace Prize (2021, nominated with Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arizona | Public/Applied History | — | 学士（公衆/応用歴史） | 2001–2005 | United States |
| Arizona State University | Communication Studies | — | 修士（コミュニケーション学） | 2008–2010 | United States |
| Clarkson University | — | — | 名誉理学博士（Honorary Doctor of Science） | 2016 | United States |
University of Arizona
Public/Applied History
Degree:
学士（公衆/応用歴史）
Period:
2001–2005
Year of Graduation:
2005
Country:
United States
Bachelor of Arts in Public/Applied History
Arizona State University
Communication Studies
Degree:
修士（コミュニケーション学）
Period:
2008–2010
Year of Graduation:
2010
Country:
United States
Specialization in advocacy and rhetoric
Clarkson University
Degree:
名誉理学博士（Honorary Doctor of Science）
Period:
2016
Year of Graduation:
2016
Country:
United States
Honorary degree awarded
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Essence — New Civil Rights Leader | — | — | Essence | Recipient |
| 2013 | Time — 100 Women of the Year (2013) | — | — | Time | Named (with Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors) |
| 2013 | Time — Cover story (2013) | — | — | Time | Featured |
| 2014 | Los Angeles Times — New Civil Rights Leader | — | — | Los Angeles Times | Recipient |
| 2015 | The Root 100 (African American Achievers aged 25–45) | — | — | The Root | Listed |
| 2015 | Politico 50 — Guide to Thinkers, Doers, and Visionaries | — | — | Politico | Named (with co-founders) |
| 2015 | Fortune — World's Greatest Leaders | — | — | Fortune | Named (with co-founders) |
| 2016 | Clarkson University — Honorary Doctor of Science | — | — | Clarkson University | Honorary degree recipient |
| 2017 | Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award | — | — | Institute for Policy Studies | Recipient |
| 2017 | City University of New York — Opal Tometi Scholarship (namesake) | — | — | City University of New York (CUNY) | Namesake |
| 2019 | PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Literary Award | When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir | — | PEN Oakland | Recipient (with Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors) |
| 2019 | Coretta Scott King Legacy Award | — | — | Coretta Scott King Center for Cultural and Intellectual Freedom | Recipient |
| 2020 | The Guardian Nigeria — Cover story | — | — | The Guardian Nigeria | Featured |
| 2020 | Time — 100 Most Influential People (2020) | — | — | Time | Named |
| 2020 | BBC — 100 Women (2020) | — | — | BBC | Named |
| 2021 | Nobel Peace Prize (nominee) | — | — | Nobel Committee (nominated with co-founders) | Nominee (with Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors) |
| — | National Museum of African American History and Culture — featured | — | — | National Museum of African American History and Culture | Featured |
Essence — New Civil Rights Leader
2013
Organization:
Essence
Result:
Recipient
Time — 100 Women of the Year (2013)
2013
Organization:
Time
Result:
Named (with Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors)
Time — Cover story (2013)
2013
Organization:
Time
Result:
Featured
Los Angeles Times — New Civil Rights Leader
2014
Organization:
Los Angeles Times
Result:
Recipient
The Root 100 (African American Achievers aged 25–45)
2015
Organization:
The Root
Result:
Listed
Politico 50 — Guide to Thinkers, Doers, and Visionaries
2015
Organization:
Politico
Result:
Named (with co-founders)
Fortune — World's Greatest Leaders
2015
Organization:
Fortune
Result:
Named (with co-founders)
Clarkson University — Honorary Doctor of Science
2016
Organization:
Clarkson University
Result:
Honorary degree recipient
Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award
2017
Organization:
Institute for Policy Studies
Result:
Recipient
City University of New York — Opal Tometi Scholarship (namesake)
2017
Organization:
City University of New York (CUNY)
Result:
Namesake
PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Literary Award
2019
Work:
When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir
Organization:
PEN Oakland
Result:
Recipient (with Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors)
Coretta Scott King Legacy Award
2019
Organization:
Coretta Scott King Center for Cultural and Intellectual Freedom
Result:
Recipient
The Guardian Nigeria — Cover story
2020
Organization:
The Guardian Nigeria
Result:
Featured
Time — 100 Most Influential People (2020)
2020
Organization:
Time
Result:
Named
BBC — 100 Women (2020)
2020
Organization:
BBC
Result:
Named
Nobel Peace Prize (nominee)
2021
Organization:
Nobel Committee (nominated with co-founders)
Result:
Nominee (with Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors)
National Museum of African American History and Culture — featured
Organization:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Result:
Featured
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Diaspora Rising
2020 Community-building project (social media-based)A center focused on cultivating a global Black diaspora community, operating largely via social media and digital organizing; it supports education, networking, and community building.
Black diasporaCommunity buildingImmigrant rights
Selected essays and articles
Essays / Opinion piecesArticles and essays contributed to outlets such as The Huffington Post and Time, focusing on human rights, immigration, police violence, and racial justice.
Human rightsImmigrationRacial justiceDigital organizing
Bibliography
- Selected contributions to The Huffington Post
- Selected contributions to Time
- Various speeches and talks (selected)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Direct and persuasive expressionMovement-rooted strategic communication
- Recurring Motifs
- Family reunification for immigrantsDiaspora solidarityStructural racism and police reform
Legacy
A human rights activist and co-founder of Black Lives Matter with international influence. She has advanced immigrant rights and solidarity among Black communities, receiving multiple honors and recognition and shaping public discourse and social movements.
Museums
- National Museum of African American History and Culture Washington, D.C., United States Opened in 2016
Academic Societies
- Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity
- International Living Future Institute
In Popular Culture
- Time magazine cover (2013)
- Selected for BBC 100 Women (2020)
- Featured on The Guardian Nigeria cover (2020)
Quotes
-
I do this because we deserve to live.
Source: The Guardian (interview) (2020) -
"In a place where there is intelligent political discourse," she said.
Source: Tweet / comment while observing elections in Venezuela (2015)
Trivia
- Formerly known as Opal Tometi.
- Purchased the domain BlackLivesMatter.com and helped build the movement's social media strategy.
- Her parents immigrated from Nigeria; family immigration struggles shaped her advocacy.
- Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science by Clarkson University in 2016.
- Named to Time's 100 Most Influential People (2020) and co-nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize (2021).