The founder of the #MeToo movement, Tarana Burk, will be kicking off the new year right by being in charge of Times Square’s iconic New Year’s Eve ball drop.
Welp! Looks like the cat is out of the bag. Yours truly will be pressing the Waterford crystal button to release the ball drop in Times Square on NYE. We are setting intentions for the new year. #metoo2018 pic.twitter.com/iYGfyvnvqJ
— Tarana (@TaranaBurke) December 18, 2017
In a statement shared on Twitter, Burke said that she is “delighted to be participating in this momentous occasion. I think it’s fitting to honor the Me Too movement as we close a historic year and set our intentions for 2018. With the new year comes new momentum to fuel this work and we won’t stop anytime soon.”
Burke is a social activist who has been working with victims of sexual assault for more than a decade. After decades of sexual misconduct allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein were revealed, the hashtag #MeToo, started by Burke and launched with help from actress Alyssa Milano, unleashed a torrent of accusations and confessions all over the world. The accusations led to resignations and dismissals of men across industries who were abusing their positions of power. Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, said that “Tarana Burke’s courage and foresight have changed the world this year, and, we hope, forever.”
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